I Got That Bang: Dub Shack BBQ Presents Bang Bang Wings

My Weber kettle keeps dropping bangers.

But, before I get into this two-ingredient recipe, let me shout out the inspiration behind this week's recipe: Caeli! My daughter has exquisite (for an 11YO) taste, but for real, here's how she became the muse for great barbecue. Earlier during the break, I didn't feel like cooking so being the Dad I can be, I asked her want she wanted. Fifteen minutes later, I pulled out of the Panda Express drive-thru pointing the truck towards Kroger to the idea of bang bang wings. I made bang bang shrimp back in September 2023 during Season 3 of Tailgating For Everyone, so why not try it with wings? Here is what came of it.

INGREDIENTS 

Chicken wings (approximately two pounds)

Bang bang rub

Bang bang sauce

STEP ONE. Take your wings from the packing and pat them dry on all sides. Remember, dry wings cook better in high heat than otherwise if you're curious about why your pellet or charcoal wings taste better than the ones that get oven baked. Apply a moderate shaking of Bang Bang rub on both sides of the wings and set aside for the flavors to permeate into those flats, drums, whole wings, and those dang flippers I forgot to throw away when I broke down the 40 lb box I bought a while back from my local grocery store. 

In the meantime...

STEP TWO. Light your grill and set it up for two-zone cooking. Because I would rather be in-and-out on these emerging hot days, my Weber kettle got the assignment plus the underrated private lump charcoal that Tractor Supply gives steady work! Once my chimney ashes over on top, I remove it and bank those coals to one side for the quickest fifteen minutes of the week. 

STEP THREE. What I did not tell you is how cramped two pounds of chicken wings are on my kettle. However, those suckers cook fast! Give them a flip after five minutes and then again at the ten-minute mark. Party wings (rather, wings in general) are edible at 165 degrees but it is always wise to take them up to 185-190 degrees - a little char is the flavor boost they need. Pull the wings at 185 and let them rest for another fifteen minutes before serving. 

Remember that ugly bottle of boom boom shrimp sauce that I snagged from Walmart? You can pour the sauce on your finished8 wings, or set them aside in a dipping cup. Since I was also cooking shrimp (see the picture below), I took pitmaster liberty of saucing the shrimp heavily and a more moderate approach to the wings. 

Enjoy!

My take: This recipe happened because Little Miss Sunshine wanted Panda, and it does not disappoint. I also find myself in a season of experimental cooks before the traditionalists come out of the woodwork griping about my flavor profiles on grilled or smoked meats. Both proteins were certified, and my miss stems from using store brand boom boom sauce. Maybe I'll make my own bang bang sauce next time.

Anyway, thank you for reading and trying out this recipe. Y'all know I got that bang on me, so be on the lookout for fun stuff over the next few weeks. Be blessed, be safe, be good to each other, and tell everyone that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ!

How to Make the Best Steak You've Ever Had

Hint: It's not from your favorite steakhouse.

I think the best steaks ever come from home whether they come from the local grocery store, your preferred meat market, etc.

Above is the suggested temperatures for doneness. 

INGREDIENTS 

Your favorite steak (these are strip steaks)

Your favorite rub (I used Killer Hogs Steak Rub)

STEP ONE. Take the steaks out of the packaging and pat them dry. Since I slice my own steaks, I typically do enough to where I do not have to make constant visits to the preferred grocery store to buy steaks every time I want one. You'll thank me later. Apply a medium shaking of The Steak Rub to all sides - yes, you'll want to season the fat for it adds flavor to your steaks and set aside.

STEP TWO. Go outside and light your grill! Some steaks are better in a cast-iron skillet while others are certified beasts grilled hot and fast. I brought out the PK aka the steak cooking machine, but don't let your type of cooker deter you...even if yours is a pellet grill. Once it reaches a searing temperature [ex. 500+ degrees], lay the steaks directly on the hot side of your two-zone fire and prepare to turn for even doneness. 

I typically go 90 seconds to two minutes per side on strip steaks such as these two with a 90 degree twist after the first two minutes before flipping and repeating the process for another two minutes. 

STEP THREE. Because no one deserves well-done steaks - you and your sharp teeth absolutely will eat chicken instead, make sure you check doneness with a temperature probe. Below are standard targets:

Blue rare: Up to 118 degrees.

Rare: 119-125

Pittsburgh rare (my favorite): 126-130

Medium rare: 131-135

Medium: 136-145

Medium well: 146-159

Well-done: 160+

On the off-chance you're eating and preferring a well-done steak, do NOT ask me to cook it for you. Your ass gets chicken thighs because that shoe leather has no flavor to it regardless of how long it is marinated or its original primal cut. Doing it to a wagyu or prime steak is unforgivable in some quarters, but the friendly pitmaster will simply clown you for the one day.

Pull it off the grill and let it rest for ten to fifteen minutes before eating your hard work!

Cooking steak over fire is vital to owning a grill and to me, one of the most important items to cook on one. As much as we talk about ribs every Saturday or chicken drumsticks during the week, getting steak down is really going to not only instill pride in your ability to provide a great meal without an obscene price tag but also save some serious bucks. I cooked two eaters this time around; had I entered either one in a steak cooking competition, I would have finished last based on temperature alone. The taste and tenderness were there: Did you see the crust? The SCA (Steak Cooking Association)frowns upon any steak that goes much past Pittsburgh rare no matter how the thing tastes in the end, and again, these two made it to medium - the furthest I would take them along to.

Anyway, that was a much-needed steak tutorial for those who have never read AD&AD or anything related to Dub Shack BBQ. Go out there and practice until your steak keeps you away from the mid-level steakhouses, and on a plateau with the best hunks of goodness you've ever had! As always, be blessed, be safe, be good to each other, and tell everyone that every day is a GREAT day for Dub Shack BBQ!