Grilled Habanero Barbecue Wings

Ingredients

• For the sauce:
• 3 cloves garlic
• 2 habanero chiles
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 small onion, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons finely chopped green bell pepper
• 2 cups tomato sauce
• 1/4 cup apple cider vinegar
• 1/4 cup honey
• 1/4 cup molasses
• 3 tablespoons Worcestershire sauce
• 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons yellow mustard
• Kosher salt to taste
• For the rub:
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 3 lbs of chicken wings, cut into drumettes and flats
• 1 or 2 chunks of light smoking wood, such as apple or cherry
• Type of fire: two-zone indirect
• Grill heat: medium-high

Directions

1. Make the sauce first. Warm a cast iron skillet over medium-high heat, then add the garlic cloves and habaneros. Cook them, turning now and then, until they are blistered and darkened in places, about 10 minutes. Take them out of the skillet and let them cool. Peel the garlic and chop it roughly. Remove the seeds from the habaneros and chop them roughly as well.
2. In a medium saucepan, warm the olive oil over medium heat until it shimmers. Stir in the onions and cook, stirring occasionally, until they soften and pick up a little color. Add the garlic, habaneros, and green bell pepper, and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the tomato sauce, vinegar, honey, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, sugar, and mustard. Bring the mixture to a boil, lower the heat to medium-low, and let it simmer, stirring from time to time, until it has thickened, about 20 to 30 minutes. Add salt to taste.
3. Transfer the sauce to a blender jar and puree it until it is nearly smooth. Pour it into a jar and refrigerate until you are ready to use it, up to two weeks.
4. For the wings, stir together the paprika, granulated garlic, salt, black pepper, and cayenne in a small bowl. Put the chicken wings in a large Ziploc bag, add the rub, seal the bag, and toss until the wings are coated evenly. Refrigerate up to one day, if desired.
5. Light one chimney full of charcoal. Once the charcoal is fully lit and coated with gray ash, pour it out and bank the coals on one side of the charcoal grate. Put the cooking grate in place, cover the grill, and let it heat for 5 minutes. Clean and oil the grate. Set the wood chunk(s) over the fire, and when they catch and begin to smoke, arrange the wings on the cooler side of the grill. Cover and cook over medium-high heat until the skin is crisp and browned, about 30 minutes. Brush the wings all over with sauce, cover again, and cook until the sauce caramelizes, about 5 minutes. Sauce the wings once more, then move them over the hot side of the grill. Cook until they are lightly charred, about 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the wings to a platter and serve immediately.