Gameday Wings: Honey Bourbon Glaze & Blue Cheese Dip
Sweet, smoky and tangy, this is gameday to the extreme. It’s blue cheese dressing like you’ve never had, and the perfect way to get a crispy, moist GRILLED wing. You might never reach the stadium!
Things to know:
Are Roquefort and blue cheese the same?
Roquefort is a specific, protected type of blue cheese, but not all blue cheese is Roquefort; while “blue cheese” is a broad category for cheeses with blue-green mold (made from cow, sheep, or goat milk), Roquefort is uniquely French, made only from sheep’s milk, aged in Roquefort caves, and known for its intensely creamy, tangy, and salty sheep-milk flavor. Think of it like Champagne (Roquefort) versus sparkling wine (blue cheese) – one is a distinguished original with strict rules, while the other is a diverse family of cheeses
Should wings be marinated before grilling?
Yes, you should marinate chicken wings before grilling to add flavor, moisture, and help prevent them from drying out, but be mindful of sugary marinades that can burn; marinating for at least 30 minutes, or up to 8 hours or overnight, provides the best results for juicy, flavorful wings. A good marinade infuses flavor deep into the meat, while techniques like using a dry rub or brine are also effective alternatives or additions for flavor and juiciness before grilling.
Do you grill wings with the lid open or closed?
You should grill chicken wings with the lid closed for most of the cooking time to create an oven-like environment that cooks them through evenly, using indirect heat for tenderness and convection, then briefly open it or move to direct heat at the end for crispy skin, with occasional lid openings only for flipping or checking. Leaving the lid open wastes heat and time, resulting in inefficient cooking and potentially undercooked chicken.
Do you flip wings when grilling?
Yes, you absolutely flip chicken wings when grilling; it’s essential for even cooking and crispy skin, usually flipping every 5-10 minutes or once after initial cooking to ensure both sides get cooked through and develop color, rotating them to avoid hot spots. While some methods involve flipping just once after a while, most experts recommend flipping periodically to get them evenly browned and fully cooked to an internal temperature of 165°F (74°C).
Ingredients
2 pounds chicken wings, drumettes and flats
1 cup kosher salt
1 cup white vinegar
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup dried guajillo chiles
Honey Bourbon Glaze:
1 T neutral cooking oil
1 yellow onion, thinly sliced
2 cups honey
1/2 cup very grainy mustard
2 cups bourbon whisky (You cannot go wrong with OMG Brown Sugar Whisky. You can order it here)
Roquefort Dip:
1 cup crumbled Roquefort
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup mayonnaise, we used Kewpie
1 t cracked black pepper
1 t celery salt
2 scallions, thinly sliced, for garnish
1. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.
2. In a large saucepot, add the wings, salt, vinegar, sugar and chiles. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Immediately turn off the heat and strain the wings, then spread on a baking sheet and carefully pat dry.
3. Roast in the oven to dry out the wings, about 30 minutes.
4. Preheat a charcoal grill to medium-high heat.
5. For the blue cheese dressing: Combine the Roquefort, sour cream, mayonnaise, cracked black pepper and celery salt in a medium bowl and stir until thoroughly combined. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed with salt. Keep cold.
6. For the honey bourbon glaze: Add the oil to a medium high-sided saute pan over medium heat. Add the onion and cook to slightly soften, 2 to 3 minutes.
7. Add the honey and mustard and stir to combine.
8. Carefully add the bourbon off the heat, then return to the heat and boil until it has a syrup consistency and coats the back of a wooden spoon, 5 to 10 minutes.
9. Carefully add the reduced mixture to a high-powered blender and blend until thoroughly combined.
10. Add the glaze to a large metal bowl and add the wings directly to the bowl from the oven. Toss until the wings are thoroughly coated.
11. Grill the coated wings until charred on both sides, about 5 minutes per side. Add to a large platter.
12. Garnish the dip and grilled wings with the scallions just prior to serving. ENJOY!
Equipment used:
Dyna-Glo 32-in W Stainless Steel and Black Barrel Charcoal Grill
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