Air Fryer Memphis Barbecue Wings

Make extra sauce, it's delicious!

Course Appetizer

Cuisine American

Keyword grilled wings

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 1 45

Total Time 2

Servings

Calories 220kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the wings

3-4 pounds chicken wings flats and drumettes flats and drumettes separated, tips saved to make stock
kosher salt to taste
freshly ground black pepper to taste
Memphis BBQ sauce to taste

For the Memphis barbecue sauce (makes extra)

2 ½ cups ketchup
1 ¼ cups water
⅓ cup apple cider vinegar
⅓ cup light brown sugar
⅓ cup sugar
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons dry mustard
1 tablespoon lemon juice I would start with 1/2 tablespoon and go from there
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce

Instructions

For the Memphis barbecue sauce (start 1 hour before cooking the wings)

Place all ingredients except for the lemon juice and Worcestershire sauce in a large saucepan over medium heat.
Bring to a boil and then reduce the heat to a simmer. Let simmer for 1 – 1 1/2 hours until thickened, stirring often.
Stir in the lemon juice (to taste) and Worcestershire sauce. Continue simmering another 30 minutes.
Serve warm or at room temperature.

For the wings

Place the wings into a large bowl and season well with the salt and pepper.
Place the Vortex into the center of your grill. Open the bottom vents on your grill by 1/3, while keeping the top vent open completely.
Light a charcoal chimney full of charcoal. Alternatively, you can fill your Vortex with charcoal and light them inside the unit.
Let the charcoal get fully ashed over then add to the Vortex.
Add the chicken as shown in the picture above. For the flats have the skin side up, and for the drumettes keep the meaty part away from the fire.
Close the grill and cook for 15 minutes.
Rotate the lid 90 degrees and cook for another 15 minutes.
Flip the wings. Rotate another 90 degrees and cook 15 more minutes.
Check if the wings are as crispy as you like. If not, rotate another 90 degrees and cook another 15 minutes.
Transfer wings to a bowl and toss with the BBQ sauce. Click here for our guide on how to sauce your wings.

Notes

I've not found that rotating the grill has an effect on how great this wings turn out. So don't sweat it if you forget to do it.

I prefer to not serve my BBQ sauce cold if refrigerated. I like to warm it on the stovetop or set it out on the countertop for at least 30 minutes before serving.

Add a few (big) drops of hot sauce if you want a spicy version.

Add a few (small) drops of liquid smoke if you want a smoky version.

Nutrition