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Hot Honey Chicken Wings Recipe

Hot Honey Chicken Wings: Sweet Heat Straight From the BBQ Pit

There are chicken wings that are good—and then there are wings that disappear from the plate before everyone gets a chance to grab one.

Pops Hot Honey Wing Rub was made for that second kind.

Combining the sweetness of honey with bold savory spices and a touch of heat, this rub gives chicken wings a delicious balance of sweet, smoky, savory and spicy flavor.

And the best part? You don’t need a complicated recipe.

Why Hot Honey Works So Well on Wings

Chicken wings are the perfect canvas for a bold seasoning.

The skin becomes crispy while the meat stays juicy, giving the spices plenty of surface area to build flavor. The honey component brings sweetness, while the savory spices and peppers provide the heat and depth that keep you reaching for another wing.

That’s what makes Pops Hot Honey Wing Rub different.

It’s not simply hot.

It’s sweet heat with BBQ character.

The Secret Is in the Seasoning

Start by patting your wings dry.

This small step makes a big difference. Excess moisture can prevent the skin from getting that crispy texture everyone wants.

Next, add a light coating of oil and generously season the wings with Pops Hot Honey Wing Rub.

For maximum flavor, let the seasoned wings rest for at least 30 minutes before cooking.

That’s when the seasoning has a chance to start working its way into the chicken.

Grill, Smoke or Bake

One of the best things about these wings is their versatility.

You can throw them on the grill for a backyard BBQ, smoke them for that authentic pit flavor, or bake them in the oven when you want an easy weeknight meal.

The goal is always the same:

Crispy outside. Juicy inside. Big Hot Honey flavor.

Want Even More Honey Flavor?

Make a quick Hot Honey glaze.

Mix honey with a little Pops Hot Honey Wing Rub, melted butter and a splash of apple cider vinegar.

When the wings come off the grill or out of the oven, toss them lightly in the glaze.

The result is a glossy, sticky coating that takes the wings to another level.

But Don’t Stop at Chicken Wings

Here’s where things get interesting.

The label says:

“This rub isn’t just for wings.”

Pops Hot Honey Wing Rub can also be used to season other meats, including wild game.

Try it as a dry brine on:

  • Venison backstrap
  • Duck breast
  • Chicken thighs
  • Pork chops
  • Ribs
  • Shrimp
  • Grilled vegetables
  • Roasted potatoes

That sweet-and-spicy profile works particularly well when you want to add a little BBQ personality to foods that normally get a more traditional seasoning.

The Pops BBQ Pit Way

At Pops BBQ Pit, the goal has always been simple:

Small-batch. Big flavor. Made in Alabama.

Hot Honey Wing Rub brings that philosophy straight to your backyard grill.

Whether you’re cooking wings for game day, firing up the smoker on Saturday afternoon, or looking for a new way to season wild game, this is a rub designed to make ordinary meals a lot more interesting.

Ready to Bring the Sweet Heat?

Grab a bottle of Pops Hot Honey Wing Rub, fire up the grill and get ready for wings with the perfect combination of sweet heat and bold BBQ flavor.

Pops BBQ Pit — Born in the BBQ pit, built for the field.

Recipe: Pops Hot Honey Wing Rub Chicken Wings

Sweet heat. Big flavor. Crispy wings.
These wings are built around the combination of honey sweetness and bold BBQ-style spices in Pops Hot Honey Wing Rub. The rub creates a flavorful crust while the optional hot honey glaze adds an extra layer of sticky sweetness and heat.

Ingredients

For the wings

  • 3 lbs chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes
  • 3–4 tablespoons Pops Hot Honey Wing Rub
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil or avocado oil
  • 1 tablespoon honey, optional
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter, optional

Optional Hot Honey Glaze

  • ¼ cup honey
  • 1 tablespoon Pops Hot Honey Wing Rub
  • 1 tablespoon melted butter
  • 1 teaspoon apple cider vinegar
  • ½ teaspoon hot sauce, optional

Instructions

1. Prepare the wings
Pat the wings completely dry with paper towels. Removing excess moisture helps the skin become crisp.

