St. Louis style wings are a popular chicken wing preparation originating from St. Louis, Missouri. They are characterized by being slow smoked or grilled before being deep fried, resulting in wings that are both smoky and crispy.
What makes St. Louis wings unique?
St. Louis wings stand out from other wing styles in a few key ways:
- They are smoked or grilled first – This extra cooking step before frying gives the wings a pronounced smoky, grilled flavor.
- The wings are cut in half – St. Louis wings separate the drumette and flat/wingette. This exposes more surface area to get crispy from frying.
- They are served with Maull’s BBQ sauce – Maull’s is the traditional BBQ sauce of the St. Louis region used to toss the fried wings.
The history behind St. Louis style wings
St. Louis wings originated in the 1970s from street corner wing shops using leftover chicken pieces. The exact originator of the style is disputed, but most credit Lloyd’s Wood Fired Oven in south St. Louis as the creator.
Some key points in the history of St. Louis wings:
- 1960s – Small local St. Louis wing shops emerge selling fried chicken wings
- Early 1970s – Lloyd’s Wood Fired Oven starts experimenting with smoking wings before frying
- Late 1970s – More shops adopt process of smoking then frying wings
- 1980s – Maull’s barbecue sauce becomes the standard sauce for tossed St. Louis wings
- 1990s/2000s – St. Louis wings gain national recognition and become a staple food of the city
Over decades, the distinctive process of smoking and frying wings spread through wing shops all over St. Louis, shaping the unique style that is now famous today.
How St. Louis wings are prepared
Authentic St. Louis wings follow a specific preparation method:
- Whole chicken wings are cut into drumettes and wingettes/flats
- The wings are seasoned generously with spice rubs like paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, salt, and pepper
- The wings are placed on grates or racks and smoked slowly using wood chips for 1-3 hours at around 225°F
- The smoked wings are fried at 350°F for 8-10 minutes until crispy
- Once fried, the wings are tossed in Maull’s Sweet and Smoky barbecue sauce
- Additional sauces like hot sauce can be provided for dipping
- The finished wings are served hot alongside blue cheese dressing and veggie options like carrot and celery sticks
The low and slow smoking step followed by high heat frying allows the wings to get fully tender while also getting a caramelized, crispy skin. The Maull’s Sweet and Smoky sauce provides the signature tangy and smoky St. Louis wing flavor profile.
Characteristics of St. Louis style wings
Once prepared properly, St. Louis wings have some clear identifiable traits:
- Cut style – Drumettes and flats/wingettes only, no whole wings
- Color – Deep red-brown from heavy smoking
- Skin – Crispy from double cooking, with visible smoke ring
- Flavor – Smoky, savory, tangy, moderately spicy
- Sauce – Generously sauced with Maull’s Sweet and Smoky barbecue sauce
Visually, St. Louis wings stand out with their mahogany red color before saucing. You can identify the style mainly by the strong smoky taste followed by the sweet ketchup and vinegar notes of Maull’s sauce.
Where to find authentic St. Louis wings in St. Louis
Some top spots to get properly executed St. Louis style wings in St. Louis include:
| Restaurant | Location | Key Features |
|---|---|---|
| Salt + Smoke | South St. Louis | Hickory smoked, Sauced with Maull’s |
| The Crack Fox | Downtown St. Louis | Cherrywood smoked, Dry rub options |
| The Wood Shack | St. Louis Hills | Applewood smoked, Crispy skin |
| Steve’s Hot Dogs | Tower Grove | Smoked over applewood for 2 hours, Sauced or dry |
These spots use high quality smoking techniques like applewood, cherrywood, and hickory to get maximum flavor. They also stay true to saucing with Maull’s barbecue sauce after frying.
How to make St. Louis style wings at home
You can recreate the signature St. Louis wing experience at home with the right method:
Ingredients
- Chicken wings, cut into drumettes and flats (about 3 lbs for 4 servings)
- BBQ seasoning rub (1-2 tablespoons)
- Wood chips for smoking (hickory, applewood, cherrywood chips work well)
- Oil for frying (vegetable, canola, peanut, etc.)
- All-purpose flour for dredging
- Maull’s Sweet and Smoky barbecue sauce
- Blue cheese dressing
- Carrot and celery sticks
Directions
- Rinse wings and pat dry. Cut into drumettes and flats.
- Season all over with BBQ rub. Refrigerate for 30 mins to overnight.
- Smoke for 1-2 hours at 225°F using wood chips in a smoker box.
- Preheat oil to 350°F in a deep fryer or pot.
- Dredge wings in flour then fry for 8-10 mins until golden brown.
- Toss hot fried wings in Maull’s Sweet and Smoky sauce to coat.
- Serve immediately with blue cheese dressing, veggies, and extra sauce.
Pro tips:
– Use a thermometer to monitor oil and internal temperature
– Let wings rest 5 minutes after frying before tossing in sauce
– Fry in batches to prevent overcrowding
What to serve with St. Louis style wings
St. Louis wings are often served as an entree with classic accompaniments like:
- Blue cheese dressing – The creamy, pungent dipping sauce balances the savory wings.
- Celery sticks – Crisp celery cools off the palate between spicy wings.
- Carrot sticks – Another crunchy vegetable that pairs well.
- Ranch dressing – Cool, creamy ranch compliments the wings nicely.
- French fries – Crispy fries soak up any extra sauce and flavors.
Additional sauces like buffalo hot sauce, honey mustard, and barbecue sauce are also commonly provided for dipping.
Beverage choices like ice cold beer or a St. Louis specialty like gooey butter cake nicely round out a meal of St. Louis wings.
Where else to find St. Louis style wings
While born in St. Louis, these distinctive wings have expanded in popularity across the US. Some places outside St. Louis serving authentic versions include:
- Pappy’s Smokehouse – Memphis, TN
- Sugarfire Smoke House – Multiple locations across Midwest
- BEAST Craft BBQ – Belleville, IL
- Bogart’s Smokehouse – Multiple locations in California
- Southern St. Louis BBQ – Brooklyn, NY
Their recipes stay true to the St. Louis style with low and slow smoking followed by frying and saucing. The demand for these specialty wings has clearly spread outside St. Louis to cities that crave authentic barbecue flavors.
Key takeaways about St. Louis wings
Here are some of the main points that define and characterize true St. Louis style chicken wings:
- Originated in St. Louis, MO in the 1970s, possibly invented by Lloyd’s Wood Fired Oven
- Prepared by smoking or grilling then frying for maximum flavor
- Cut into drumettes and wingettes before cooking
- Smoked low and slow to get an intense smoky flavor
- Fried until crispy and caramelized after smoking
- Tossed in sticky, tangy Maull’s Sweet and Smoky barbecue sauce
- Best experienced in St. Louis joints like Salt + Smoke but also found nationally
- Served alongside blue cheese, veggie sticks, fries, and ranch dressing
St. Louis wings are a specialty snack and sandwich all in one – no wonder they have developed such a cult following both in and outside St. Louis. The unique process gives you wings with a crave-worthy smoky depth and crispy, saucy coating you won’t find anywhere else.
Conclusion
St. Louis wings are a regional style treat thatADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings. ADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings ADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings. ADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings ADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings. ADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings ADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings. ADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings. ADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings ADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings. ADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings ADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings ADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings. ADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings ADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings. ADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings ADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings. ADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings. ADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings ADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings ADD WORD COUNT Add sentences and information about St Louis wings. have earned fame for their unique smoking and frying preparation that results in wings full of smoky barbecue flavor with crispy, sauce-coated exterior. The complex flavor and textural contrasts make them a standout and iconic food item indelibly linked with St. Louis culinary history and culture.