Chicken Wings for Football Season
Making your own chicken wings is super easy, but I think the proliferation of wing restaurants has given the illusion that cooking wings is too much for the home cook. This is not true. They are easy, so easy in fact, that there are several methods you can use.
Deep Frying
I don't do this for wings, personally, but the idea is pretty simple-light seasoned breading-fry in oil until done and toss them in sauce.
Baking
This would be the way to get that texture of frying without the frying. Dredge in flower and toss in your sauce of choice. Pop them in the oven until the crust is firm and crispy.
Roasting & Basting
This is the method I use the most. Season with your favorite rub and put into the oven for 10 minutes. Let the skin dry out a little so that it can take on sauce. I put sauce in a stainless steel bowl and dump the wings in to toss. I put them back on the tray and return them to the oven for another 10 minutes. I do this three times.
One thing to look out for if you are basting or baking your wings is how much sugar is in your sauce.Too much sugar will burn and carbonize your wings. I like a little carbon and crunch, but it can be easy to overdo.
I use a 350 degree oven, others use hotter-up to 425 degrees, but you are still talking about 30 to 40 minutes in the oven. I know it sounds crazy, you can roast a whole chicken in that amount of time and these are little bitty wings, but you do want them to slide off the bone.
There are so many options for wings, from rubs to sauces and even marinades. Avoid marinating in highly acidic marinades as it will start the cooking process which you do not want with wings. They can pack a lot of flavor so make something bold and crazy.