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Charcoal Chicken Wings on a Small Grill
Wings over charcoal beat wings from almost anywhere else: smoky, crisp, with rendered skin and a little char. They're also ideal for a small grill, because they're small pieces you can rotate around a two-zone fire, and they hold well, so you can cook in waves for a crowd. The method: cook gently on the cool side until rendered, crisp over the coals, toss in sauce off the grill.
Serves: 2–3 (about 2 lb) · Total time: About 45 minutes · Grill: Slot Grill Compact
Why this works on the Compact
- Small pieces fit the 146 sq in grate well and are easy to rotate between zones.
- Charcoal smoke and direct heat give flavor and crisp skin.
- Wings hold well in a covered pan at the cool end while the next batch cooks.
Ingredients
- About 2 lb chicken wings, split into flats and drums, tips removed
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon baking powder (optional, aluminum-free, helps crisping)
- For Buffalo sauce: ½ cup hot sauce and 4 tablespoons melted butter
- For lemon pepper: zest of 1 lemon, 2 teaspoons cracked pepper, 2 tablespoons melted butter
- Celery, carrots and ranch or blue cheese dressing
Gear
- Slot Grill Compact, seasoned (how)
- Chimney starter, charcoal or cooking wood, newspaper or natural fire starters, a lighter
- Long tongs and a sturdy spatula
- Heat-safe gloves
- Instant-read thermometer
- Metal can with a lid for cold ash
- Sheet pan or foil pan for raw-to-grill and a clean one for cooked food
Fire setup on the Compact
The Compact's cooking area is 16.25" × 9" (146 sq in). That is plenty for one to three people, but it means coal placement does most of the work a dial does on other cookers. Use a two-zone fire: lit coals banked across about two-thirds of the length, the last third thin or empty. The hot side sears; the cool side finishes, holds and rescues food from flare-ups. Light with a chimney or one of the no-lighter-fluid methods.
Step by step
- Dry the wings thoroughly with paper towels. For the crispiest skin, refrigerate uncovered on a rack for a few hours or overnight.
- Season with salt, pepper, garlic powder and baking powder (if using). Toss to coat evenly.
- Light a full chimney and build a two-zone fire with a wide cool zone.
- Arrange wings on the cool side in a single layer, thicker drums closest to the coals.
- Cook 25–30 minutes, turning and rotating every 7–8 minutes. Add a few coals to the hot side partway through.
- Crisp. Move wings over the hot coals a few at a time for 1–2 minutes per side, until blistered and golden. Watch for flare-ups.
- Check temperature. Wings are safe at 165°F, and most cooks prefer them at about 175–190°F for tender, rendered meat.
- Toss in sauce in a bowl off the grill, and serve immediately.
Variations
- Dry rub: skip sauce; use your favorite BBQ rub before cooking and a sprinkle after.
- Honey-garlic: warm honey, soy sauce, garlic and a splash of vinegar; toss after cooking.
- Hot honey: honey warmed with chili flakes, tossed at the end.
- Lemon pepper: toss in lemon butter, then sprinkle with zest and pepper.
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Fix |
|---|---|
| Rubbery skin | Not dried well or not enough time on the cool side. Dry overnight; render longer; crisp over coals. |
| Burned before done | Too much direct heat; keep them on the cool side until nearly done. |
| Sauce slides off | Toss while wings are hot, in a bowl, with sauce that contains butter or fat. |
Serving, leftovers and cleanup
Serve with celery, carrots and dressing. Leftover wings re-crisp nicely over a gentle fire. Refrigerate within 2 hours.
Safe internal temperatures
Guessing is how small-grill cooks go wrong, because everything happens fast over a close fire. Use an instant-read thermometer in the thickest part, away from bone. USDA minimum internal temperatures:
| Food | Minimum internal temp |
|---|---|
| Beef, pork, veal and lamb steaks, chops and roasts | 145°F, then rest 3 minutes |
| Ground beef, pork, veal and lamb | 160°F |
| Poultry (whole, parts, ground) | 165°F |
| Fish and shellfish | 145°F, or flesh opaque and separates easily with a fork |
| Egg dishes | 160°F; cook eggs until yolk and white are firm |
| Leftovers and casseroles | 165°F |
Taking this recipe on the road
The Compact packs about 1" thick and weighs about 14 lb, so this recipe travels to a campsite, tailgate, river bank or job site as easily as it cooks on the patio. A few habits make it safer and easier away from a kitchen:
- Prep at home. Trim, season or marinate meat, chop vegetables and mix sauces in the kitchen. Pack each in a sealed bag or container labeled by cook order.
