Hello again, friends, and welcome to another installment of the Blog!
Well, it's getting warmer (at least it's supposed to be getting warmer), and in my humble opinion it's time to start thinking about dusting off the grill and remembering those good old summer pool-party recipes. Ah yes, nothing beats a hot summer afternoon, a dip in the pool, a cold, frosty adult beverage, and a happily smoking grill cranking out all the summer classics for friends and family. And what does it mean when summer starts coming? Well, that football season is just around the corner, of course...but alas, it's April. No matter, we can still make it feel like football season with one of my favorite gridiron classics: chicken wings!!
Here's the thing about wings, folks: it could be ten below zero or 105 in the shade, and you will always find a variety of wings under the cabana in my back yard. It's the perfect finger food, the perfect vehicle for a plethora of exciting and interesting sauces, and - like BBQ - demands the respect deserving of a closely-guarded culinary secret. For every backyard epicurean you talk to, you'll find as many "secret recipes" for this summertime classic.
Now, I'm aware that not everyone has access to a fryer (which, arguably, makes some absolutely delicious wings), and thankfully you don't have to. In fact, I much prefer the way of preparing wings that I'm going to describe here. So, in case you got up from reading this post and careened headlong into a tantrum worthy of the most agitated 5-year-old, fear not...I've got a solution. So sit back down, take a deep breath, and read on.
Thankfully, most grocery stores carry bags of frozen chicken wings for your convenience, and I personally see no earthly reason why you wouldn't go that route...unless you have some burning need to chop up chicken carcasses. If you're that kind of cat, then more power to ya! Quite honestly, when I've got a house (or backyard) full of company, and it's too nice outside to waste time chopping up chicken, thawing out a bag of wings and making it happen will pay dividends down the road (and prevent you from letting everyone else have all the fun).
Ok, let's get started with that bag of frozen wings. For all of my local friends out there, just pop on by the Fresh & Easy store and grab a 4# bag of those glorious morsels and stick them right into a bath of warm - not hot - water as soon as you get home. They will take awhile to thaw, but keep the water at that nice bathwater temperature, and recycle it when the wings chill it to the point where it's slowing down the thaw process. Once they're thawed and ready to rock, it's time to start thinking about your basic marinade.
The basic marinade is just intended to get your wings into the right frame of mind to become little chunks of awesome. You can go as simple or as complicated as you please, but remember this: don't add so many things so as to pigeon-hole them into one flavor profile. For example, if you love Italian flavors, and douse your virgin wings in olive oil, basil, marjoram, and oregano, it very well may clash with any sort of BBQ or hot sauce that you would love to dress them with. So, less is more up front.
Also, I mentioned not requiring a fryer for your wings, and that brings me to my next point with the marinade. This preparation is for the grill, so you've got to choose an oil that's not going to smoke too much or immediately burst into flame when you get it onto that ripping hot grill. Olive oil has a low smoke point, and isn't an ideal choice, even though it may be your go-to oil. I would recommend canola or peanut oil, which both have higher smoke points than olive oil. Of course, if you would like to see for yourself...go right ahead.
So, your basic marinade is...well, basic. It's a neutral canvas for preparing your wings to be the sauce-vehicles that they'll end up being. So, dump your wings into a large bowl, and add:
Oil of your choice - about a cup
Kosher salt - about 2 Tbs.
Freshly ground black pepper - about 2 tsp.
Sweet paprika - about 1 tsp.
Cayenne pepper (if you like to feel the heat) - about 1/2 tsp.
Mix thoroughly until the seasonings are evenly distributed, either with your hands or with a spoon.
Now don't forget about basic food safety when handling raw chicken. Make sure to wash your hands thoroughly with a good antibacterial soap before and after handling it, even if you use latex gloves. You can't be too careful, and you don't want to ruin your experience with a nasty foodborne illness. And don't forget to sanitize your workspace when you're finished. You don't want to risk cross-contamination where raw chicken is concerned. Half the speed, twice the caution, folks!
While the wings are sitting in their happy-bath, start up your grill and prepare it for about 375-400 degrees. You want to get a good sear on the wings to seal in the moisture and not turn them immediately into chicken jerky. Once the grill is nice and hot, place your wings evenly on the grill and cover. Let them sear and cook for about 5-7 minutes, or until they start getting browned on the bottom with some nice grill marks. Then, turn and let them cook on the other side in the same manner. Keep monitoring and turning your wings - ensuring that if the smaller ones are getting too dark, you move them to the cooler portion of the grill - until the juices run clear, or until you've gotten rid of all the pink color. They should be a nice golden brown color (thanks partly to the rendered chicken fat frying on their outsides).
Toss your wings in a separate bowl or bowls (please, please, please DO NOT use the same bowl as you used for the raw chicken!!!) with your favorite sauce(s), and serve with sliced celery and blue cheese dressing. Mmmmmmmm!!
Now, sauces and garnishes will be featured at another time, but if you would like any ideas for homemade sauces, or some ideas for my favorite store-bought sauces to use, hit me up at fearnotyourkitchen@gmail.com
That's it for this installment, friends! Have a blast pretending that it's football season, and if you have questions or comments, I would love to read them. Until next time...cheers!!
