New Jersey Style BBQ Chicken Wings on Arteflame

Introduction

If you're craving bold, smoky flavors with crispy texture and buttery BBQ glaze, these New Jersey Style BBQ Chicken Wings cooked on the Arteflame grill are just what you need. Jersey is known for its attitude, and these wings bring that same boldness to your backyard grill. We're locking in juices with a steakhouse-quality sear over 1,000°F heat, then finishing the wings to sticky-sweet perfection on the flat top griddle. This recipe is all grilled—no pans, no ovens—just pure Arteflame magic.

Ingredients

• 3 lbs chicken wings, separated into drumettes and flats
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 1 tbsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tbsp ground black pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter (for grilling)
• 1 cup BBQ sauce (smoky + sweet)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• Chopped parsley or green onions for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Step 1: Fire Up the Arteflame Grill

1. Pour a bit of vegetable oil over three paper napkins.
2. Place them in the grill base and stack firewood on top.
3. Light the napkins and let the fire build. In about 20 minutes, the Arteflame will be ready for searing and griddling.

Step 2: Season the Chicken Wings

1. Place wings in a large bowl.
2. Mix garlic powder, smoked paprika, black pepper, and salt together. Sprinkle evenly and toss to coat.

Step 3: Sear the Wings Over 1,000°F Heat

1. Add butter to the center grill grate of the Arteflame.
2. Quickly place wings on the center grate to sear, about 1-2 minutes per side.
3. Flip the wings to get a nice crust and lock in those juices.

Step 4: Move to the Flat Top to Cook Through

1. Transfer seared wings to the flat top griddle near the center where it’s hot but not blazing.
2. Adjust placement as needed based on heat zones—outer areas for slower cooking, inner areas for more sizzle.
3. Continue turning the wings every few minutes to keep the sear even and juices flowing.
4. Grill until wings reach an internal temp of 160°F, then remove from the grill. They’ll climb to 175°F off heat.

Step 5: Make the BBQ Glaze

1. On the flat top near the outer edge, combine BBQ sauce, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar, and a pat of butter.
2. Use a spatula to mix and let it simmer gently until thickened and bubbling.

Step 6: Toss and Finish

1. Return the wings to the warm center griddle and drizzle the sauce over them.
2. Toss wings gently using tongs, letting the glaze caramelize for 1-2 minutes.
3. Garnish with parsley or green onions if desired. Serve hot.

Tips

• Pull wings off at 160°F—they’ll finish cooking to 175°F while resting.
• Butter enhances flavor and promotes better browning than olive oil.
• Use the hottest part of the flat top for caramelizing BBQ sauce without burning it.
• Keep the wood fire alive by adding smaller splits during cooking as needed.
• Use fresh wings, not frozen, for the crispiest result.

Variations

1. Buffalo Jersey Wings: Sub BBQ sauce with buffalo sauce and add a pat of butter. Toss with blue cheese crumbles after grilling.
2. Honey Chipotle Wings: Mix chipotle paste, honey, and lime juice for a smoky-sweet variation.
3. Jersey Dry Rub Wings: Skip the sauce and add a dry rub of brown sugar, chili powder, onion powder, and cumin before grilling.
4. Korean BBQ Wings: Use gochujang, garlic, soy, and honey glaze on the flat top griddle after cooking the wings.
5. Maple Dijon Wings: Combine maple syrup, Dijon mustard, and a little cider vinegar for a sticky-savory finish.

Best pairings

• Grilled corn with herbed butter
• Charred shishito peppers with sea salt
• Flat-grilled sweet potatoes with cinnamon butter
• Cold New Jersey craft beer or iced lemonade
• Classic coleslaw or creamy potato salad

Conclusion

These New Jersey Style BBQ Chicken Wings on the Arteflame grill are a showstopper. They’re crispy, smoky, sweet, and full of flavor—everything you want in grilled wings. Using the reverse sear method ensures that your wings are juicy on the inside and perfectly glazed on the outside. No oven, no pans, just straight-up wood-fired flavor. Once you make these, you’ll never go back to oven-baked wings again.