Post in collaboration with Thermapen
A no fuss barbecued Chicken Wings recipe with a tasty marinade of Nut Butter and Maple Syrup. Pop them over indirect heat on the BBQ for sticky, sweet and nutty finger lickin' goodness. Ensure they are cooked to perfection with a Thermapen digital thermometer.
I love a barbecue as much as the next person but had pretty much always gone for the convenience of gas over the (perceived) hassle of charcoal. My 15 year old son appears to be on a mission to change my mind. He's always been a bit of a foodie, will eat pretty much anything (bar bananas and sultanas) and watches a lot of food channels on You Tube. He came across BBQ Champ on ITV and DJ BBQ via Food Tube and got bitten by the BBQ bug. I introduced him to barbecue guru Marcus of CountryWoodSmoke, Auntie Adele (she of the Gingerbread House) bought him the Grillstock cookbook, he joined the UK BBQ Facebook Group and they led him astray even further! To be fair - there are worse hobbies he could have...
He started buying gadgets - chimney starter, luftlighter, BBQ utensils and getting down and dirty with them in the garden accompanied by my rather neglected Webber Grill. His first major cook was a hefty 3kg brisket, followed by a whole leg of lamb. For Christmas granny gave him a voucher to attend a BBQ basics class with Angus and Oink. Whilst the rest of us were in hiding from the Beast from the East my intrepid teenage son cooked up... Honey Chilli wings with Vortex, Beer steamed jalapeño cheese sausages, fire box leeks and squash, Brisket burnt ends, Dirty Cow reverse seared TriTip and Sweet Bones baby backs.
On return from his course he was raving about a new gadget. The Thermapen IR infrared thermometer with foldaway probe. I've had a Thermapen for a number of years now and it is an absolutely invaluable piece of kit in my kitchen. I even had to give my Mum one as I couldn't cope cooking without it when visiting her! British made the Thermapen is probably the worlds fastest reading kitchen thermometer. The true temperature of a foodstuff can be tested in just three seconds. It really does take the guesswork out of your cooking ensuring that your steak is perfect, your fudge will set, your jam won't run off your toast, your chocolate is tempered and your BBQ won't give anyone an upset tummy. So why did we need an IR one? As a geeky teenager he loved the tech side of it and could immediately see how it would work well for barbecue. All the features of the classic Superfast Thermapen plus the ability to simply aim the infrared thermometer at the target, press the scan button and display the surface temperature.
For chicken the magic number you are looking for on your Thermapen is 75°C. Just remember seventy five stay alive. In addition to ensuring that it's up to temperature you should also check that there’s no pink meat and that the juices run clear. Remember to use separate tongs, utensils and plates for raw and cooked chicken, and regularly wash your hands. Enough of the safety advice, lets get back to the recipe. There are only three ingredients, bar salt and pepper, so make sure you use the best. You could of course use peanut butter however of late I've become smitten by the huge range of other varieties of nut butter on the market. When I made these I used Crunchy ABC Mix from Hungry Squirrel. This is a delicious and crunchy blend of almonds, brazil nuts and cashews with a touch of sea salt and is made just up the road from me in Deeside. Maple syrup gives a wonderful sticky sweetness and caramelisation to the wings. Do make sure you use pure maple syrup and not maple flavoured syrup. The difference is like night and day. Maple wood chips are an optional extra if you want some additional smokiness.
Barbecued Chicken Wings with Nut Butter and Maple Syrup
750g Chicken Wings (12 wings)
50g Nut Butter
50ml Maple Syrup
Salt & Pepper
Maple Wood Chips
Soak the maple wood chips in water for at least 30 minutes.
Pre-light charcoal with a chimney starter.
Tip all of the lit charcoal into the middle of the barbecue.
Squeeze the wood chips to remove excess moisture and sprinkle on top of the charcoal.
Allow the grill to come up to temperature.
Meanwhile mix together the nut butter, maple syrup, salt and pepper and rub into the chicken wings.
Place the chicken wings around the edges of the grill so they are over indirect heat.
With the lid closed allow them to sear for approx 5 minutes or until they release naturally, don't be afraid to let them char.
Turn the wings over, working round in a circle
Continue to cook with the lid closed until an internal temperature of 75°C is reached.
You really want the skin to go nice and crispy so if any look like they need it you can move them over the direct heat to crisp up further before serving.
To cook Chicken Wings with Nut Butter and Maple Syrup on a gas BBQ...
The soaked wood chips can be used in a barbecue smoker box or placed in a pouch of tinfoil with holes stabbed in it.
Cook the wings over a medium heat until a temperature of 75°C is reached keeping the lid closed throughout the cooking process.
Electronic Temperature Instruments have provided a Thermapen IR infrared thermometer with foldaway probe as a giveaway for readers of Foodie Quine. Prize value is £72. To be in with a chance of winning the Thermapen IR enter via the rafflecopter widget below.
Giveaway ends 14th July 2018 11.59pm Good Luck!
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Disclosure: This is a commissioned post for Thermapen. As always, all views expressed are my own. Thank you for supporting the brands who make it possible for me as a passionate Scottish Food Blogger to continue to share my Edible Food and Travel Adventures with you. I’m super choosy who I work with and promise to bring you only the cream of the crop.
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