Applewood Smoked Chicken wings take on flavor from a nice smoke over applewood coals brined in all-natural ingredients. Tons of flavors in these Naked Wings!
One wingy dingy. Two wingy dingy. A gracious hello!
Oh, never mind me, I’m just sitting here counting my applewood smoked chicken wing bones in my best impersonation of Ernestine The Telephone Operator. This character was played by the funny as hell Lily Tomlin on Rowan & Martin’s Laugh-In.
Why? I have no clue, but it always makes David laugh when I talk about wings like that. He’s probably right; I am crazy, but only because he made me that way!
No, really. I’m sitting here sniffing my fingers because I just polished off the last of the brined applewood smoked chicken wings. David and I smoked the wings last weekend, and I wish I had more.
I can’t even believe I’m saying this because I didn’t even eat chicken wings three years ago. I never really cared for chicken wings until I learned better ways to make them. There are much better methods than dropping them into hot grease and drenching them in extremely salty sauces.
What I love most about
David and I were inspired by wings we ordered from a local pub recently. They had a similar wing on their menu. They referred to them as “Naked Wings.” David and I took one bite into the smoky wings, and we knew we would have to replicate them at home. We already had the perfect brine recipe for them, the same combination of ingredients we used to brine the smoked pork loin a couple of weeks prior.
Why Brine Chicken Wings?
The brine solution makes the wings tender, juicy and flavorful. The wings take on flavor from a wet brine solution made of natural ingredients such as water, kosher salt, apple juice, maple syrup for a bit of sweetness, and spices.
What Smoking Wood Compliments the Brine?
We softly smoked the brined chicken wings with applewood because it is delicate and compliments the brine. Any fruit wood would work well with this recipe. Cherry and hickory would work well.
What’s Needed to Make This Recipe?
- 4 ½ to 5 pf pounds of chicken wings cut into drumettes and wingettes
- Applewood chunks for smoking
- Brine Solution (recipe to follow)
- BBQ Sauce or Dressing for serving (optional)
Ingredients For the Chicken Wing Brine Recipe
- Basic Brine Solution: Cold water and Kosher Salt
- Flavorings: Apple juice, maple syrup and brown sugar for sweetness. Garlic powder and onions powder for savoriness and red crushed pepper flakes for heat.
How to Make Brined Applewood Smoked Chicken Wings
Prepare the Wings for Brining
If buying whole wings, cut the wings into drumettes and wingettes. Reserve the wingtips for making broth or toss!
Place the drumettes and wingettes into a gallon-size zip-top bag.
Make the Brine Mixture
- Combine the brine solution in a large bowl. Whisk the solution until the salt has dissolved.
- Pour the brine solution into the zip-top bag covering the chicken wings.
- Seal the bag, squeezing as much air out of the bag as possible.
- Place the bag inside a bowl (to ensure no messy leaks inside the refrigerator). Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
Drain the Wings and Prepare For Smoking
- Remove wings from the brine and drain well. Discard any remaining brine.
- Pat chicken dry with a paper towel. You want to remove as much moisture as possible so that the skin has a chance to crisp up.
Preheat the Grill or Smoker
- Preheat the grill or smoker to 250 degrees F.
- Set up a charcoal grill indirect heat using the three-zone split fire method and add some applewood to the hot coals.
- When the smoker or grill is in the ideal temperature range, you are ready to smoke.
- Place the chicken wings in the center (indirect) portion of the grill.
- Add more applewood to the coals, if needed, and cover the grill.
Smoke the Wings
- Smoke the wings for about 2 to 2 ½ hours at 250 degrees F.
- During this time, monitor the temperature and only open the grill or smoker to add more applewood. You can tell when more wood is needed when very little smoke comes out of the grill vent. There is no need to turn the wings when using indirect heat.
When Are the Smoked Chicken Wings Done?
- The chicken wings are done when they are a rich reddish-brown color, and the internal temp reaches 170 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer.
- Remove from the grill or smoker and serve warm.
How To Serve Applewood Smoked Wings:
We served the wings naked with some blue cheese dressing, but feel free to brush the wings with your favorite barbecue sauce the wings during the last 10 to 15 minutes of smoking if desired.
Sauces and Dressings For Serving:
- Homemade Ranch Dressing
- Horseradish White Barbecue Sauce
- Spicy Chipotle Peach Barbecue Sauce
- Cranberry BBQ Sauce
- Homemade Thousand Island Dressing
- Incredibly Good BBQ Ranch Dressing
We hope these wings make an appearance on your grill or smoker soon.
Enjoy the wings!
Brined Applewood Smoked Chicken Wings
Ingredients
- 4 ½ to 5 pounds chicken wings cut into drumettes and wingettes
- Applewood chunks for smoking
- Brine Solution (recipe to follow)
- BBQ Sauce or Dressing for serving (optional)
Brine Solution:
- 3 ½ cups water
- 1 cup apple juice
- ¼ cup kosher salt
- ¼ cup maple syrup
- 2 tablespoons brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon crushed red pepper
- 1 tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 tablespoon onion powder
Instructions
- If buying whole wings, cut the wings into drumettes and wingettes. Reserve the tips for making broth; set aside. Place the drumettes and wingettes into a gallon size zip-top bag.. Reserve the tips for making broth; set aside. Place the drumettes and wingettes into a gallon size zip-top bag.
