One of the keys to a great tailgate is knock-your-socks-off food.  This one is a bit of a labor of love, but is always a big hit, making it well worth the effort when going for an unforgettable event.  Try it out this weekend!

ChuckWagon Mobile Grilling Systems Recipes

Bacon Stuffed Chicken Wings with Spicy Maple Glaze

Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of thick cut bacon
• 40 Chicken Wings
• 2 bottles Frank’s ® Hot Sauce
• ¾ bottle maple syrup
• 1 stick butter
• Rosemary
• Salt and Pepper
• Peanut Oil (for frying)

Prep Work

Process Chicken Wings with a sharp knife

1. Cut tips off wings and discard.
2. Pierce skin between the wingette and the drumette and slit the skin outward from the bone
3. Following the slit you just made, cut toward the joint between the drumette and wingette and separate the two parts of the wing. 
4. Set aside for later use

Grill bacon on ChuckWagon’s 5-burner premium Summerset Grill

Note: Keep an eye out for flare-ups while grilling bacon, break off and discard any burnt parts that may result from flare-ups. 

1. Season with rosemary while grilling
2. Grill to medium rare doneness (bacon will finish cooking during the frying process)
3. Process bacon in a food processor until finely chopped.  You could also chop with a knife if you desire larger bits of bacon.

Stuff the bacon under the chicken wing skin

1. Using your finger, separate the skin from the meat on two sides of each wing
2. This is a delicate process, but if you pierce the skin on the opposite side it is still ok to stuff with bacon
3. Stuff this space between the skin and the meat with bacon and cover opening with the skin.  The amount of bacon used is up to you, but we are usually pretty generous with the bacon.  If you run out of bacon, simply grill and chop some more.
4. Do this will all 80 wings and season with salt and pepper when done

Fry the Chicken Wings in a deep fryer

Note:  We recommend using an actual deep fryer you can buy at almost any store that sells kitchen gadgets.  If you fry the wings in a pot over a side burner or camping stove, be careful to not let oil drip and run down the side of the pot into the open flame as it could result in a grease fire. 

1. Heat peanut oil to 375
2. Fry wings in reasonable sized batches (so the oil temp does not drop too much at the start of frying).  I use batches of 10 – 15 wings.
3. Cook until skin is golden brown (about 7 minutes)
4. Salt each batch immediately after pulling out of the fryer

Make the Sauce

1. Melt 1 stick of butter
2. Add 2 bottles of Frank’s ® Red Hot sauce
3. Add ¾ bottle of your choice of maple syrup
4. Add salt and pepper to taste
5. Whisk together

Note:  You could simply stop here, combine the wings and the sauce and be done, however, we like the added flavor as well as the visual and aromatic appeal of grilling the wings and glazing them while grilling.

Time to Grill

Grill the Chicken Wings on your ChuckWagon Summerset LP grill and coat with sauce.

Start by preheating grill to 375 degrees, use apple wood chips in a small smoker box to add a nice smoky flavor, if desired.

1. Mop glaze onto wings and grill wings until heated through
2. Using the sauce as a glaze and mopping it on the wings while heating them on the grill is optional.  If you prefer to avoid the mess of using a glaze on your grill, simplly follow the next step for the sauce. 
3. Toss wings in sauce in a bowl as they come off the grill

Keep warm on the grill in a pan, or in a pre-heated crockpot (if you need the grill space for cooking other items during your event) and if you want to fancy it up, garnish with a sprig of rosemary before serving.

Serve With

Celery sticks, Blue Cheese Dressing, Ranch Dressing, or Bacon Infused Waffles

Makes a great breakfast tailgate dish as a sweet and spicy twist on Chicken and Waffles!!