Cajun Smoked Wings
 
Prep time
Cook time
Total time
 
Recipe by:
Serves: 4 to 6
Ingredients
Sweet Heat Seasoning (makes just over ½ cup)
  • 2 tablespoons light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons ground cumin
  • 1 tablespoon ground coriander
  • 1 tablespoon chili powder
  • 1 tablespoon sweet paprika
  • 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
  • 1 teaspoon ground allspice
  • 1 teaspoon ground ginger
  • ½ teaspoon. cayenne
  • ½ teaspoon turmeric
  • ½ teaspoon ground cloves
Wings
  • 40 Chicken wing flats
  • 3 cups buttermilk
  • ½ cup salt
  • Acadiana Table Cajun Seasoning Blend, see recipe here
  • Acadiana Table Sweet Heat Seasoning Blend, see recipe
  • ¼ cup soy sauce
  • ¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
  • ¼ cup sugarcane molasses
  • 2 tablespoons sriracha sauce
  • 2 tablespoons sesame oil
  • 2 tablespoons ground ginger
  • 2 tablespoons chili powder
  • 2 tablespoons minced garlic
  • 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds
  • 1 cup sliced green onion tops
  • 4 cups cooked brown rice, such as Supreme
Instructions
Sweet Heat Seasoning
  1. In a large mixing bowl, mix all spice ingredients together and place in an airtight jar.
Wings
  1. For the brine, add the wings to a large container with tight-fitting lid and cover with buttermilk. Add the salt and a couple of tablespoons of the Cajun seasoning blend. Stir to combine. Add water to brine if more liquid is needed to cover the wings. Refrigerate for approximately 4 hours.
  2. For smoking on a gas grill, drain the wings from the brine and rinse. Sprinkle both sides lightly with Sweet Heat seasoning, and place the wings on a metal rack. Prepare a packet of wood chips by placing a few handfuls of chips on a large sheet of foil. Tightly seal up the foil forming a rectangular packet and poke several slits in the top. Turn the burner to medium on one side of the grill and place the packet directly over the flame. On the cold side of the grill, place the rack of wings. Close the grill cover and let smoke for 1 hour. Remove and keep warm.(Note: The wings will be lightly smoked, but not cooked through.)
  3. For the wing glaze, in a large container add the soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce, molasses, sriracha, sesame oil, ground ginger, chili powder, and minced garlic. Whisk together to combine.
  4. Preheat your oven to 400ºF. Spread the wings onto a parchment-lined baking tray, skin-side down. Brush the glaze on one side and then turn the wings to skin-side up and brush again. Place the tray on the top rack of the oven and bake for 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and brush the tops of the wings with more of the glaze and place back into the oven and increase the temperature to 450ºF. Watch carefully and let the wings cook until they begin to darken on top, 15 to 20 minutes. Remove and keep warm until ready to serve.
  5. For serving, brush the tops of the wings with more glaze and lightly sprinkle with sesame seeds and green onion tops. Serve the wings family-style with the tray in the middle of the table or optionally, mound a scoop of brown rice in a bowl and stack a portion of wings on top for each guest.
Notes
Prep time does not include brining. I love the flats, but feel free to use the entire chicken wing, or better yet, save the drumette portion for your next chicken gumbo. Rather than the gas grill, feel free to use a regular smoker if you have one. I urge you to try my Cajun seasoning blend recipe but feel free to use any commercial product. You should have more glaze that you will use; be sure to save it for you next wing ding, or to brush on grilled pork chops or ribs. I like combining this with brown rice as an entrée, but the wings can be served family-style or as a party pass-around.
Recipe by Acadiana Table at https://acadianatable.com/?p=25087