Name: Smoked Citrus Brined Chicken Wings
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 150 min
Ingredients: 5 cups warm water; 1/2 cup orange juice; 1/4 cup lemon or lime juice (or mix of both); 1/3 cup kosher salt (not table salt); 1/3 cup brown sugar; 6 to 8 whole peppercorns; citrus seasoning blend of choice (I used Blackstone Citrus Garlic Mojo seasoning); 6 pounds jumbo split chicken wings

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I have quite quite a few cooking variations for these Smoked Citrus Brined Chicken Wings… smoker, Traeger pellet grill (including the 0 to 400 method), and even a non-smoked Blackstone griddle cooking method to try!

The citrus brine is really the star of show here, making these one of the best and most flavorful wings even with no sauce.

You can use any brand of citrus seasoning… I am using this Blackstone Citrus Garlic Mojo seasoning.

How to make Smoked Citrus Brined Chicken Wings

First make the brine for 6 pounds of jumbo, split chicken wings.

Combine 5 cups warm water, 1/2 cup orange juice, 1/4 cup lemon or lime juice, 1/3 cup each of kosher salt and brown sugar, a tablespoon of citrus seasoning, plus a few peppercorns in a large container or pot with lid.

Add the wings, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours.

Remove the wings, pat them dry, and season with more citrus seasoning blend.

Then place them on your pellet grill or smoker set to 250 degrees for 2 1/2 hours.

You could also follow the 0 to 400 pellet grill method or Blackstone griddle directions in the recipe card.

Smoked Citrus Brined Chicken Wings before cooking

And flip them halfway through.

flipping the Smoked Citrus Brined Chicken Wings

Smoked Citrus Brined Chicken Wings were so flavorful just like this with no sauce needed 🙂

We tried both the pellet grill and Blackstone griddle methods… we were fans of both for sure!

If you like Smoked Citrus Brined Chicken Wings, you might also like these recipes…

Smoked Tequila Brined Chicken Thighs

Traeger Maple Brined Turkey Recipe

Pineapple Sriracha Chicken Wings

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Smoked Citrus Brined Chicken Wings

Cheri Renee

Smoked Citrus Brined Chicken Wings can be made in your smoker or Traeger pellet grill, a flavorful brine and dry rub makes the best wings!

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Prep Time 15

Cook Time 2 30

Course Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine American

Servings 6 pounds

Calories 589 kcal

Equipment

Traeger/Pellet Grill
Smoker

Ingredients

5 cups warm water
1/2 cup orange juice
1/4 cup lemon or lime juice (or mix of both)
1/3 cup kosher salt (not table salt)
1/3 cup brown sugar
6 to 8 whole peppercorns
citrus seasoning blend of choice (I used Blackstone Citrus Garlic Mojo seasoning)
6 pounds jumbo split chicken wings

Instructions

Combine the water, orange juice, lemon or lime juice, kosher salt, brown sugar, peppercorns, and 1 tablespoon of the citrus seasoning in a large pot or container with lid. Stir until sugar and salt are dissolved.
Add the wings, cover, and refrigerate for 24 hours.
Remove wings and pat dry (discard brine). Season wings with more citrus seasoning.
Set your Traeger pellet grill or smoker to 250 degrees. Place the wings on the grill grate for 2 1/2 hours, flipping halfway through.
Or, for crispy wings follow this 0 to 400 pellet grill method: Place the wings on your pellet grill, then turn your pellet grill on and set the temperature to 400 degrees (or 375 degrees if your Traeger model doesn't reach 400). Set a timer for 40 minutes (when the pellet grill is still at 0 degrees).
Flip the wings using tongs, then set a timer for 20 more minutes. Check the wings and remove them once they are crisped how you prefer and the internal temperature is above 165 degrees.
**Blackstone griddle directions in note section**

Notes

Blackstone Griddle Directions-

Preheat your griddle to medium/ medium high heat for a few minutes and add some cooking oil. Add the wings and cook 2 to 3 minutes per side.
Lower the heat to medium low and cover the wings with a 9×13 foil pan or large melting dome. Cook 12 to 15 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove pan or dome and cook a few more minutes, flipping, until skin is crisped to your liking.

Keyword Blackstone, brined, Chicken Wings, Citrus, Griddle, Recipe, Smoked, Smoker Recipes, Traeger