Ogden's Old Firewhisky BBQ Chicken Wings

"You know what" Ron murmured, looking over at the bar with enthusiasm. "We could order anything we liked in here. I bet that bloke would sell us anything, he wouldn’t care. I’ve always wanted to try Firewhiskey–" "You – are – a – prefect." snarled Hermione. "Oh," said Ron, the smile fading from his face. "Yeah…"

Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix

Jump to:

• What is Firewhisky?
• Ogden's Old Firewhisky BBQ Chicken Wings
• What ingredients do you need to make Ogden's Old Firewhisky BBQ Sauce?
• What kind of whisky is best to use?
• How to Zone Grill
• What tools do I need to make this recipe?
• What side dishes are best to serve with these firewhisky chicken wings?
• Looking for more grilling and BBQ inspiration?
• Looking for more Harry Potter-inspired Recipes?
• Ogden's Old Firewhisky BBQ Chicken Wings

What is Firewhisky?

Ogden's Old Firewhisky is a type of whisky (likely Scotch) mentioned several times throughout the Harry Potter books. It's described by Harry after drinking it for the first time, as searing his throat and "firing him with something that was like courage." After the Battle of the Seven Potters in the book 'The Deathly Hallows,' the Order of the Phoenix toasts Mad-Eye Moody's memory with glasses of firewhisky.

It's also a favored drink amongst several of the characters, including Gilderoy Lockhart, Rita Skeeter, and Ron's uncle Billius who used to "down an entire bottle of firewhisky, then run onto the dance floor, hoist up his robes, and start pulling bunches of flowers out of his—“ at weddings.

Ogden's Old Firewhisky BBQ Chicken Wings

Ogden's Old Firewhisky BBQ Chicken Wings are a fun play on the 'Firewhisky' mentioned in the Harry Potter books. These spicy and sweet whisky bbq sauce glazed grilled chicken wings are perfect for a Harry Potter-inspired dinner or when you want to add some fun to a summer meal!

Though the specific flavor profile of firewhisky is never detailed in the books, one can assume that from the name along with the descriptions of it being fire-like when consumed that it had a fair amount of heat. Therefore, my interpretation of Ogden's Old Firewhisky in this BBQ sauce includes a generous dash of spicy chipotle chili powder and back pepper, liquid smoke for smokiness, and a generous pour of Scotch whisky. The heat is balanced with a savory-sweet tomato and brown sugar base. After zone-grilling the chicken wings, I love to serve spicy pickled peppers on top for an extra zingy kick of heat!

What ingredients do you need to make Ogden's Old Firewhisky BBQ Sauce?

• Tomato paste -- I like this double concentrated one
• Garlic-infused olive oil -- I use this oil to infuse garlic in my dishes as it's easier on my tum, but you can also utilize traditional olive oil and fresh minced garlic too
• Scotch whisky - see my recommendations below for what I like to use
• Ketchup -- this is my personal favorite
• Brown sugar
• Worchestershire sauce
• Liquid smoke
• Chipotle chili powder
• Cracked black peppers
• Kosher salt

What kind of whisky is best to use?

It's fair to assume that Ogden's Old Firewhisky is a type of Scotch whisky as Hogwarts and Hogsmeade are both located in Scotland. In fact, the school and nearby wizarding village are said to be located near Dufftown in the Speyside region, so I chose to use a favorite Speyside whisky for these wings -- the Aberlour 12 Year Single Malt Scotch.

However, feel free to use whichever Scotch you prefer best. You can also bet that this BBQ sauce would be fantastic with an American Bourbon Whiskey also if you prefer.

Do I have to use whisky in this recipe?

Technically, no. If you prefer to make Ogden's Old Firewhisky BBQ Sauce without the whisky you can omit it. However, they won't really be "Firewhisky" wings without the whisky and the flavor will be different. If you choose to do this, you may want to consider adding a splash of broth or water to the sauce to make up for the loss of the reduced whisky.

If you are a fan of this BBQ Sauce, you should check these out too!

