Do you Brine Chicken Wings before Smoking?(MUST TRY!)

I always felt that the chicken wings from the restaurant somehow tasted better and it gave this amazing juicy tender texture on the inside.

I did some digging around and realized how everyone loves to brine their chicken wings before smoking.

So, if you do not know (don’t worry, I didn’t know this either) –

Brining is a process that involves soaking meat to maintain moisture in the meat and juiciness, and this can result in a more tender finish on meats like chicken wings.

Brinning is pretty important step in my cooking process because it makes the chicken so juicy and tender.

Once you get started with brining, you cannot go back to cooking chicken without this step, yes, that is the kind of difference it makes.

I have mentioned some of my favorite brine solutions later in the post. I always recommend experimenting with brine solutions and seeing the results you get with them.

Cooking chicken wings after brining the chicken does give the wings a juicy and tender texture but do we need to brine chicken wings?

Do You Need To Brine Wings?

You do not need to brine chicken wings but I highly recommend doing so. Brining can make a big difference in terms of the juiciness of the chicken wings.

Brining improves the texture of the cooked chicken wings making them juicy and full of flavor. Some seasonings can give a tender finish, but most dry seasonings do not add moisture to the chicken.

So while it is not necessary to brine chicken wings before smoking, it can help with moisture retention.

I brine chicken(regardless of the cut) every time before cooking them and the results are never disappointing.

Does Brining Chicken Wings Make A Difference?

Yes, brining does make a difference to the chicken wings. First, it adds moisture to the chicken wings that regular dry seasonings cannot and will also prevent too much moisture loss.

What brining does is it soaks the chicken in a salt and water solution, and this helps the chicken absorb more moisture, which keeps the wings moist as the liquid evaporates when smoking.

Another benefit that brine can do to the chicken wings is it helps absorb more flavors. As the salt and water penetrate the meat, the chicken wings get infused with the seasonings.

The best brines can bring in great flavors in the chicken.

Best Brine Solution For Chicken Wings

1. Mild Chicken Wings Brine

This simple brine will add a mild spiciness to the chicken wings. This is the perfect brine for buffalo wings as it adds spice immediately from the brine.

Ingredients:

6 cups of water

Half a cup of kosher salt

1/3 cup of sugar

2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar

2 tablespoons each of ground black pepper and red pepper flakes.

All that is needed is to heat a pot and mix the water, sugar, and salt. There is no need for too much heat as it is only needed to melt the sugar and salt in the water.

Add the remaining ingredients and then stir to combine. Allow the brine to cool and it is now ready to soak the chicken wings.

2. Brown Sugar And Beer-Brined Wings

This is a unique brine but is still pretty simple. It can give the chicken wings a unique flavor and I figured it is also perfect for Traeger smoked wings.

Ingredients:

12 ounces of beer

3 and a half cups of water

1/4 cup each of kosher salt and brown sugar

Half teaspoon of dried minced garlic

Half teaspoon of dried onion flake

Half teaspoon of dried red pepper flakes

1 bay leaf

There is no need to cook this brine as all that is needed is to mix all the ingredients in a large bowl until the brown sugar and kosher salt are dissolved into the water.

3. Buttermilk Brined Chicken

Buttermilk helps break down the skin and meat of the chicken so it becomes more tender on the inside and crispier on the outside. That is why this brine is included in this shortlist.

Ingredients:

4 cups of buttermilk

4 tablespoons of paprika

1 tablespoon of cumin

1 tablespoon of salt

1 teaspoon of chili powder

Half teaspoon each of black pepper and red pepper flakes

6 tablespoons of hot sauce

2 tablespoons of pickle juice

1 tablespoon of lime juice

The ingredients included above are for the whole recipe. The first step is to mix all the spices and then add just half of them into the buttermilk before whisking it to distribute the spices.

Add the hot sauce, lime juice, and pickle juice, and then it is ready to be placed in a sealable bag with the chicken wings.

These brine solutions listed above use wet ingredients like beer, buttermilk, and water. However, there are also dry brines that can be used.

Can You Use Dry Brine Instead Of Wet Brine?

Yes, you can use dry brine on the chicken wings. Dry brine is essentially as effective as wet brine in infusing flavor and moisture in the chicken, plus, it is easier to do.

Dry brine means just salting the chicken and letting it sit for a few minutes to an hour.

You can even salt the chicken and freeze it so that you can then thaw it and use it again for cooking.

Wet brine infuses moisture more effectively into the chicken wings but if not done right, the flavor can somewhat taste like a watered-down mixture of spices.

Dry brining is effective and easier to do as the process only includes rubbing kosher salt all over the chicken wings and then refrigerating it for at least a few hours.

The result will be almost identical, depending on how long the chicken wings have been sitting on the brine.

Some even say salting or dry brine is better than wet brine.

How Long To Brine Chicken Wings

Brining chicken wings usually takes around 2 hours in the refrigerator. Salty brines can make a big difference so the chicken wings should not be sitting in the brine for more than 6 hours.

The chicken wings, while brining, should also be placed in the refrigerator because one, it prevents bacteria from developing quickly and two, it slows down the brining process.

