It’s always a waste of time to try to say what something in a city is “best of.” The Best Burrito in Denver. The Best Burger in Denver… I could give answers to these, but they are easily debatable.
One that I would feel the most comfortable with is wings. Grillin’ Wings and Things (RIP) is a small shop in a row of shops in Denver where I’ve had the best wings in the city. When I first saw their name I thought, “Not very original. ” But you don’t need to be original when you make good food.
Their name perfectly describes what they do. They grill wings… and things. And they do it well.
It turns out that grilling wings is actually one of the easiest and best ways to make them. No need to bust out the fryer or anything like that. Just light the grills and stack it with wings. It’s the best thing to do for a grilling weekend or game day.
Plus, unless you live in Denver, you can’t get Grillin Wings and Things (yet) so you’ll have to make them!.
Chicken wings are a backyard grilling staple Their small size makes them easy to cook in large batches for sharing at parties and picnics Grilling imparts a delicious smoky flavor while rendering out the fat to achieve a crispy skin. But knowing how long to cook chicken wings on a charcoal grill can be tricky. Undercook them and you risk foodborne illness. Overcook them and the meat dries out. Follow these tips to get perfectly cooked wings every time.
Benefits of Charcoal Grilling Wings
There are several advantages to using a charcoal grill for cooking chicken wings:
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Flavor – Charcoal grilling adds a rich, smoky taste you just can’t replicate on a gas grill or in the oven. As the wings cook over the hot coals, the smoke permeates the meat, taking the flavor to the next level
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High heat – Charcoal grills can reach much higher temperatures than gas grills, often over 700°F. This searing heat helps render the fat under the skin, making the wings extra crispy.
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Value for money—Charcoal is a cheap fuel, especially when compared to propane. You can grill dozens of wings for just pennies.
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Traditional method – For grilling purists, managing a charcoal fire is part of the fun and satisfaction of outdoor cooking. The hands-on experience adds an element of skill.
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Very useful: charcoal grills can be used for both direct and indirect cooking. You can start cooking the wings over the coals and then move them to a cooler part of the grill to finish. This gives you more control.
Average Cooking Time on a Charcoal Grill
Most chicken wings take 20 to 30 minutes to fully cook on a charcoal grill. However, cooking time can vary considerably based on a few factors:
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Grill temperature – The hotter the grill, the faster the wings will cook. A very hot charcoal grill above 500°F may only need 15 minutes. A lower temperature of 350°F will require closer to 30 minutes.
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Size of the wings: Big wings and drumettes will need a little longer than small wings or wing flats. Larger pieces retain more heat.
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Bone-in or boneless? Wings without bones cook much faster, but wings with bones take longer for the heat to reach the meat.
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Direct vs indirect heat – Cooking directly over the coals will be faster than using indirect heat. But you risk burning the exterior before the inside cooks through.
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Marinated or not – Marinated wings may require slightly longer cooking time because the sauce acts as an insulator.
Step-By-Step Guide for Charcoal Grilled Wings
Follow this simple process for fail-proof wings every time you fire up the grill:
1. Prepare the Wings
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Choose fresh, meaty wings and pat dry. This helps them get crispy.
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For flavor, marinate for 30 minutes up to overnight. Try a simple mix of oil, vinegar, and spices.
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For convenience, you can buy wings already separated into flats and drumettes. Or purchase whole wings and cut them yourself.
2. Preheat the Charcoal Grill
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For best results, heat your charcoal grill to between 375°F and 450°F.
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Use a charcoal chimney starter and quality briquettes or lump charcoal.
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Create two heat zones – pile coals on one side and leave the other empty.
3. Cook the Wings
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Cook for 15 to 20 minutes over direct heat, flipping occasionally. This renders the fat and makes the skin crispy.
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Move the wings to indirect heat, close the lid, and cook for 8 to 10 more minutes until fully cooked through.
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Flip the wings every 5 minutes or so for even exposure.
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Use a meat thermometer to confirm they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
4. Finish with Sauce (Optional)
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In the last 2-3 minutes of cooking, brush with your favorite sauce to allow it to caramelize but not burn.
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Try bold flavors like garlic Parmesan, spicy buffalo, or tangy bbq sauce.
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Let the wings rest 5 minutes before serving to allow juices to redistribute.
