Chicken wings are a beloved American food a staple of game day spreads bar menus, and casual get-togethers. But not all chicken wings are created equal. The perfect chicken wing balances crispy skin with tender, juicy meat, has a sauce that compliments rather than overpowers, and is just the right size to pick up easily. So what are the key factors that separate a great chicken wing from a mediocre one? Let’s break it down.
Choosing the Right Cut
To start you need to select the right cut of chicken. The sections of the wing most commonly used are the drumette (the thicker first section attached to the body) and the flat or wingette (the thinner middle section). Both have their pros and cons. The drumette contains more meat, while the flat often gets extra crispy. It comes down to personal preference. Just avoid wings that are too fatty or scrawny. Moderately sized wings with decent meat are best.
The Importance of Seasoning
Before cooking, chicken wings need to be seasoned well. This builds flavor and helps achieve crispy skin. A simple seasoning of salt, pepper and spices like paprika and cayenne works great. You can also marinate the wings in buttermilk or hot sauce to tenderize the meat and infuse flavor. Just be sure to pat the wings very dry after marinating so they get crispy when cooked.
Choosing the Right Cooking Method
Cooking method has a big impact on the final texture and taste. Deep frying and baking are two popular options. Deep fried wings come out ultra crispy with juicy interior meat, but baking is healthier. If baking, use a wire rack on a baking sheet so air circulates and they cook evenly. Make sure to cook them until browned and cooked through. Grilling is another excellent option in good weather, giving great char flavor. Air frying also works well for crispy wings with less oil than deep frying.
The Sauce Makes a Difference
A flavorful sauce can make good wings great. Classic Buffalo sauce is a popular choice, but barbecue, lemon pepper, jerk, and teriyaki all work wonderfully too. The ideal sauce complements the chicken flavor instead of masking it. It should coat the wings without making them soggy. Blue cheese or ranch dressing on the side for dipping is a must. The cool, creamy dip balances the heat and spice of the wings.
Pay Attention to Wing Size
Wing size affects the eating experience. Wings that are too small make for constant nibbling. But wings too large are annoying to eat, with big sections of cartilage. The best size depends on your preferences, but a good benchmark is 5-8 wings per pound. This provides meaty pieces substantial enough to sink your teeth into but still easily eaten by hand. Jumbo wings may look impressive but can be unwieldy.
Have the Right Accompaniments
The side dishes served with wings also matter. Crisp, cold celery and carrot sticks complement hot wings perfectly. Fries or potato chips are other popular pairings, as are coleslaw or macaroni salad. Provide an array of options to make everyone happy. And don’t forget the napkins – wings can get messy!
Keep Them Hot and Crispy
If you’re not serving the wings immediately after cooking, keep them warm in a low oven until ready to eat. Toss them with sauce right before serving to prevent sogginess. Never cover hot wings in sealed plastic or aluminum containers, which causes condensation. Serve up hot with the sauce on the side for dipping to keep that coveted crispy factor.
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A question that has come into the mind space of many a wing fan. But why ask it? I mean, most people simply love chicken wings. Isnt that enough? Seemingly not. Take the fact that chicken wings over the last 50 years, since their Buffalo, NY birth in 1964, have formed an “Astonish-Wing” culture of fanatics all over the globe. They even have subdivisions of status, from wing lovers to wing nuts and wing freaks with chicken beaks! Were all over the map. It seems the question is so powerful that it has even created a community of “Wing Hunters” – those who have become passionate road trippers and travelers seeking out and documenting the very best that the chicken wing world has to offer. People say that chicken wings are like pizza and sex, that even when its bad, its good. I dont believe that, so what makes a chicken wing expert? Judges from the NY Best Wings Festival and seasoned “Wing Hunters” in their own right, give us some insight into this crazy clucking thing.
