I nabbed an order of "Smokehouse Hot Wings" from Art's BBQ in Coral Springs yesterday. The place is a front-runner for our annual Best Of issue thanks to its intensely smoky ribs with genuine bark and a peppery rub. But I'd never before tried the wings, which Art's smokes instead of frying or baking.
Wings come ten to an order for about $9. That's a lot for an ordinary
fried wing, but it's clear some big effort goes into these guys. They
come coated in a spicier version of Art's brick-red barbecue sauce, a
sweet and spicy tomato base that tastes like it's been smoked itself. The
meat has a really nice bite too. It's tender but firm, just like Art's
ribs, and has a smoky pink sheen to it. Thanks to a few hours in the
smoker, the fat has rendered off the skin, leaving taut but not
necessarily crisp skin with intense flavor. I gotta say -- these
smokehouse wings are the bomb.
Just for the helluvit, I ordered a
rack of St. Louis ribs and a pulled-pork sandwich to go with my wings. I
love Art's meaty ribs, served over two slices of white bread to soak up
the juices. But damn, I kept returning to those wings. They were
serious barbecue eats in bite-sized packages.
Art's
BBQ
2070 N. University Drive, Coral Springs
954-346-9246
arts-bbq.com
