Spicy Butterscotch Wings -- The Working Class of BBQ, Dressed Up for Saturday

September 2025. Fall in Memphis, and I am 66, walking the neighborhood in my light jacket, watching the leaves turn on the oaks and maples that line Deadrick Avenue. The smoker is happy in fall — the cooler air holds the smoke lower, keeps it closer to the meat, and the results are always a shade better in October than in July, as if the season itself is a seasoning.

Charlie in Nashville, thriving in the way Charlie thrives — quietly, competently, with the determination of a Johnson woman and the grace of something uniquely hers.

Smoked turkey wings this week — big, meaty, brined and rubbed and smoked at 275 for three hours until the skin crackled and the meat pulled clean. Turkey wings are the working class of BBQ: cheap, underrated, and transformed by smoke into something extraordinary. Uncle Clyde served them on Fridays at his stand, and I serve them on Saturdays in my backyard, and the tradition bridges the gap between then and now.

Sunday at Mt. Zion, the choir sang and I sat in my pew and let the music hold me. The bass notes I used to add are quieter now — my voice is aging, the way everything ages — but the listening is its own participation, and the church holds me the way the church has held this community for a hundred years: faithfully, unconditionally, with room for everyone who shows up. I show up. That is enough.

Turkey wings were the star this week, but it’s the wing itself — that humble, underestimated cut — that keeps pulling me back to the smoker every fall Saturday. These Spicy Butterscotch Wings capture exactly the tension I love: sweet against heat, sticky against crisp, the kind of contradiction that only makes sense once you’re eating them. Uncle Clyde would’ve approved of the butterscotch glaze — he always said the best BBQ surprises you — and at 66, I’m still chasing that surprise every time I fire up the coals.

Spicy Butterscotch Wings

Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 45 minutes | Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes | Servings: 4

Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken wings, split at the joint, tips removed
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• Spicy Butterscotch Glaze:
• 1/2 cup butterscotch chips
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 2 tbsp hot sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot)
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1 tsp red pepper flakes
• 1 tbsp brown sugar
• Pinch of salt

Instructions

1. Prep the wings. Pat chicken wings completely dry with paper towels. Toss with olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, cayenne, black pepper, and kosher salt until evenly coated. Let sit at room temperature for 15 minutes while you prepare your grill or oven.
2. Cook the wings. Grill over medium-high heat (or bake at 425°F on a wire rack set over a baking sheet) for 40–45 minutes, turning halfway through, until skin is golden, crisp, and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
3. Make the glaze. In a small saucepan over low heat, melt butterscotch chips and butter together, stirring constantly. Once smooth, whisk in hot sauce, apple cider vinegar, red pepper flakes, brown sugar, and a pinch of salt. Keep warm on the lowest heat setting, stirring occasionally.
4. Glaze and finish. Transfer cooked wings to a large bowl. Pour warm spicy butterscotch glaze over the wings and toss until every piece is well coated. Return glazed wings to the grill or place under the broiler for 2–3 minutes to set the glaze and deepen the caramelization.
5. Serve. Arrange on a platter and garnish with sliced scallions or a pinch of extra red pepper flakes if desired. Serve immediately while the glaze is still sticky and the skin is crisp.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 480 | Protein: 31g | Fat: 28g | Carbs: 24g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 720mg