When you visit a barbecue restaurant, your focus might be on ordering a combination of brisket, ribs, pulled pork, and other similar fare — along with a tasty selection of side dishes, of course. While chicken is usually present on barbecue restaurants' menus, it may not be the first type of food that you order. However, it's worthwhile to consider ordering smoked chicken wings during your visit. Even if you don't want them as your main course, think about ordering a platter as an appetizer and sharing them with your group. Here are some reasons to give smoked chicken wings a try.

They're Extremely Lean

Some chicken wings can be a little greasy. Even though a quick cooking process in the deep fryer shouldn't cause them to get greasy, the wings may not be very lean based on how they were butchered. When you order smoked wings, you can be confident that you're getting wings that are very lean. The low and slow process of cooking them over smoke means that all of the fat in the wings will render out, leaving you with a perfect choice if you're someone who is turned off by the idea of fat.

The Tenderness With Surprise You

One of the things that you likely enjoy about barbecued meat is how tender it is. Ribs, for example, are best when you're able to pull the meat off the bone without any resistance. You'll appreciate that your smoked chicken wings will be just as tender as the ribs that you're accustomed to eating. Whereas fried wings can sometimes be a little tough, the extended cooking time of smoked wings will give them a tenderness that may surprise you. You'll appreciate not having to fight the meat, but rather just pulling it away from the bones with your mouth.

The Flavor Is Unique

Although different restaurants take different approaches to how they smoke their wings, you'll typically find that your smoked wings will have had a liberal amount of rub applied to them before the smoking process. The rub, in addition to the smoke, provides the wings with a unique and appetizing flavor that will be unlike the flavor of the wings you get at your local sports bar. You then have the choice of coating the wings with your favorite barbecue sauce, but some people are happy to enjoy their wings without sauce so that nothing masks the taste of smoke.

Keep this information in mind the next time you visit a local barbecue restaurant like Grumpy's Bar B Que Roadhouse.