Tips for Perfectly Cooked Wings
It takes a little finesse to master grilling chicken wings over charcoal. Follow these pro tips for the best results:
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Don’t overcrowd the grill – leave space between wings for even cooking.
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Use indirect heat to cook through without burning the outside.
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Flip frequently – every 5 minutes or so. This prevents charring.
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Apply sauce at the very end to avoid burning or charring it.
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Let wings rest before eating for juicier meat.
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Use an instant read thermometer to check for 165°F doneness.
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Clean grill grates and coat with oil to prevent sticking.
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Soak wood chips for smoky flavor – try hickory, apple, or cherry.
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Leave lid off at first for crisping, then close to finish cooking.
Common Pitfalls to Avoid
It’s easy to make mistakes when grilling wings over charcoal. Watch out for these common issues:
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Charring or burning – usually from grilling over direct high heat too long.
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Rubbery skin – not cooking at high enough temperature to render the fat.
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Dry, overcooked meat – grilling for too long without checking temperature.
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Undercooked inside – not allowing enough time over indirect heat.
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Uneven cooking – overcrowding causes some wings to cook faster.
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Poor flavor – skipping a marinade or seasoning.
Perfectly cooked chicken wings requires balancing crispy skin and juicy meat. On a charcoal grill, expect wings to take 20-30 minutes at 375°F to 450°F. Cook over direct heat just until browned, then use indirect heat with the lid closed to finish cooking through. Flip wings frequently and use an instant read thermometer to confirm they reach 165°F internally. Employing this simple process will reward you with succulent, smoky wings worthy of any backyard gathering. Now get outside and fire up the grill!
The Direct Heat Phase
I’d say at a minimum your wings will need to be on the indirect heat for 45 minutes. An hour is better. They are hard to overcook. You could leave them on for two hours. As long as your grill isn’t too hot, the wings will just get tastier as more of the fat melts away.
Before you move on, I’d recommend testing a wing to make sure it’s cooked through.
Now it’s time to toss with your sauce of choice. This might be a classic buffalo sauce or, in my case, this killer jerk rub.
After you’ve sauced the wings, stick them back on the grill, but this time on the direct heat.
As my friend Matt would say, “BLAST ‘EM!”
Don’t leave the grill while these are over the high heat. They can burn quickly. Use tongs to turn them pretty constantly. They shouldn’t need more than a few minutes to get nice and crispy.
Serve these right off the grill with your favorite dipping sauce and lots of celery and carrots.
If you’re not grilling wings this fall, you’re doing it wrong!
- 3 pounds chicken wings
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- Blue cheese dressing, for serving
- 4 scallions, chopped
- 2 tablespoons onion
- 1 habanero pepper, seeded
- ½ inch peeled fresh ginger
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
- 1 tablespoon dried allspice berries
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 lime, juice only
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ cup neutral oil
- If you want to use a dry rub on your wings, you can do so before you grill them. It’s best to cook the wings without the sauce or rub that has fresh herbs and spices in it. Then, add it during the sauce step of the recipe below.
- If your wings are whole, cut off the tips and throw them away or save them for chicken stock. Cut the drumsticks and flats out of the other part of the wings. Add some oil, salt, and pepper to the wings and toss them around. If you’re not using a dry rub, these are ready to go on the grill!
- Prepare your grill for indirect grilling. When you heat up a charcoal grill, make sure there are enough charcoals for two hours of cooking. You’ll need indirect heat for a while and then direct heat at the end. Move most of the coals to one side of your grill when they are hot.
- For gas grills, just turn on one of the burners to medium-low. Depending on the grill, this could be the back or far side.
- The coolest part of the grill is where you should start cooking the wings. Place the wings on the grill and cover it. Allow them to cook for 20 minutes. After that, turn the wings over and cook them for another 20 minutes. Do another rotation and another 15-20 minutes.
- It’s almost impossible to cook these wings too long, which is good news. They will be fine as long as they don’t come into direct contact with heat. It was fine for me to cook mine over indirect heat for up to two hours.
- When your wings are done cooking over indirect heat, they should be fully cooked and ready to fall off the bone. But try one to be sure! The skin will still be wet, though. Once the wings are no longer over direct heat, add some of the sauce or fresh rub you are using.
