Preheat the oven to 200ºF (95ºC) and arrange the lemon zest on a baking sheet. Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes until dried out and easy to crumble.

Add the dried lemon zest to a spice grinder or pestle and mortar with the black pepper and salt and work until thoroughly combined. Keep 3 tbsp to season the chicken, 1 tsp to add to the butter, and store any remaining rub in an airtight container for future use.

Preheat the smoker to 250ºF (120ºC)

Pat the chicken wings dry with a paper towel and season with 3 tbsp of lemon and black pepper rub. Use your hands to ensure the wings are thoroughly coated.

Place wings in the smoker (leaving space between them) and smoke for 1-1 ½ hours, or until the internal temperature reads 165ºF (75ºC).

While the wings are cooking, in a saucepan set over low heat, melt the butter with the lemon juice and lemon pepper seasoning to create the lemon black pepper butter. Set aside.

Increase the smoker temperature to 350ºF (175ºC) and cook the wings over direct heat for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway. While the wings cook, baste them with the lemon black pepper butter

Once the wings are crisp and cooked through, remove from the smoker and serve