To not shred the meat in the chicken, the brine needs to be either mild or slowed down.

Salt can be acidic when melted so it has a chance to shred the meat of the chicken and make it mushy when the wings are cooked.

Chicken wings also need to be brined for a shorter amount of time than a whole bird, and that is why it needs only 2 hours in the brine for it to take in as much moisture without it becoming mushy.

How To Brine Wings Before Smoking

It is quite easy to brine chicken wings before smoking as they do not need too much time to soak and the ingredients are pretty simple.

Any of the brines listed above can be used in this process.

Step 1:

Mix all the ingredients in a bowl or a pot (if they need to be cooked).

Step 2:

Stir the mixture until the salt and sugar dissolve so the brine has a more balanced flavor.

Step 3:

Prepare a resealable or zip-lock bag and then pour the brine into the bag. If the brine is cooked to melt the other ingredients, let it cool down before putting it in the bag.

Step 4:

Place the chicken wings in the bag with the brine and then massage the bag gently to start infusing the moisture and salt into the chicken wings.

Step 5:

Place the zip-lock bag in the refrigerator and let the chicken wings brine for 2 hours. Brining overnight should only be done if the whole chicken is being brined.

Chicken wings need a shorter time in the brine so the meat does not start to break down. 2 hours in the fridge will be enough for the brine to do its job with the chicken wings.

Step 6:

10 to 20 minutes before cooking, take the chicken wings out of the refrigerator to come up to room temperature.

Take the chicken wings off of the brine and discard the brine. Rinse the chicken wings with cold water and then dry them with paper towels.

They are now ready for the next step which is seasoning and smoking!

How To Cook After Brining The Chicken Wings?

This recipe is an excellent guide that starts with the brining process up to smoking and serving the chicken wings, so I recommend it.

The applewood-smoked chicken wings in this recipe are perfect as the wood used for smoking also adds a little bit of sweet flavor to the chicken wings.

The smoke does not overpower the flavors of the chicken wings.

Chicken wings are cooked at a temperature of 250 degrees Fahrenheit for 2 and 1/2 hours, and this creates a juicy and tender finish while the skin becomes crispy.

Step 1:

Once the chicken wings are ready to be cooked, lay them on a plate and add any seasoning you prefer.

There is no need to overseason the chicken wings as just a little bit of seasoning will easily infuse the meat because of the brine.

Step 2:

Set the smoker to 250 degrees and allow it to preheat with the lid closed. Add the applewood to the coals or the main source of heat.

Applewood smoked chicken wings have a perfect combination with buttermilk or the mild brine included in the list above.

Step 3:

Smoke the chicken wings for 2 to 2 1/2 hours. Do not open the smoker unless there is a need to add more applewood to the firebox.

Note:

Allow the chicken wings to cook. There is no need to turn or flip the chicken wings over when cooking with indirect heat.

Step 4:

Prepare a meat probe to measure the internal temperature of the chicken wings. Once they get to 165 degrees Fahrenheit, they are now done cooking.

Allow them to rest for at least 10 minutes to bring the juices back into the meat. Serve the chicken wings warm with your favorite sauce!

Can You Smoke A Chicken Without Brining First?

Yes, smoking a whole chicken does not always need brine. As long as the chicken is at room temperature, it can be seasoned with a dry rub or other seasonings and then smoked right away.

The chicken needs to be rinsed first to eliminate any blood or dirt from the outside, which goes with chicken wings.

Once the chicken is ready to be cooked, some adhesives can be used to keep the dry rub or seasonings striking on the chicken.

Some put olive oil or mustard all over the chicken. This way, even without bringing the chicken, the flavors from the dry rub or seasonings will stick to the chicken and seep into the meat.

Do You Rinse Chicken After Brining?

You might want to rinse the chicken after brining to remove any blood or dirt mixed with the brine. However, it is not necessary unless the chicken is over-brined.

The best option is to rinse the chicken(only if you think you over-brined the chicken) after it has been brined and make sure that it is pat dried.

Drying the chicken as much as possible is important so that the skin will not become soggy when cooked.

If the chicken is not brined for too long, there is an option of just patting it dry instead of rinsing the bird first.

I usually, clean the chicken before brining and when I take the chicken out of the brine, I either pat it dry or just dry it enough so that the seasonings still stick to the surface of the chicken.

Once done with it, the exterior of the skin of the chicken can be pat dried and seasoned well so that it can become crispy while the interior remains juicy and tender.

Should I Soak Chicken Wings Before Smoking It?

In conclusion, yes, you should soak or brine chicken wings before smoking them, and the brining process will prevent the chicken wings from drying out in the smoker.

Chicken wings are more prone to drying out than the other poultry cuts. They are small and have bones inside them so they can dry out easily when smoked for hours.

Brining chicken wings or soaking them before smoking will help lock in the moisture even in slow and low cooking methods while also infusing flavors.

Soaking or brining the chicken wings before smoking will result in a crispy exterior and juicy interior that everybody in the barbecue will surely love!

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Do you Brine Chicken Wings before Smoking?(MUST TRY!)

Do You Need To Brine Wings?

Does Brining Chicken Wings Make A Difference?