Nashville Hot Smoked Turkey Wings
I’m sure you’ve heard of Nashville Hot Fried Chicken. I’m sure you’ve heard of Nashville Hot Fried chicken sandwiches - they seem to be cropping up everyone (at least in Toronto), to the extent that even Swiss Chalet (if you know you know) has a Nashville hot chicken sandwich on their menu now. I do love a good Nashville hot fried chicken and when I was down in Nashville I had to stop at the famous Hattie B’s to get my fix, but for this recipe I thought I would put my twist on the Nashville hot chicken flavours. Instead of chicken, I used full turkey wings, and instead of breading and frying them, I seasoned them in Alchemy Brown Rub (stay tuned for that) and smoked them for an hour, hour and a half, until the outside was crispy and the inside was fully cooked. I made my hot sauce with melted butter, cayenne, salt and lemon juice and poured it all over the smoked turkey wings. Of course, the turkey wings were sitting on top of slices of white bread, to soak up that sauce, and garnished with bread and butter pickles, the typical Nashville hot fried chicken accoutrements. I decided to also make a gooey mac and cheese with grilled jalapenos as a side to the turkey wings. You can really make whatever side you want though, a creamy coleslaw or potato salad would go well or make some grilled corn on the cob to go with it. You just can’t skip the white bread and pickles, it wouldn’t be Nashville hot fried chicken without them - even though it’s turkey, and smoked… any ways, you know what I mean, just don’t skip them! If you want to find out how to make Nashville Hot Smoked Turkey wings with a side of mac and cheese, keep reading, or jump to the full recipe.
Spread a thin layer of yellow mustard on your turkey wings and season with Alchemy Brown Rub. Place in the smoker for about an hour/hour and a half, or until they reach an internal temperature of 160F.
To make your mac and cheese, cook your pasta to your desired doneness. In a cast iron pan, melt your butter and sprinkle in your flour and whisk.
Pour in your milk slowly and whisk together, let the roux cook a little and thicken. Sprinkle in your shredded cheese and mix together until melted.
Add in your pre-cooked pasta and allow to cook together in the bubbling cheese for a few minutes. Remove from the heat.
Dice your jalapeno and place on the plancha to grill. Once softened, sprinkle on top of your mac and cheese. Season the mac and cheese with some cracked pepper.
To make your hot sauce for the turkey wings, melt butter in a small pot or cast iron pan, add in the cayenne, salt and juice from half a lemon. Mix to combine.
Take the turkey wings out of the smoker. Place your white bread on a board or platter and put your wings on top. Pour your Nashville hot sauce over top the wings.
Top with bread and butter pickles. Serve with the side of mac and cheese.
And now for the full recipe...
Nashville Hot Smoked Turkey Wings
Serves 1-2 people
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 90 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour, 20 minutes
Ingredients:
4 whole turkey wings
Alchemy brown rub
Yellow mustard
Nashville hot sauce:
1/8th cup butter 1 tbsp cayenne 1 tsp salt Juice from 1/2 lemon
To build: 4 slices white bread 8 slices bread and butter pickles
Mac and cheese
1 cup cooked pasta 1/8th lb butter 1 tbsp all-purpose flour 1/2 cup milk 1 1/2 cups shredded marble cheddar cheese 1/2 jalapeño Black pepper
How to Make It:
Preheat your smoker to 275F.
Spread a layer of yellow mustard on your turkey wings and season with Alchemy Brown Rub. Place in the smoker for about an hour to an hour and a half, or until they reach an internal temperature of 160F.
To make your mac and cheese, cook your pasta to your desired doneness. In a cast iron pan, melt your butter and sprinkle in your flour and whisk. Pour in your milk slowly and whisk together, let it cook a little and thicken. Sprinkle in your shredded cheese and mix together until melted. Add in your pre-cooked pasta and allow to cook together in the bubbling cheese for a few minutes. Remove from the heat.
Dice your jalapeno and place on the plancha to grill. Once softened, remove from the grill and sprinkle on top of your mac and cheese. Season the mac and cheese with some cracked pepper.
To make your hot sauce for the turkey wings, melt butter in a small pot or cast iron pan, add in the cayenne, salt and juice from half a lemon. Mix to combine.
Take the turkey wings out of the smoker. Place your white bread on a board or platter and put your wings on top. Pour your Nashville hot sauce over top the wings. Top with bread and butter pickles. Serve with the side of mac and cheese.
