Funny thing…
this recipe started out as root beer glazed chicken drumsticks on the grill.
Then I went to the market and came across a large package of chicken wings and drumettes and thought I might could well go that way instead of drumsticks.
Then, on the drive home, I got to thinking about the root beer and how it might could just be too sweet and kinda cloying on the wings.
Beer.
Yep, beer was the answer.
So, I set about making a beer, barbecue sauce, and fruit (strawberry, in this case, but next time, I’m goin’ apple cider all the way) glaze and decided to wrangle the wings they way I always do, in the oven, with a nicely spiced “breading” before tossing ’em in the glaze and finishing ’em off.
Nice choice!
Mebbe my new favorite wings!
INGREDIENTS
Beer Glaze:
•12 oz beer
•12 oz barbecue sauce
•1 cup brown sugar
•1/4 cup strawberry jam
•2 tbsp spicy brown mustard
Seasoning Blend:
•2 tbsp flour
•1 tsp garlic powder
•1/2 tsp dried parsley
•1/2 tsp dried chives
•1/2 tsp Aleppo pepper
•1/2 tsp Black & Red Spice (or, 1/4 tsp each Cayenne and black pepper)
•1/2 tsp celery salt
•1/2 tsp seasoned salt
•1/2 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp Vadouvan French Masala Curry
•1 tbsp veggie oil
Note 1: my barbecue sauce is already kinda spicy and sweet; but if you’d like to zip up your wings, by all means go ahead and add your fave hot sauce and/or hot peppers to the mix.
Note 2: the seasoning blend is enough for one, small (1-1/2 pound) tray of chicken wings. For larger (family size) packages, I make two batches, one in the zipper bag and one to the side in a small bowl; then toss half the wings in one batch of the blend with the oil, then repeat with the remaining wings.
Whisk the glaze ingredients together in a pan over medium heat.
Bring to a boil, then reduce the hit and simmer until the glaze has reduced and thickened, about one hour.
Pour glaze into a jar and set aside to cool before storing in the fridge.
Preheat oven to 400°.
Set a wire rack inside a large, rimmed baking sheet lined with foil. Apply cooking spray to the rack and set aside.
Add the dry seasoning blend ingredients to a gallon sized zipper bag and toss to combine. Remember, if doing a large 
batch of wings, you’re gonna want to prepare a second, small bowl of the seasoning blend to handle the remaining wings.
Add the wings and toss to coat. Drizzle in the oil and toss again. Arrange the wings in a single layer on the rack in the baking pan and repeat with the extra seasoning blend and oil.
Bake wings until cooked through and skin is crispy, about 45 minutes.
Remove the wings from the oven and place in a large bowl.
Pour the beer glaze over the wings and toss to coat – I ended up using about half of the glaze.
Return the wings to the rack in the baking pan and brush with any of the beer glaze left in the bowl.
Pop the now nicely glazed wings back into the oven for 15 minutes.
Remove and serve.
Perfection.
Yep, you’re not gonna need any blue cheese or ranch dressing or nothing else to serve with these wings.
Enjoy ’em hot and fresh out of the oven, or leftover and cold from the fridge as a midnight snack; it’s all good.