Vortex Grilled Voodoo Wings Recipe
Something magical happens to grilled wings when you toss them in this sweet and spicy Voodoo Sauce – Cajun and Caribbean flavors collide producing a tantalizing sweet & spicy flavor with notes of brown butter and vanilla. For this cook I’m running my trusty 22” Weber kettle set up with a charcoal Vortex. You simply can’t beat the way the Vortex cooks chicken wings. The skin browns and turns crispy on both sides; you can actually see the fat rendering away on the skin. I add 1 small piece of SmokerWood Peach wood directly over the vortex for smoke. To set up the grill: Get a chimney of Royal Oak briquettes going using a couple tumbleweed fire starters. Place the Vortex on the bottom fire grate in the weber and pour in the hot coals. Set the cooking grate in place and give it just a few minutes to get hot. The dial on the Weber will climb rapidly to around 550 degrees. (don’t panic this isn’t the actual grate temp)
Place the wings on a sheet pan and pat dry with paper towel. You want to get as much moisture off as possible, so the skin will crisp. I’m using whole wings for this recipe but you could cut them up into individual pieces or buy party wings.
To get the Cajun flavor party started I hit the wings with a good coat of my Malcom’s King Craw Seasoning. It’s a little on the spicy side but not hot enough to blow your head off and the salt is balanced so you don’t have to worry about over doing it with this one. You can substitute your favorite cajun seasoning just watch the salt content.
Arrange the wings on the outer edge of the cooking grate away from the vortex. The heat will roll down the top and cook the wings. Start out with the exhaust vent in the 12 o’clock position and turn the lid 45 degrees every 15 minutes. This helps the heat flow evenly around all the wings. After 30 minutes flip the wings and continue cooking. While the wings are on the grill go ahead and make the Voodoo sauce.
VooDoo Wing Sauce
- 1 stick Butter
- 2 Tablespoons minced onion
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 2oz dark rum
- 2oz Killer Hogs Hot Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
- 1 cup Killer Hogs Vinegar Sauce
Get the wings off the grill when they hit 190-195 internal; I use a Thermoworks Thermapen to check the internal temperature.
I know that wings are done at 165 internal; but trust me the skin is better, the fat is completely rendered, and the bones come out clean when you take them to 190.
Place 4-5 wings in a large bowl and pour in a little of the Voodoo sauce. Toss the wings until they’re completely coated and pour out onto a platter or cutting board. Repeat this step until all the wings are sauced. I like to serve them with a kicked up Cajun ranch dipping sauce and sticks of celery or carrots.
Voodoo Ranch Dip
- 1 cup Blue Plate Mayo
- 1 cup Sour Cream
- 1 packet Ranch seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon Killer Hogs Hot Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Malcom’s King Craw Cajun seasoning
- 1 pinch Cayenne Pepper (more if you like it spicy!)
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Voodoo Chicken Wings Recipe
Ingredients
- 4lbs Whole Chicken Wings
- 1/4 cup Malcom’s King Craw Cajun Seasoning
VooDoo Wing Sauce
- 1 stick Butter
- 2 Tablespoons minced onion
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1/2 cup dark brown sugar
- 2oz dark rum
- 2oz Killer Hogs Hot Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Crushed Red Pepper
- 1 cup Killer Hogs Vinegar Sauce
- Melt butter in a sauce pan over medium heat. Add onion and garlic and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add dark brown sugar, red pepper flakes, and rum. Reduce for 5-7 minutes to cook off alcohol. Remove from heat and add Hot Sauce and Vinegar Sauce. Store in a jar until ready to use.
Voodoo Ranch Dip
- 1 cup Blue Plate Mayo
- 1 cup Sour Cream
- 1 packet Ranch Seasoning
- 1 Tablespoon Killer Hogs Hot Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Malcom’s King Craw Cajun Seasoning
- 1 pinch Cayenne Pepper (more if you like it spicy!)
- Combine ingredients in a small bowl and cover. Refrigerate for at least 3 hrs before serving.
Instructions
- Remove Wings from packaging and pat completely dry with paper towel. Arrange on platter and season with Malcom’s King Craw on all sides.
- Prepare Weber Kettle grill for indirect cooking using a charcoal vortex on the fire grate. Fill the vortex with hot charcoal briquettes and place the cooking grate on the Weber. Adjust all vents to 100% open.
- Arrange the chicken wings on the outer edges of the cooking grate away from direct heat. Place 1 chunk of peach smoker wood over the vortex for smoke flavor.
- Rotate the lid 45 degrees every 15 minutes and flip the wings once the top side browns for even cooking. While the wings are cooking prepare the VooDoo Wing Sauce.
- After 45 minutes of cooking, check the internal temperature with an instant read meat Thermometer. Remove the wings when the internal temperature reaches 190 degrees.
- Serve the wings with cajun ranch dipping sauce.
Vortex Grilled Voodoo WingsHave a Question About This Recipe?
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Malcom, great recipe and going to try it this weekend.
It looks like you could to this same recipe on a pellet smoker. Would you recommend 450 or 500 if doing that? Likely will need less time too but cooking to temp will dictate that. Look forward to hearing from you.
Thx
Christian
Yeah, we just take the pellet smokers up to 350 – you could go up to 400 depending on your model – and the skin will get pretty crispy that way
Great video, Malcolm. I have a question: What position do you keep your BOTTOM vent on the Weber when you’re using the vortex? All the way open, or partially closed?
Wide Open! I let the air flow when using the vortex
Malcom would this recipe work on chicken breasts
Malcom
Looks amazing and can’t wait to try this!! Can this be done on the big green egg with similar results? Any tips?
Thanks!!
Oh yeah – just grill the wings and toss them in the the sauce once they are done
In cooking this recipe on a Kamado Joe grill, would you cook it with heat deflector plates in place for that indirect heat similar to the vortex?
Thanks!
Can you use this Voodoo sauce recipe as a glaze instead of saucing after the cook? Would you change anything? Looks fantastic!
yeah – that would work great!
Hi Malcom,
Going to give this recipe a try this weekend. Question I have though, is have you ever tried Baking Powder instead of Cornstarch to crisp up the skin?
Yes – it works well too
The recipes are WONDERFUL!!! THE SPICE IS fabulous!!
I think you meant 90 degrees of rotation of the lid every 15 minutes. 12 o’clock to 3 o’clock is 90 degrees, not 45. I’m making these wings as I write this and I can’t wait to taste them. Thanks, Malcom!
Is that a medium or small vortex
Can you use this VORTEX with the Komodo Joe BBQ or would it risk damaging the Clay/porcelain belly (CRACK)
What model # Weber Kettle did you use for the VooDoo wings? I am looking for one like this ..
Thanks
Great Recipe. What’s with the Ranch Dressing though? Blue Cheese or nothing.
I was looking at the recipe and see no reasons I could not substitute blue cheese and add some other spicy seasoning to it to kick it up a notch or two. not a fan of ranch dressing on anything.
Not the best flavor or method for wings.
Made these wings on the Weber Vortex Kettle grill last night and they are the best wings we’ve ever had! Entire family over them so much, we are doing another batch today!
Thank you!
PS. You are the Best Malcom!
The best wings we ever had!
Hey Malcolm,
Love the video., those wings look awesome. I would like to try them however I don’t see the king craw rub in your online store. Where would I find some?
Thanks
Jim