• Carolina Gold Mustard BBQ Sauce
• Chipotle Peach BBQ Sauce
• Spicy Red BBQ Sauce

How to Zone Grill

My favored method for grilling Ogden's Old Firewhisky BBQ Chicken Wings is to use zone grilling. Though you’re likely to find slight nuances in zone grilling methods, the common thread is that the chicken wings (or other grilled items) cook over low heat or no direct heat on one side of the grill first and then finished over direct high heat. This prevents the wings from drying out as they reach a safe internal temperature and results in perfectly crisp wings.

This is my personal preferred way to zone grill on a gas grill:

1. Preheat your grill – Turn all of the burners to high and allow to preheat to 500° F.
2. Turn one side of the grill to low heat – Once the grill has reached the correct temperature, turn the burners on one side of the grill down to the lowest heat setting. Some zone grilling methods suggest you turn the burner on one side completely off, but I prefer to instead turn the burner on that side to the lowest setting so it gets just a bit more heat rather than turning it totally off. This is especially helpful if you’re working with wings that are still slightly frozen.
3. Grill the chicken wings on the low-heat side first – Add your chicken wings in even rows to the side of the grill that you have lowered the heat, directly opposite of the high-heat side. Allow the wings to cook for 7-8 minutes (depending on how large your chicken wings are) then flip the wings and cook the opposite side for an additional 7-8 minutes. One way to tell if your wings need more time is if they stick to the grill when you go to turn them. If they stick badly, allow them to cook for another minute or so, then try flipping again. I prefer to rearrange the wings so that the wing row that cooks closest to the flame the first 7-8 minutes is switched to be the farthest row away from the flame once flipped to the second side.
4. Test the internal temperature of the wings – Using a meat thermometer, test the internal temperature of the wings; They should have reached atleast 165° F.
5. Char and baste the wings on the high-heat side to finish – Once the wings have completed their internal cook on the low-heat side of the grill, turn the grill on the low-heat side off and transfer the wings over to the high-heat side of the grill. Grill the first side of the wings for 1 minute, then flip the wings and baste the charred side in Ogden's Old Firewhisky BBQ Sauce while the opposite side chars for 1 minute. Flip the wings again and baste the opposite side with sauce while the first side chars for 1 minute further. Flip a final time and allow the second basted side to cook for one minute further. When finished, each side of the wings should have received a total of 2 minutes of direct high heat on each side and received some lovely charred grill marks in the process.

* For charcoal grills, you will want to utilize coals on only one side of your grill (your high-heat zone) and leave the opposite side of the grill coal-free (your indirect-heat zone).

What tools do I need to make this recipe?

• A medium saucepan
• A whisk or wooden spoon
• A kitchen scale (or measuring cups for less precise measurements)
• Measuring spoons
• A gas or charcoal grill
• Grill tongs
• A meat thermometer
• A basting brush

Are you looking to upgrade your cooking tools or replenish your pantry? Check out my kitchen tools shop page and pantry staples shop page to find my must-have kitchen tools, pantry items, and other Whip & Wander favorites.

What side dishes are best to serve with these firewhisky chicken wings?

• Grilled Corn Salad with Spicy Honey Lime Dressing
• Creamy Dijon Dill Potato Salad
• Chili Lime Watermelon with Labneh and Honey
• Spicy Cabbage Slaw
• Horseradish Dill Slaw
• Creamy Cucumber Radish Salad
• Crunchy Greek Salad with Avocado and Feta
• Strawberry Peach Summer Salad with Basil Walnut Pesto

Looking for more grilling and BBQ inspiration?

Love these Ogden's Old Firewhisky BBQ Chicken Wings? Here are some additional grilling recipes and BBQ recipes I love:

• Grilled Chicken Wings with Carolina Gold Mustard BBQ Sauce
• Grilled Chicken Wings with Chipotle Peach BBQ Sauce
• BBQ Pulled Pork Salad with Peaches
• Marinated Grilled Skirt Steak with Avocado Chimichurri Sauce

Looking for more Harry Potter-inspired Recipes?

You’re in luck! You can find all my Harry Potter-inspired recipes and other magical content linked HERE.

Print