History

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que was founded in Syracuse in 1983 as a motorcycle-rally canteen. The Rochester location opened in 2005 in the restored 1905 Erie Railroad station on Court St. The wings are the most-ordered item at both locations: coated in a spice rub, smoked in the pit, then finished on a charcoal grill and sauced. The smoke-first approach produces a different texture and flavor profile than the Buffalo tradition of frying raw wings. Dinosaur's house rubs rotate seasonally.

Common allergens: Gluten, Dairy

Make it at home

Yield Serves 4Hands-on 20 minTotal 3 hrDifficulty Intermediate

Ingredients

  • 3 pounds whole chicken wings
  • 2 tablespoons smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon garlic powder
  • 1 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne
  • 1 teaspoon black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • Your choice of BBQ sauce for finishing

Method

  1. Combine spices and rub all over the wings. Rest 30 minutes at room temperature.
  2. Set up a smoker or kettle grill for indirect cooking at 225F using apple or cherry wood.
  3. Smoke wings 2 to 2.5 hours until internal temperature reaches 165F.
  4. Raise grill temperature to high or use a direct flame. Grill wings 3 to 4 minutes per side for char marks.
  5. Toss in BBQ sauce and serve immediately.

Tip from the editors. The smoke phase is non-negotiable. Wings that go straight to the grill are just grilled wings; the smoke is what makes them Dinosaur-style.

Where to eat dinosaur bar-b-que smoked wings

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que Smoked Wings in Rochester

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que ★ 4.2

BBQ$$downtownMon-Thu 11:00-23:00, Fri-Sat 11:00-00:00, Sun 12:00-22:00

Dinosaur Bar-B-Que on Court St is open until midnight on weekends in the downtown railroad station, one of the few late full-kitchen options downtown.

Tip: Kitchen closes at midnight on Friday and Saturday. Live blues runs until 00:00 on weekends. The bar itself may stay open later than the kitchen; confirm on arrival.

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