Barbecue Journey with Dan ‘The Man’ — Traditional Grilled Chicken Wings

I was 10 years old the first time I ate a chicken wing. My mother was in a bowling league, and I often tagged along to play in the arcade -- pinball was my game, and I can still beat any of you.

As my quarters dwindled and my stomach growled one night, I searched my pocket to find only a crumpled 10-dollar bill. I approached the food counter were a woman who had discarded a cigarette just moments prior coughed at me.

"What do you want, kid?"

Staring at the array of "bar food" available at the bowling alley "restaurant", my eyes passed over the hot dogs, burgers, chili cheese fries, until they landed on the unassuming chicken wngs -- the "i" had fallen off presumably decades prior.

The woman did not ask me how hot I wanted the wings nor would I have known how to answer. Twenty minutes later, they came glowing a radioactive orange, and my sinuses couldn't handle the intrusion. My mouth took the brunt of their abuse, however.

The first wing burned everything it touched. I hated every moment.

It took five years before I ate a wing I liked. It came at the Spiedie and Rib Pit on upper Front Street in Binghamton -- not too hot, but the wing let its presence be known.

The next came from the now-defunct Lehigh Valley Tap House during my college years in Ithaca. Wing Night Wednesday was popular with my friends, and with something like a dozen flavors, it was easy to find one you liked. I preferred the "golden wings" -- a creamy honey-mustard glazed wing. They were delicious.

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My pallet hardened, and now I prefer "as hot as you can get them" wings. However, there is always a place in my heart (between the clogged remains of chicken wings gone by) for sweeter, more delicately flavored sauces. Close friends know that, today, I will try any wing, in any sauce.

So when Christmas 2012 came, and my Uncle Ed sent me the cookbook "Ribs, Chops, Steaks and Wings," an idea spawned. Each week that I do not travel, I will attempt one of the recipes.

This is a grill book. It prefers an outdoor, charcoal grill or a smoker. Being a central New York resident, it is not always easy to cook outdoors. I have two grills -- an outdoor charcoal grill and an indoor, electric grill that I've found serves as a decent alternative, although the "smokiness" of charcoal cannot be imitated indoors. Until spring, it will have to do.

I first tackled my favorite subject: Wings. The wing recipes are all fairly simple: Cook the wings, put them in this sauce, enjoy.

The first wing recipe is very simple and basic. And they were delicious. I especially noted the subtle heat from the cayenne. The dry rub is one that I particularly liked, and should I decide to go sauce-less one day, the rub alone is good enough to thoroughly enjoy the wings.

On a scale of 1-10, I give this recipe a 5. It was simple, yet tasty. Nothing fancy, and for a beginning cook or a novice chicken wing consumer, it gets the job done.

Here's what you'll need:

The Chicken Wing Rub:
Chili Powder
Onion Powder
Ground Cumin
Salt
Garlic Powder
Cayenne Pepper
Black Pepper
Paprika
Sugar in the Raw (I used Domino Washed Raw Cane Sugar)

Sauce:
Frank's Red Hot mixed with melted butter (Use a pretzel or a piece of break to dip and taste for heat level. I like Red Hot straight, so I omitted the butter.)

Directions: