Homemade chicken wings - what's your method?

[UTH]

As a true spice addict, making my own wings is the only way I can find wings spicy enough. Weirdly, I've only just got into making them though!!

I've been following this guy's method: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyAAzVykxHs

It seems that pickle juice is commonplace in the US, but not over here, so I substituted a bit of vinegar.
Instead of Franks Hot sauce I use this: https://www.hotsauceemporium.co.uk/product/psycho-...
And for my spice/seasoning I use this: https://www.hotsauceemporium.co.uk/product/psycho-...

I've currently got a batch marinating in the fridge for cooking on Sunday when I get back from a wedding.

Anyone got any other methods as it seems there are loads of different ways.

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red_slr said:

Sousvide the wings. Drain and pat dry and leave to cool.
Toss in flour with hot chilli powder, s&p.
Deep fry till golden.
Meanwhile melt some butter and whisk in franks buffalo sauce.
Toss wings in sauce and serve with jalapenos and sauces of your choice.

If you want it hotter just use hotter sauce.

The butter is a key step as the fat helps the spice from the sauce "stick" to your tongue and will increase the flavour / heat.

HTH.

Cool thanks, I guess this is the main alternative to cooking in the oven?
And so true on the butter, I think years ago I cooked wings then just poured the sauce from the bottle over them, and it was certainly missing the true wing feel to it.

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fttm said:

Homemade bone dust rub with a smattering of corn flour , rub half a potato over a hot grill , then cook for 30 mins turning the wings frequently , Can't be simpler .

Do you coat in any sauce once cooked?

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TwigtheWonderkid said:

UTH said:

As a true spice addict, making my own wings is the only way I can find wings spicy enough. Weirdly, I've only just got into making them though!!

I see you're in London. Have you tried the Viper wings from Orange Buffalo in Ely's Yard, off Brick Lane? If they aren't spicy enough for you, I'd be amazed. Because they provide you with gloves to eat them with, to save burning your fingers.

As I wrote that sentence above, I was considering adding a caveat of: excluding the Viper wings at Orange Buffalo and the Hot Wing challenge at The Red Dog Saloon.

I've tried both and failed dismally. But for me, they are at the end of the spectrum where flavour/taste is irrelevant, they're just coating it in as much spice as possible to try and kill a person. I am still annoyed they were too much for me though, I went into them pretty confident.

[UTH]

This is how mine turned out, I probably used a bit too much sauce to coat them in

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Argghh, bloody Iphone

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DaveH23 said:

Whilst Frank's sauce is nice you can't beat a simple Salt & Pepper season and leave it at that.

Wouldn't satisfy the spice craving for me.

[UTH]

Currently got another batch of mine marinating in the fridge, it's been about 24 hours. Will be cooking them a bit later.

I've bought whole wings, same as Bodeans, I'm going to cook them like that, not that it'll change the taste, but I quite like pulling them apart at Bodeans, hopefully it'll be as easy for my own.

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I must say I am over the moon with how these turned out.

Short of Bodeans, these might be my favourite wings.









FFS!!!! Why does the moneyshot have to flip

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Truckosaurus said:

What is the concensus around leaving the wing whole (as pictured) or cutting the wings up - I cut mine into 3 and disgard the tip piece that's 90% skin and make stock from it.

UTH said:

....

Last time I cooked wings by this same method, I did as you mention.

This time I left whole. My favourite wings in the world are Bodeans, and they come whole, so I thought I'd copy that. Tearing them apart is part of the fun I guess? Other than that, no real difference?

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Type R Tom said:

Have a look at Food Labs version. Kenji goes into the sicence quite a bit, baking powder helps to make the skin crispy.

https://www.seriouseats.com/the-best-buffalo-wings...

Interesting, I'll have a read, as mine are certainly not crispy. I do model mine on trying to replicate Bodean's wings, which aren't crispy either, but that said, the crispy-type mentioned in your link are also awesome, so being able to do both would be good.

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omniflow said:

I love chicken wings, but I'm not comfortable buying battery chicken.

Does anyone know of a good source of free range chicken wings?

I did think this last night, I think I paid £1.50-£2 for that whole packet of 11 full wings from Sainsbury's. I'd much rather spend more on free range if possible, but I've not seen it in shops.

