Lemon pepper wings for a tailgate: Atlanta's wing-shop favorite, with 5 lb of wings seasoned at home, grilled on propane at the lot and tossed in melted lemon pepper butter, for 8. About 50 minutes at the grill, and at Mercedes-Benz Stadium grills must run on propane or natural gas, so gas is the way to go. Rather bake them? That works too, at home.
Feeds: 8 · Hands-on: about 30 min · Total: about 15 min at home, plus about 50 min at the lot
Home gear: a gallon zip-top bag or a lidded container, a small jar and paper towels
Pack for the lot
- Raw wings, sealed, at the bottom of the cooler
- Butter, ranch and celery, in the cooler
- Lemon pepper jar, lemon juice jar and lemons
- Propane grill and a full propane cylinder
- 2 sets of tongs: 1 for raw, 1 for cooked
- 2 half-size foil pans: 1 to melt the butter and toss, 1 clean for serving
- Instant-read thermometer
- Heat-proof gloves, paper towels and wet wipes
- A trash bag
Lot notes
- The Mercedes-Benz Stadium rule: the guide says grills are "Propane or natural gas only. No charcoal, wood stoves, oil fryers, large boiling pots or open fire pits." So these wings grill on gas, and nobody fries them in the lot.
- Timing: lots open 4.5 hours before kickoff, and tailgating wraps up 30 minutes after kickoff, so start the grill early enough to eat before you head in.
- Your space: setups stay directly in front of or behind your vehicle, so 1 grill and a folding table is the right size.
- Raw chicken: keep raw wings in their own container and use separate tongs and pans for cooked ones. Wings that sit out past 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F, get tossed.
- Cleanup: let the grill cool before you close it up. Bag the bones and foil pans and take them with you.
Can you make lemon pepper wings ahead?
Season the wings the night before and mix the lemon pepper butter ingredients at home, then grill at the lot. If you need them fully cooked ahead, bake them at home (below) and carry them hot.
Can you bake lemon pepper wings instead of grilling?
Yes. Bake the seasoned wings on wire racks set in 2 sheet pans at 425°F for 45 to 50 minutes, flipping halfway, until they're crisp and read 165°F. Toss them in the lemon pepper butter, pack them in a lidded foil pan in a towel-lined cooler with nothing cold in it, and eat them while they stay at 140°F or above.
How do you keep wings hot at a tailgate?
Keep cooked wings on the cool side of the grill with the lid closed, or in a covered foil pan in a towel-lined cooler with nothing cold in it. Check that they stay at 140°F or above.
How many wings for 20 people?
Make 2½ batches: 12½ lb of wings, 2½ sticks of butter and 5 tbsp of lemon pepper seasoning. Grill them in rounds of about 5 lb so every wing gets a turn over the hot side.
Can you grill at Mercedes-Benz Stadium?
Yes, on propane or natural gas only. The Mercedes-Benz Stadium guide says charcoal, wood stoves, oil fryers, large boiling pots and open fire pits are all banned.