Coffee and Molasses Wings Recipe

Coffee and Molasses Wings are made with a pork chop sauce I tried from a famous TV chef. I adapted it for this recipe. And, while it is good on the chops, personally, I think it works better on the wings. Try it for yourself.

Coffee and Molasses Wings

This Coffee and Molasses Wings recipe came from another delicious recipe I tried recently. A few days ago I made some really good Coffee and Molasses Pork Chops from an Alton Brown recipe I found in Food Network Magazine.

Even as I was enjoying the chops, I was thinking to myself that the Coffee and Molasses Sauce would make some really killer wings.

I had to modify the cooking method just a bit (as you’ll see) but I was totally right — the wings are spectacular.

As I said above, I thought the Coffee and Molasses Sauce would make a delicious wing sauce, but I knew I needed to make a few small changes to the sauce and the cooking method to adapt it to the more delicate meat of the chicken wings. All of the changes are easy and I have included them already in the recipe below.

Coffee and Molasses Wings Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 cup strong brewed Coffee, cooled
• 1/2 cup Molasses
• 1/4 cup (more or less to taste) of Molasses, Honey or Sugar
• 2 tablespoons Apple Cider Vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Dijon Mustard
• 2 cloves Garlic, minced
• Kosher salt and freshly ground Pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon ground Ginger
• 6 to 8 sprigs fresh Thyme
• 1 pound of Wings (about 6), divided

Note – I have included directions for both the oven and the grill. Be sure to choose the cooking method you plan to use.

Prepare the Wings and Marinade — Marinate the Chicken Wings

1. If not already done, separate the chicken wings into Wingettes and Drumettes.
2. Combine the coffee, 1/2 cup molasses, vinegar, mustard, garlic, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, the ginger, thyme in a bowl and stir to mix.
3. Add chicken wings and 1/2 of the sauce to a 1-gallon zip-top bag. Seal and shake to combine.
4. Place bag in the refrigerator to marinate for at least 2 hours or (better) overnight. If you think about it, turn the bag over every once in a while.
5. Place the reserve 1/2 of the sauce in a sealed container and place in the refrigerator to keep.

Prepare the Grilling Sauce

1. This can be done on the day you mix the sauce, but I prefer to do all the cooking on the same day. Either is fine.
2. Remove the reserved marinade from the refrigerator and pour into a saucepan.
3. Add the 1/4 cup sweetener (molasses, honey or sugar.)
4. Boil gently over medium-high heat, stirring, until thick and reduced to about 1/2 cup, 12 to 15 minutes.
5. Remove the thyme stems and set aside.

Cook the Wings – Grill

1. Remove the wings from the bag and discard the bag and marinade.
2. Pat the excess marinade off the wings with a paper towel. They don’t have to be dry, just remove the excess.
3. Preheat your grill to a medium hot fire and get some good smoke going.
4. Oil the grate to prevent sticking.
5. Place the wings on the grate about 4 to 6 inches above the coals.
6. Turn after about 7 – 8 minutes (but check frequently in the last few minutes for burning.)
7. Allow to cook for about 4 – 5 more minutes and check.
8. Brush on the Coffee and Molasses Wings Glaze (what you just made on the stovetop with the extra sweetener) onto the wings about 5 minutes before you are ready to take them off of the grill….Or wait until the wings are fully cooked and move them to the warm side of the grill or the warming rack and brush on the sauce to warm it for 5 to 10 minutes….Or toss the wings in the sauce immediately after they are done cooking.

Cook the Wings – Oven

1. Remove the wings from the bag and discard the bag and marinade.
2. Pat the excess marinade off the wings with a paper towel. They don’t have to be dry, just remove the excess.
3. Preheat the oven to 500 degrees F.
4. Line a large baking sheet with foil and coat with oil.
5. Spread your wings on the baking sheet in a single layer.
6. Roast the chicken wings for about 15 – 20 minutes.
7. Turn them over and roast for another 5 – 10 minutes. Check often.
8. Brush on the Coffee and Molasses Wings Glaze (what you just made on the stove top with the extra sweetener) onto the wings about 5 minutes before you are ready to take them off of the grill….Or wait until the wings are fully cooked and move them to the warm side of the grill or the warming rack and brush on the sauce to warm it for 5 to 10 minutes….Or toss the wings in the sauce immediately after they are done cooking.

Important Note – DO NOT make the amateur mistake of coating your wings with this sugar-based BBQ sauce BEFORE you put them on the grill or in the oven. This is a mistake too many weekend grillers make. You will burn the sugar and give the chicken that bad, “scorched sugar” taste we all know so well from family reunions.

Store any remaining coffee and molasses wings glaze in the freezer or refrigerator, if you like — But be sure to discard the marinade and the plastic bags the wings spent the night in.

IMPORTANT – Always discard all unused marinade. Do NOT use it as a dipping sauce or for other recipes. Marinade that has touched raw chicken should NEVER be eaten without cooking.

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Original recipe for Coffee and Molasses Pork Chops by Alton Brown – http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/alton-browns-molasses-and-coffee-pork-chops-recipe/index.html and adapted for this page. Additional Information courtesy of Wikipedia and is used by permission