2. Season generously
Place the wings in a large bowl. Toss with the oil, then coat generously with Pops Hot Honey Wing Rub. For even better flavor, refrigerate uncovered for 30 minutes to 4 hours.

3. Cook the wings

Grill:
Heat your grill to approximately 375–400°F. Cook the wings for about 35–45 minutes, turning periodically, until browned and the internal temperature reaches at least 165°F.

Oven:
Place wings on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Bake at 425°F for approximately 40–50 minutes, turning once, until crisp and cooked through.

Smoker:
Smoke at approximately 250–275°F until the wings are cooked through, then increase the heat to crisp the skin. The total cooking time will vary depending on your smoker and wing size.

4. Make the glaze
Combine honey, Pops Hot Honey Wing Rub, butter, apple cider vinegar and optional hot sauce. Warm gently until combined.

5. Finish the wings
When the wings are cooked and crispy, toss them lightly with the glaze—or serve the glaze on the side for dipping.

6. Serve hot.

Pop’s Tip

For an extra flavorful wild-game-inspired version, use the same technique as a dry brine on venison backstrap or duck breast. The product label specifically recommends applying the rub heavily about 30 minutes before cooking to allow the honey and spices to penetrate the meat.

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Buckmasters Expo 2026

Pop’s BBQ Pit is Headed to the Buckmasters Expo — Come See Us in Montgomery!

There’s nowhere we’d rather be in mid-August than downtown Montgomery, surrounded by 25,000 fellow hunters, families, and outdoor folks who get it. This year, Pop’s BBQ Pit is proud to announce we’ll be a vendor at the 2026 Buckmasters Expo, running August 14–16 at the Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Convention Center.

This is Buckmasters’ 31st year putting on the show — and their 40th anniversary as a brand — so you know it’s going to be a big one. More than 300 exhibitors, the free Bulls & Buckmasters bull riding show, the Young Bucks Ballroom for the kids, celebrity guests, and three straight days of everything hunting and outdoors. If you’ve never been, it’s one of the best-run expos in the Southeast, and we couldn’t be prouder to set up a booth right in the middle of it.

Why Buckmasters Makes Sense for Us

Pop’s BBQ Pit didn’t start in a boardroom. It started in Eclectic, Alabama, with Pop’s sauce recipes, Granny’s kitchen know-how, and a family that’s spent generations hunting, processing, and cooking wild game the right way. Our Wild Game Collection — built for hunters, deer processors, and anyone who’s ever stood over a grinder at 10 p.m. trying to figure out what to do with a freezer full of venison — was made for exactly the crowd that walks through Buckmasters’ doors every August.

What We’re Bringing to the Booth

We’ll have our full lineup on hand, including:

  • Signature Series BBQ Sauces — Sweet Heat, Peach, Apple, and Honey Mustard
  • Hot Honey Collection — our rub, wild game rub, jerky seasoning, sausage seasoning, and wing rub, all built around a heat-to-sweet balance that’s been road-tested at festivals across the Southeast
  • Wild Game Collection — seasonings made specifically for deer, duck, and other wild game processing
  • Granny’s Country Kitchen — apple butter, pickles, and pear relish, for the folks who want a taste of home to go with their gear

Expect samples, real conversations about what works on wild game versus store-bought beef, and a few Pop’s-brand stories along the way. If you’ve been curious about how our Hot Honey rub holds up on venison backstrap or what makes our sausage seasoning different from the big commercial blends, come find us and ask — we love talking shop.

Come Say Hey

Buckmasters draws thousands of people who hunt, process their own meat, and care about what goes on it. That’s our people. Whether you’re a longtime customer who’s tried our sauces at the City of Wetumpka Farmers Market or you’ve never heard of Pop’s BBQ Pit before, we’d love to meet you face to face, let you taste what we’ve built, and talk about what’s coming next from the Wild Game Collection.

Buckmasters Expo 2026  Renaissance Montgomery Hotel & Convention Center, Montgomery, AL  August 14–16, 2026  Free admission with a canned food donation or $1 to Friendship Mission

We’ll be there all three days. Bring your appetite — and maybe a cooler.

See you in Montgomery. — Pop, Granny & Boo Jean