Grill Your Cider This Year – Apple Cider Chicken Wings

My sister-in-law has an amazing apple cider recipe and I was going to blog about that today, and I probably still will sometime in the following weeks, so stay tuned. However, I know a lot of you readers are ballsy cooks with wild taste buds, and you are looking for something to REALLY wow your holiday guests this year. This recipe will help you accomplish this, because, well, who doesn’t like chicken wings and hot apple cider? When you place these on the snack table with the beer nuts, Doritos and cocktail shrimp, you are probably going to get a lot of stink eyes, but I warn you, make extra, because once your guests take one bite, they will be gone faster than you can say “you’re welcome.”

What you will need:

• 3-4 pounds segmented chicken wings – rinse well and dry

Rub:

• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon ginger
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

Sauce:

• 1/3 cup ketchup
• 1 cup apple cider (homemade is good , but store bought works fine too)
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 2 tablespoons peach jam or peach jelly
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

How you will make it:

1. In a medium pot, on low heat, bring all of the ingredients for the sauce to a light simmer. Continue to simmer for 20 minutes. Allow sauce to cool and then transfer to a covered container to refrigerate.

1. In a small bowl, mix all the ingredients for the rub. Place rinsed and dried segmented wings into a large freezer bag or large bowl. Shake (for freezer bag), or mix (for bowl) the wings until they are evenly coated with the rub mix. Next, you will want to refrigerate the wings for at LEAST three hours, to let the seasonings work their magic. This is where using the freezer bag comes in handy, as you can just mix and throw into the fridge without having to worry about plastic wrapping the top of the bowl. I prefer to use the simplest, no nonsense routes whenever I can!

1. Yay! Now it’s cooking time! Now, I will argue all day that charcoal grills give the best results for grilled food, but in the case on wings, propane is actually better. Only because, when cooking wings, it’s imperative to have complete control over the temperature while cooking. So, if you are brave, and using a charcoal grill, attempt to keep the temperate at 400 degrees. For a propane grill, you will want to strive for the same temperature, which is simple enough by just turning the gauge to medium-high heat.

1. Place the wings on a WELL oiled grill (I use the Pam Grill version cooking spray), and cook for 12-16 minutes, turning occasionally. Place a small pot or BBQ-friendly container on the grill to warm your apple cider sauce. During the last 2-3 minutes of cooking the wings, brush some sauce on the wings.

1. Once the wings are ready, place them in a large bowl, and pour the remaining sauce over the wings, coating them evenly. Serve them to your guests and hurry into the kitchen to whip up the next batch to avoid complaints once they are all consumed. This is why I am always prepared with multiple bags of wings that have already gone through the marinating process, so all that’s left to do is pop them on the grill.

*If you are planning to toss the wings in the sauce, instead of brushing it on, BE CAREFUL! This sauce is very sticky and the wings will stick together as you try to toss the wings in the bowl. I’d recommend avoiding this at all costs, but if you must, you can’t say I didn’t warn you!

Ta Da! Now you are looking at a masterpiece that you created – Apple Cider Chicken Wings! These really are fabulous and your guests will think so too. They are very sticky, the right amount of sweet, and the delicious autumn favorite – the taste of apple cider! This recipe is simple compared to a lot of other chicken wing recipes, so it is a good one to start with if you are a chicken wing novice. This recipe became a favorite of my family and friends immediately; it will be for you as well. Enjoy!