- Move the wings back to the grill’s direct, hottest spot. Don’t leave! These will cook very quickly now. Turn the wings over with tongs as they get nice char marks and crisp up. They should only be cooked over direct heat for three to five minutes at most. (If you have a gas grill, turn the burner up to high before you do this.) ).
- When wings are done, put blue cheese dressing, carrots, and celery on the table.
How to Grill Chicken Wings
As a disclaimer, I have no idea how GW&T actually makes their wings. I actually think they might pre-bake them low and slow (like these) and then just finish them on the grill. If you’re not running a restaurant though, you can start and finish them on the grill.
When making grilled chicken wings, the first thing you need to think about is what sauce or rub you will use. If you’re using a dry rub only, you can rub your wings with it right from the beginning. If you’re using a sauce or a fresh rub (like the jerk rub I used in this post), you don’t want to add that until later or it’ll just burn.
So, in most cases, you want to just toss your wings with some neutral oil, salt, and pepper.
You can grill wings over charcoal or gas. Either way, the key is to make sure you have a section of your grill that is hot (like really hot) and a big section of the grill that is indirectly hot.
When I use gas, I’ll just turn one burner one medium-low. For charcoal, once your coals are going, just push them to one side of the grill. Make sure you light enough charcoal to keep the heat going for two hours.
The first step of grilling wings is just to slowly cook the wings over indirect heat. You don’t really have to worry about these much assuming your indirect area isn’t too hot.
The wings can really just chill on the grill (close the grill to speed up the process). Every 20 minutes or so, turn them from front to back.
The sauce/rub you use isn’t really important. Once you have the method down you can use anything.
I tried something new though and made a jerk rub for my wings. It was basically just lots of spices, scallions, garlic, ginger, and habanero peppers pulsed together.
It smelled SO GOOD.
How to Grill Chicken Wings on a Charcoal Grill Using the Indirect Method
FAQ
How long do you cook chicken wings on a grill?
Grill for 25-30 minutes, turning occasionally, until the chicken is golden brown, no longer pink, and the internal temperature is cooked through to 175°F (higher temperature for ease of getting off the bone). While the chicken wings are grilling, prepare the sauce by whisking together the hot sauce and melted butter.
Can you make buffalo chicken wings on a charcoal BBQ?
Want to make the perfect buffalo chicken wings on your charcoal BBQ? In this video, I’ll show you how to get crispy, juicy wings packed with bold, spicy flavors. Learn the right techniques to grill these wings to perfection and create a mouthwatering appetizer for your next BBQ! Deadly Texas floods: What were the warnings?.
How long do you cook chicken on a grill?
Place them directly on the grill. Place the chicken on the grill and turn it over a few times during the 25–30 minutes it takes for the outside to turn golden brown and the inside to reach 175°F (a higher temperature makes it easier to pull off the bone).
How do you marinate chicken wings?
Step 1: Mix the oil, sugar, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in a large bowl using a whisk. Step 2: Add the wings and toss to coat, then refrigerate. Step 3: Remove the chicken wings from the marinade (letting any excess drip off) and discard any remaining marinade. Place them directly on the grill.
How do you cook smoked chicken?
The ultimate smoked chicken recipe. Place the whole chicken with the breast-side down on a cutting board. Using a sharp knife or kitchen shears, cut along the two sides of the backbone and remove it. Flip the chicken over and press down hard on the breast bone until the whole thing is flat. Pat the chicken very dry using paper towels.
How long do you let smoked chicken rest after cooking?
Let the Chicken Rest Post-Smoking: Resting allows juices in the chicken to redistribute throughout the meat. Please don’t skip this step! Flip the Chicken for Finishing: For crispier skin, flip the smoked whole chicken skin-side down over high heat in the heat zone for 2–3 minutes at the end.
How long should you cook chicken on a charcoal grill?
How long do you cook chicken on the grill? It depends on the thickness of the chicken and whether it’s light, dark, or bone-in. Over medium-high heat, boneless breasts take about 10 to 16 minutes, drumsticks about 16 to 24 minutes, legs and bone-in thighs 20 to 30 minutes, and wings 16 to 22 minutes.
Do you grill chicken wings with lid open or closed?
Season your wings liberally with BBQ rub. Place them in a single layer on the grill and cook with the lid closed, turning them every 4 minutes. (Use an Extra Big & Loud Timer to keep track of the time.)