- Combine the brine solution, in a large bowl. Whisk the solution until the salt has dissolved. Pour the brine solution into the zip-top bag with covering the chicken wings. Seal the bag squeezing as much air out of the bag as possible. Place the bag inside a bowl (to ensure no messy leaks inside the refrigerator). Refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
- Set up the grill or smoker for indirect heat using the three-zone split fire charcoal setup. Preheat to 250 degrees F and add some apple wood to the hot coals.
- When the smoker or grill is the ideal temperature range, you are ready to smoke, place the chicken wings in the center (indirect) portion of the grill. Add more applewood to the coals, if needed, and cover the grill.
- Smoke for about 2 to 2 ½ hours at 250 degrees F. During this time, monitor the temperature and only open the grill or smoker to add more applewood. You can tell when more wood is needed when there is very little smoke coming out of the grill vent. There is no need to turn the wings when using indirect heat.
- The chicken wings are ready when they are a rich reddish brown color and the internal temperature reaches 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer. Remove from the grill or smoker and serve warm.
Notes
Nutrition
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Doug Dixon says
Nice job Debbie!!
I’ve been doing this to my wings for ages … a BIG hit around here for sure.!!
GO RAMS !!!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi Doug! Thanks for the compliment. I don’t want them any other way now. So good! YES, go Rams! Have a great weekend!
Ronit says
Mouthwatering!
Love the use of apple juice in the brine. Brilliant!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks, Ronit. Hope you have a great weekend!
Debbie - MountainMama says
Those look AMAZING!!! I love wings, I’ve been doing them in my air fryer ….you’re making me think about a smoker now!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thanks, Debbie. I think you and your Sweetie would really enjoy a smoker or charcoal grill.
mimi rippee says
These really do look good. I use apple juice or cider in a lot of my poultry brines also!!!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thank, Mimi! Love Apple juice too!
dana@ivegotcake says
Looks great Debbie!! Wings are my weak spot but SMOKED WINGS….. yeah now THAT is where it’s at!!
I want some smoked wings so badly right now oooooo!!!
The Mountain Kitchen says
We’d smoke some for ya, girl! Hope you are doing well! <3
B says
The wings turn out fantastic Everytime I make them on the kettle grill!! I use lump charcoal and apple wood for extra flavor. I appreciate that the brine really doesn’t mask the smokey meat flavor but does add just a bit of something that compliments the smoke very well. Thanks for the recipe!!
The Mountain Kitchen says
So great to hear this fantastic review. Thank you!
Dwight says
OMG! These wings are OUTSTANDING!
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi Dwight! I’m so glad you liked this recipe. Thank you for the great review. Means a lot! 🙂
Nathan says
Great recipe! Also, FYI, as someone from the wing world, “naked wings” means no flour or breading. A sauced wing with no breading would still be called a naked wing. Just thought I’d clarify on behalf of us wing herds. 🙂 One other tip, cooking to 165 is good, but a wing expert once taught me to kick it to 175/180 to really give it a good bite. It’s changed the way I cook wings.
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi Nathan! Great tips! We agree with cooking a little longer as well. Nothing worse than a chewy wing! Thanks for the tips, for the review and for leaving a comment!
raka says
looks so delicious.. i definetly gonna made this with my mum.. thanks !
Kenneth B Wilson says
Just so I’m certain. The brine is not rinsed off or the chicken pat dry before it hits the grill? On the apple wood smoked chicken wings.
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi Kenneth, we do not rinse or pay them dry. Just drain well before putting them on the grill. Let us know if you have any other questions.
Lorraine says
Wow! The wings were phenominal. I have also used the brine recipe to smoke chicken thighs, and I used it to brine and grill a pork loin. This will be my go to recipe for brining and grilling.
The Mountain Kitchen says
So glad you liked this recipe Lorriane. It’s our go-to brine also! A recipe card for it can be found here if you’d like: https://www.themountainkitchen.com/pork-and-poultry-brine/ Thanks for trying our recipe and taking the time to comment. Best, Debbie
Jeff says
I’ve spent most of my adult life snagging recipes online and never thinking about providing feed back. That officially ended today. This recipe with the brine and the smoke is so f***ing good I’m never making another wing recipe again. Personally, I make the recipe, then portion and vacuum pack the wings for the deep freezer. Anytime I’m craving wings, I can thaw out a portion in no time, then blast them in the air fryer to crisp up the skin and warm them back through. Absolute game changer and your friends will be asking you to make wings for every tailgate for the rest of your life.
The Mountain Kitchen says
Thank you so much, Jeff! That’s really kind of you to say. This is why we love sharing our recipes with others. So awesome to hear!
Carolyn says
Hello,
I am a bit confused as up top it says rinse and dry wings after brine and then put on grill or smoker. Someone wrote in and said to clarify you dont rinse or dry the wings? the answer was no we do not rinse or dry them . Please advise which is correct.
thank you ,
carolyn
The Mountain Kitchen says
Hi Carolyn, my apologies for the confusion. When we first made this recipe David was afraid that the chili flakes would make the wings to spicy, so he rinsed them. The next time we did them we did not rinse them and they were not spicy at all most of the chili flakes fall of during transfer. I have updated the statement in the post. Thank you for your question and bringing this to my attention. Please let us know if you have any other questions. Enjoy the wings!
rwvidun says
Am willing to try brining my wings now== but I need to know if I can just cook them in the oven as I do not have access to a grill
The Mountain Kitchen says
Yes, you could do them in the oven, but they won’t have the smoky flavor. I’d put them in the oven on Convection Bake at 400 degrees F (outer wing facing down) for 20-25 minutes, flip and return to the oven for another 20-25 minutes or until they read 175 degrees F. Hope you enjoy the wings!