- Keep raw meat cold and separate. Pack it at the bottom of the cooler, sealed, below ready-to-eat food. Keep the cooler at 40°F or below with plenty of ice, and keep it in the shade.
- Two sets of tongs and platters: one for raw, one for cooked. Never put cooked food back on the tray that held raw meat.
- Bring water and soap for hands and tools, plus paper towels and a trash bag.
- Pack the thermometer. It matters more outdoors, where wind and cold change cook times.
- Plan for ash. Bring a metal can with a lid and follow the venue's disposal rules.
For more, see the camping, tailgate and river trip guides.
Quick-start checklist
- Grill seasoned and dry; old ash emptied
- Stable, level, non-combustible spot with clearance
- Charcoal lit in a chimney, ashed over
- Two-zone fire built, grates preheated and oiled
- Thermometer, tongs, spatula and gloves within reach
- Clean tray ready for cooked food
Common small-grill mistakes (and the fix)
- Cooking before the coals are ready. Black-topped coals give smoky, weak heat and sticking. Wait until they glow under a light coat of gray ash.
- Wall-to-wall coals. With no cool zone, every flare-up becomes a burn. Leave at least a third of the firebox thin or empty.
- Crowding the grate. 146 sq in fills fast. Leave space between pieces so you can move them, and cook in waves.
- Moving food too early. Let it sear and release on its own; it sticks until a crust forms.
- Cold, dirty grates. Preheat for a few minutes, scrape, and wipe with an oiled paper towel held in tongs.
- Wet food. Pat meat and vegetables dry before oiling and seasoning. Moisture steams instead of searing.
- Judging doneness by time or color. Small fires vary. Use a thermometer.
- Leaving ash in the firebox. Old ash chokes airflow. Empty it once cold before the next cook.
- Putting the grill away wet. Raw carbon steel needs to be dried and lightly oiled. See rust prevention.
After the cook: burn-down and pack-down
- Let the remaining coals burn down. Don't leave a fire unattended.
- When ash and steel are completely cold, dump the ash into a metal container with a lid, or dispose of it where the venue or campground allows.
- Scrape the grates, then wipe the cooking surfaces with a light coat of oil or Slot Grill Seasoning Balm.
- Lift off the grates, slide out the V side panels, pull the end pieces and stack. The Compact packs to about 1" thick.
- Store it dry. A bag or old box keeps soot off the rest of your gear.
Safety basics (every cook)
- Outdoors only. Never use a charcoal grill indoors, in a garage, tent, camper, boat cabin or vehicle. Burning charcoal makes carbon monoxide, which you cannot see or smell.
- Stable, level, non-combustible surface. Bare soil, gravel, sand, concrete, pavers or a fire-safe pad. The Compact's 2⅞" air gap between the table and the bottom of the coal bed helps minimize radiant heat to the surface below, but it is still a live fire.
- Clearance. Keep it away from tents, vehicles, siding, overhangs, dry grass and anything that can burn. Keep kids and pets back.
- Follow local rules. Burn bans, campground, park, venue and HOA rules come first.
- Water or a fire extinguisher nearby, plus heat-safe gloves for handling grates and panels.
- Ash stays hot for a long time. Put it in a metal container with a lid and never pack hot steel or ash into a vehicle.
Frequently asked questions
How long do wings take on a charcoal grill?
About 30 to 40 minutes total on a two-zone fire: 25 to 30 minutes on the cool side, then a few minutes over the coals to crisp. Cook to temperature.
What temperature should wings reach?
165°F is safe for poultry; many cooks take wings to about 175 to 190°F for more tender, rendered meat.
Should I sauce wings on the grill?
Toss them in sauce in a bowl after cooking. Sugary sauces burn quickly over charcoal.
How do I make wings crispy on a grill?
Dry them well, use a little baking powder in the seasoning if you like, render on the cool side, then crisp over direct heat.
Slot Grill Compact
12-gauge carbon steel · about 14 lb · 16.25" × 9" cooking area · packs about 1" thick · made in Texas · ★★★★★ 4.92 (77 reviews)
$89.97$99.97
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All specs and prices are from SlotGrill.com. Always grill outdoors on a stable, non-combustible surface and follow local fire rules.