Preparing good barbecue is a culinary skill that comes with practice—sometimes years of practice. But Louisville pit master Chris Sussman, also known as The BBQ Buddha, gives those minding the home grill a leg up with his book, The Four Fundamentals of Smoking: Pit Master Secrets to Making Incredible BBQ. With photos, tutorials, reference charts and pro tips, The Four Fundamentals provides step-by-step instructions for preparing succulent smoked meats to savor this summer.
I love chicken wings any way they come. This glaze is well balanced between sweet and sour and goes so well with chicken wings. When the wings are glazed, the presentation is beautiful and will feed you with your eyes first.
Serves 4-6 as an appetizer
Suggested wood: Apple, hickory or pecan chips
Approximate total cook time: 40 minutes
Grill setup: Indirect
Glaze
¼ cup pineapple juice
1 tablespoon cornstarch
¼ cup rice vinegar
¼ cup brown sugar
¼ cup ketchup
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
1 teaspoon sriracha
Chicken
2 pounds chicken wings
2 teaspoon your favorite savory poultry rub (I use Dizzy Pig Peking seasoning)
Sliced scallions, for garnish
1. In a small bowl, mix together the pineapple juice and cornstarch until a smooth slurry is formed. This is important to help thicken the sauce for the wings.
2. Whisk together the rice vinegar, brown sugar, ketchup, soy sauce, honey, sriracha and the slurry in a saucepan. Heat the mixture over medium heat, stirring often until the sauce thickens, about 15 minutes. Set aside while you cook the chicken wings.
3. Preheat cooker to 350 degrees. Rub the chicken wings evenly with the rub. Cook the wings for 20 minutes. Flip and cook for another 20 minutes or until the internal temperature is 165 degrees.
4. Remove the wings and place them in a large bowl. Pour the glaze over the top of the chicken wings and toss until evenly coated. Garnish with scallions, serve and enjoy.