My biggest suggestion RE: smoked wings is to smoke them with a dry rub and not a sauce. If you must sauce them, do it afterward.
I would brine the wings in a saltwater bath overnight in the refrigerator. Then toss them in a rub. Homemade I do a mix of chili powder, garlic salt, black pepper and a little bit of coconut sugar (or brown sugar).
But I typically buy my rubs pre-blended from Pepper Palace.
This one is great for spicy wings:
Spice up your chicken dishes with our nashville hot and spicy chicken rub. Perfect for any cooking style. Pair with our sauce for ultimate flavor. Try now!
pepperpalace.com
This one is good for a mild flavor-packed rub (and it is my go-to for beef as well:
Season your meats with our Sweet Bourbon Rub to lock in that smoky bourbon flavor and create a perfectly caramelized crust. Grab some today!
pepperpalace.com
But there are tons of other wing specific rubs on their site.
I usually smoke the wings in hickory and cherry wood.
(I also have an award winning chili recipe as well if you want it.)
Whoa!!!! AWARD WINNING? Best chili in your home?
Sure. Send it. I'm always up for new recipes. I use a rub for them also. I use smoked paprika, chili powder, garlic salt, and pepper. Sometimes I'll add in a couple other things if the mood takes me. I'll smoke them and then put them in the oven at a high heat to crisp them. I often use baking powder sprinkled on as it really helps them crisp. Totally agree about the sauce. I didn't spend all that time getting them crispy so I can make thm soggy. I'll go ahead and post my jerky recipe. Anyone can make it and you don't need a smoker.
I guess it should go into the kitchen thread, but like Yogi Berra once said "Nobody goes there anymore. It's too crowded."
Beef Jerky Recipe
Sauce
2 parts soy sauce
1 part Jalapeno juice (glass jar)
½ part Worchester sauce
Cayenne powder (to taste)
Meat
Low fat roast (London Broil, Top Round, Sirloin, heavily trimmed Tri Tip, etc.). You can also use turkey breast. The roast should be about 1 inch thick. If I’m using Tri Tip, I generally slice it lengthwise to the desired thickness.
Seasonings
Smoked Paprika
Garlic Powder
Onion Powder
Crushed Red Pepper Flakes
Chili Powder (light on this unless you love chili powder)
Rudy’s Rub
Fresh Ground Pepper (light on this unless you love pepper)
Diced Jalapenos (glass jar) or fresh jalapeno, serrano, or even habanero (but be careful with the latter). You can also pickle the jalapenos or serranos (never tried that with habaneros before).
You can adjust how much you use or what you use for seasoning to spice it up or down.
Cut the meat in 3/16 inch (this is just a preference for me) slices. The length will be determined by the size of the roast. There’s a bit of an art to this and I use my left hand to push the meat horizontally one way or the other to keep the edge of the meat at a 90 degree angle to the cutting board.
Shake the sauce well and pour just enough to moisten the bottom of 8 or 9 x 6 glass or Tupperware container. If I’m making a lot, I sometimes use an 8x8 Pyrex baking dish.
Lay the meat down so that the bottom of the container is covered and pour the shaken sauce so that the top is moist and the sauce is about ½ way up the side of the meat. Sprinkle on the seasonings one at a time (I usually move them to my right or left so I can keep track of what I’ve put on the meat). There should be just enough sauce to absorb the seasonings.
Repeat until finished.
Cover with plastic wrap and smooth away air bubbles. Push down slightly so that the sauce comes to about the level of the top of the meat. Curl up the plastic wrap to create a seal along the side of the container and refrigerate for at least 24 hours (I usually do it for about a day and a half).
Place aluminum foil on the bottom of the oven or smoker to catch the drippings. Put the rack at least 9 inches above the bottom of the oven/smoker and cook at about 180 degrees until the meat is chewy, but not dry. It’s easy to overcook and the jerky will get drier with time. Then wrap it in a paper towel(s) and put in a sealed 1 gallon plastic bag. I think this kind of evens out the moisture content of the jerky.
If you are using an oven, I usually put a wooden spoon or something to prop open the door about ¾ of an inch. My smoker also tends to cook a little bit hot, so I let the door open about ½ inch.