Smoky Korean BBQ Wings on the Weber Grill
Sweet with a little zip in spice, these Grilled Korean BBQ Wings are a perfect change of pace from the regular old Buffalo style.
Things to know:
How long do you grill chicken wings for?
Using the “vortex” method in a Weber Kettle, it will take you about 55 minutes.
Is Korean barbecue good on wings?
YES! I love gochujang and soy garlic flavors when I eat Korean fried chicken and I love BBQ’ed wings on the Weber. This pairing works beautifully together to get the Korean Fried Chicken experience without all the oil plus adding a smoky twist to the wings!
What is gochujang?
Gochujang is a savory, sweet, and spicy fermented Korean chili paste made from red chili powder, glutinous rice, fermented soybeans, and salt, providing a deep umami flavor and heat to dishes like bibimbap, tteokbokki, and marinades for meats and stews. Its thick, paste-like consistency and complex flavor profile make it a staple in Korean cooking, adding both spice and depth to a wide variety of recipes.
What is the history of gochujang?
Gochujang’s history began before chili peppers arrived in Korea (16th century), evolving from spicy pastes made with black pepper, but transformed with the introduction of gochu (chili peppers) from the Americas, becoming a staple by the Joseon Dynasty (1392-1910) for its flavor, preservative qualities, and medicinal uses, eventually becoming a beloved, versatile condiment used in dishes like bibimbap and tteokbokki, with regions like Sunchang becoming famous for its production.
How is gochujang made?
Gochujang is made by fermenting a paste of sun-dried red chili powder (gochugaru), glutinous rice, fermented soybean powder (meju), barley malt powder, and salt, traditionally aged for months or years in earthenware pots (onggi) to develop its deep, sweet, savory, and spicy flavor. The process involves creating a sweet rice base with malt, combining it with chili, soybean, and salt, and allowing natural enzymes and bacteria to ferment the mixture, often under the sun.
Ingredients
3 lbs chicken wings
2 T avocado oil
1 t chili powder
1 t salt
1/2 t ground black pepper
cooking spray (we prefer Duck Fat)
a small chunk of cherry or apple wood for extra smoke flavor
Sauce
1/4 cup gochujang
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup brown sugar packed
1/4 cup honey
2 T tomato paste
2 T avocado oil
1 1/2 T sesame oil
2 T garlic paste
1 T ginger paste
1 T lemon juice
2 t chili powder
1 t sea salt
1/2 t red pepper flakes
Garnish
sesame seeds
green onions sliced
1. Set up your grill by preparing a half chimney of charcoal. After 15 minutes of burning, place them in a Vortex holder positioned in the middle of your grill, then add the grate.
2. Fully open the bottom and top vents and allow the grill to heat up for 10 minutes.
3. Pat down the chicken wings with a towel and add them to a large bowl.
4. Add avocado oil, chili powder, salt, and pepper to the chicken and toss until evenly coated.
5. Place the chicken wings around the perimeter of the grill. Cook for 35 minutes, ensuring you rotate the lid 1/3 turn every 10 minutes to prevent hot spots.
4. While the wings are cooking, add the sauce ingredients to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes, stirring frequently. Then remove from heat until ready to use.
5. Spray cooking oil (even better, duck fat if you can find it) on the wings at the 35 minute point, replace the lid and allow to cook for 5 more minutes.
6. Flip the wings, apply the cooking oil or duck fat to the other side of the wings, replace lid and allow to cook for 5 more minutes.
7. Verify the wings have reached an internal temp of at least 165F with an instant read thermometer, then remove the wings from the grill, toss them in a bowl with the sauce and return them to the grill for 10 more minutes.
8. Remove the sauced wings from the grill, plate up, garnish with sesame seeds and sliced green onions before serving. ENJOY!
Equipment used:
Dalstrong Barbarian Obliterator Cleaver
Starfrit The Rock Electric Multi Pot – 4.5L
ThermoPro TempSpike Plus: 600FT Wireless Meat Thermometer Bluetooth
DISCLOSURE: When we link to products and services, those links may be customized affiliate links. If you click on any of those affiliate links and make a purchase within a certain time frame, We’ll earn a small commission. The commission is paid by the retailers.
Here’s an example: If we link to our favorite vegetable peeler, and you click on that link and complete a purchase within the next 24 hours, we may receive a commission somewhere between 1 to 10 percent of your total order.
We are careful to link to products and retailers that we use ourselves and recommend. These affiliate programs use cookies to track visits for the purposes of assigning commission on these sales. Money earned keeps Galley of the Sun running and allows us to do what we love.
Thank you for your support.
SELECT AFFILIATE PROGRAM DETAILS: We are currently members of affiliate programs with Amazon and Dalstrong. We are eligible to earn from qualifying purchases.