**Tom Hunt: Creating Heavenly Barbecue Flavor with Corn Cob-Smoked Pickle Brine Chicken Wings**
Today, we’re diving deep into the tantalizing world of barbecue, where smoking chicken wings transforms them into a delightful culinary experience. These wings, brined in pickle vinegar and gently smoked over spent corn cobs, deliver an irresistible flavor that’s simply finger-licking good.
So, what makes corn cobs such a stellar option for smoking? The subtle sweetness of the smoke from dried corn cobs marries beautifully with meats, adding a unique flavor that enhances your barbecue game without the need for special equipment or wood chips. Chicken wings, with their quick cooking time and ample surface area, are perfect candidates for hot smoking.
Wondering how to get started? First, you’ll need a barbecue grill with a lid and a bag of lumpwood charcoal. As someone who enjoys seasonal cooking, I look forward to corn season with the same excitement I have for asparagus in the spring. This is the ideal time to stock up on corn cobs for various recipes.
Even those spent cobs have their uses! They can serve as fuel for your fire or even act as a substitute for wood chips during smoking. Just remember to soak the dried cobs in water for a few hours before using them, or go for fresh cobs after removing the kernels. When I prepared these wings, I made a delicious Southern-style fried corn by sautéing the fresh corn kernels in butter and seasoning them generously.
Brining the chicken is a pivotal step—it ensures the meat is evenly seasoned, and pickle brine excels at infusing the chicken with a piquant and complex flavor. I even recommend saving any leftover pickle brine; it’s fantastic for salads and other dishes as well.
Here’s a quick summary of what you need for this recipe:
– Serves 4 as a main course
– 12 chicken wings
– 1 jar of pickle juice
– Sea salt and black pepper
– 2 teaspoons of baking powder (optional)
– 4 corn cobs
To prepare, place the wings in a container, cover them with pickle brine, seal it up, and refrigerate for at least two hours or even up to three days. If the wings aren’t fully submerged, just give them a turn occasionally. When you’re ready, take out the wings, pat them dry, and season them evenly with sea salt, black pepper, and baking powder if you choose to use it.
Next, cut the corn kernels off the cobs in strips. You can freeze these for later use or cook them up to serve alongside the wings. Fire up a sizable mound of lumpwood charcoal in your barbecue. Once the coals are reduced to a glowing white heat, position them to one side for indirect cooking.
Place the empty corn cobs directly on the hot coals, set the grill rack in place, and arrange the chicken wings near but not over the coals. Cover the grill to trap the smoke and let the wings cook slowly for about 30 minutes, turning and rearranging them halfway through to ensure they cook evenly. Try to resist the temptation to lift the lid too often, as this will help maintain both heat and smoke.
As the wings near completion, spread the coals out and lower the grill rack to its lowest position. Continue cooking until the chicken skin is perfectly crisp. Serve hot, and savor those heavenly barbecue flavors!