Maybe a butcher? Back when I lived nearby HG Walter, I bought wings from them occasionally. They weren't 'on the menu' as it were - I asked if they did wings and he said he could go out the back and get me some, but they weren't on display. I forgot to ask if they were free range though.

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BlackWidow13 said:

UTH said:

the Hot Wing challenge at The Red Dog Saloon.

Done that, got the T shirt. The “burn time” where you sit there for however many minutes it was after you’ve finished them, letting the chilli do its work, before you’re allowed to eat or drink anything else is … interesting.

Fair play to you then. I'm a serious chilli head and I cannot see how any human could have done 6 of the batch I had. I know I sound like a bitter loser, but I swear they must make a new batch each day, with some being slightly worse than others, as mine were just beyond ridiculous.

[UTH]

Wings marinated for 24 hours and cured today’s hangover

[UTH]

I've got another batch of these in the fridge marinating in the buttermilk/sauce ready for tonight

Just wondering what people's opinions are on how dry I want the wings to be before I coat them in seasoning and get them in the oven.

Looking at the video I got the method from, he suggests they need to be pretty dry, but then it looks like his buttermilk is much less thick than mine (maybe it's a UK vs US thing?) as mine is rather like yoghurt, so even after draining, mine are still very much covered in the stuff: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YyAAzVykxHs

Should I dry them off with paper towel then apply the seasoning? Or would you leave them pretty wet and still with an obvious cover of the marinade?

[UTH]

If anyone is interested I did give them a good drying off with paper towel and I think the results were better so I’ll stick with doing that next time

[UTH]

Thought I'd give this a bump now it's BBQ season, see if anyone has got any magic to share

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some bloke said:

I like things simple, so I mix equal parts salt, fresh black pepper, garlic powder and cayenne, then sprinkle half of it over the wings, Whack them in the oven at 180c half an hour, then turn them and sprinkle the rest of the rub. Cook another 30 min but I often crank the oven to 200c the last ten min. I like them like this - crispy with flavours I enjoy.

I do them the same on the bbq, but will cook with indirect heat for the first 30-40 min then over coals the last 20.

I think I'm keen to simplify things on my next batch.....from my first post my go to method has been marinating overnight in buttermilk mixed with some hot sauce, but I'm not too convinced how much this overnighting actually does.

So I might give your simpler method a go next time.

[UTH]

UTH said:

some bloke said:

I like things simple, so I mix equal parts salt, fresh black pepper, garlic powder and cayenne, then sprinkle half of it over the wings, Whack them in the oven at 180c half an hour, then turn them and sprinkle the rest of the rub. Cook another 30 min but I often crank the oven to 200c the last ten min. I like them like this - crispy with flavours I enjoy.

I do them the same on the bbq, but will cook with indirect heat for the first 30-40 min then over coals the last 20.

I think I'm keen to simplify things on my next batch.....from my first post my go to method has been marinating overnight in buttermilk mixed with some hot sauce, but I'm not too convinced how much this overnighting actually does.

So I might give your simpler method a go next time.

Bought some wings today for BBQ tonight so going to give this simpler method a go. Reckon I'll probably chuck some of my spicy rub in there as well. Any reason you don't coat them all at the start rather than waiting to flip them before coating the other side?
I'll be doing everything on the BBQ so start everything off indirect heat, including the sausages and burgers I reckon.
Might whack some woodchips in there too, get everything smoked a bit.

[UTH]

some bloke said:

UTH said:

Bought some wings today for BBQ tonight so going to give this simpler method a go. Reckon I'll probably chuck some of my spicy rub in there as well. Any reason you don't coat them all at the start rather than waiting to flip them before coating the other side?
I'll be doing everything on the BBQ so start everything off indirect heat, including the sausages and burgers I reckon.
Might whack some woodchips in there too, get everything smoked a bit.

Probably just habit, or less handling? I tend to just sprinkle the rub over them out of the mixing bowl or cup.
I did recently consider putting them all in a container with the rub and shaking but that was an extra thing to wash

And are you sprinkling them 'dry' as it were? No need to put oil, mustard or another sort of binder on them?