Gonna try this tonight. Found on smoking meat fb group (128k members) Based on science! I've read I line I probably don't need to marinate more than an hour. Thoughts?
Smoked wings and finished on the grill.
Recipe
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2 tbsp black pepper
2 tbsp kosher salt (coarse)
1 tbsp onion powder
1 tbsp garlic powder
1 tbsp chili powder
3-5 lbs chicken wings
3 tbsp olive oil
½ cup honey
¼ cup hot BBQ sauce (I used Stubb's Sweet Heat on these)
1/8 cup Texas Pete
2 tbsp apple cider vinegar
Mix the pepper, salt, onion powder, garlic powder, and chili powder to make a rub. Put the wings in a gallon Ziploc bag, add the olive oil and the dry rub. Shake and mix until well coated. Let rest in the fridge overnight and give it a massage every time you grab a beer.
Smoke @ 225 for around an hour until the wings start getting some color. I used apple wood, but something a little stronger like hickory could work too.
While the wings are smoking, mix together the honey, bbq sauce, texas pete, and cider vinegar in a saucepan (add more/less hot sauce to taste). Heat over low heat until well warmed being careful not to burn.
Remove wings from smoker and place on medium-high grill until the skins have crisped (we want to crisp the skin without burning so don’t overdo it with the heat). They’re ready when just a little char is showing and they’re no longer sticking to the grate. Dip the wings in the sauce and return to the grill until the sauce has soaked into the wings and you have the desired color and char.
Note: If you like dry wings, don't dip them in the sauce. I tried a couple this way and they were pretty good. I'd add some heat to the dry rub if I were planning on eating them dry though.