Brined Chicken Wings
Ingredients:
Brine:
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1 bunch thyme
- 3 tbsp crushed red pepper
Chicken Wings:
- 2 dozen large wings
- Peanut oil
Dry Rub:
- 1/2 cup ground chili powder
- 2 tbsp ginger
- 2 tbsp dry mustard
- 3 tbsp brown sugar
- 2 tbsp garlic powder
- 2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 2 tbsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
Alabama White Sauce:
- 2 cups mayonnaise
- 2/3 cup apple cider vinegar
- 3 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp black pepper
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
Instructions:
Brine:
- In a large pot, bring water to a simmer and turn off heat.
- Add all ingredients and whisk until dissolved.
- Refrigerate until fully chilled.
- Submerge chicken wings in brine and refrigerate for 4 hours.
Dry Rub:
- In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients.
- Stir until combined.
Alabama White Sauce:
- In a large bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, apple cider vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper, and cayenne.
- Chill.
Chicken Wings:
- Set recteq to 225°F.
- Remove brined chicken wings from liquid and pat dry.
- Add chicken wings to a large mixing bowl and evenly distribute all but 4 tbsp of dry rub.
- Smoke chicken for 2.5 hours.
- After removing chicken, heat peanut oil to 350°F in a deep fryer.
- Fry smoked chicken wings until crispy and just caramelized (4-6 minutes).
- Remove from fryer, shake off excess oil, and let rest for 30 seconds.
- In a mixing bowl, toss together wings and reserved dry rub.
- Serve with small bowl of Alabama White Sauce.