Photo Credit: BestWingsLI
Dave “Rev” Ciancio, Director of Marketing for Schweid & Sons, is a founding member of the Wing-Off, a chummy group of wing enthusiasts, who do wing crawls then pit the restaurants wings against each other to see who had the best. They discuss openly and vote on a winner. As to what makes someone a chicken wing expert, “Rev” only speaks from his wing sauced heart, “You must be truly passionate about wings and have a wide palate for tasting everything from traditional, smoked, international flavors and all levels of heat. Be unwavering in your dedication to finding the best wings and never, ever, ever be satisfied.” He judges wings accordingly:Advertisement
“Before you take your first bite, know what you are looking for. Does the outside have a crunch without being done? Is the inside tender and cooked all the way through? Is the sauce something special? Once youve tasted the wing, ask yourself which of these apply: Do you want to eat another? Do you want to share on social media in a positive way? Do you need to make sure every Wing Hunter you are connected to knows about this wing? If you answered yes to the last one, youve hit “WingVana.”
Mac n Cheese Wings: Marleys Gotham Grill, Hackettstown, NJ Photo Credit: Dave “Rev” Ciancio
Wing-Off crew member, ordained Bacon Minister and cast member of Big Brother Season 13, Adam Poch, states, “A wing expert is someone that is able to differentiate flavor profiles, as well as someone that has a high tolerance for hot foods. First I judge a wing by its “done-ness” – if it is overdone or undercooked, then I am immediately turned off. You can usually tell by touch if it is over/under. Next I judge the flavor of the sauce/rub – does it taste like it is hyped up to be? Hot wings must pack heat, sweet or savory must taste sweet/savory.”Advertisement
Wing Off 25 Photo Credit: Wingoffs.com
From Delaware to Hawaii to New Hampshire, New Jersey and more, Brian Dempsey tells of his “Find-Wings” on bringthewing.com. The national Wing Hunter says, “Anyone who does something long enough and on a daily basis can be an expert at anything. Practice makes perfect. Mine happens to be at eating wings. I judge not only on the sauce but also the preparation of the chicken when Im looking for the best wing. You need the perfect marriage of the two.”Advertisement
Photo Credit: BringtheWing.com
Matt Reynolds is the director of THE GREAT CHICKEN WING HUNT, a documentary about Buffalo wings and the misfits who set out to find the perfect one. “I think the definition of a chicken wing expert is a lot like the definition of a writer,” says the lead wing man and protagonist.”If you write, and consider yourself a writer, then you are a writer. It helps if youve published something, or in the case of a wing expert, have some kind of platform (a website, a club, a festival, a film), but its not required. The sauce is the boss is a cliche that is mostly true. The first thing I expect from a wing is that the basics of the meat and frying have been covered – fresh, not frozen wings, big and meaty – but not too big, deep frier oil changed on a regular basis, a wing thats juicy on the inside, crispy on the outside. To me, screwing any of those things up means youre not trying. But getting them right does not guarantee a great wing.” You can watch the award winning film for for free on Hulu.
Photo Credit: The Great Chicken Wing Hunt
I think these respectable poultry pursuers are telling us a very similar message in a different way. My best friend, Robert Wittman, and I started BestWingsli.com in 2011, a website dedicated to finding the best wings on Long Island, then on to Brooklyn, Queens, NYC and so on. We founded Wings & BeerFest shortly after and The Best Wings Championships in eastern NY. After that time, I personally feel that to be an expert you simply need to have had wings in many different restaurants in order to compare. Otherwise, eat at the same place and youll think its the greatest. All of us Wing Hunters agree on the idea that texture must have a crispy exterior, while having a juicy interior and the flavor of sauce or rub has to make you want to tell the world and be willing to go out of your way to get them again. Even Michael Puma of Gotham Burger Social Club, a group that finds the best burgers in NYC, gets it, simply saying, “Crispy, meaty and sauced well.”Advertisement
Rob Wittman and Matt Kourie: “Wing Hunters” from BestWingsLI.com
The obvious perspective may be that in order to be a wing expert, you must have gone to Buffalo, NY, where it all started, to know exactly how to compare every wing you eat anywhere in the world. Well, I am happy to say that Rob and I have been invited by Drew Cerza, the Wing King himself to be Official Judges at the National Buffalo Wing Festival this September 5th and 6th. We are going to be “Calibrate-Wing” our perspectives to the ultimate control wing for our adventures…and perhaps answer that seemingly immortal question, “Do the best wings come from Buffalo, NY?”
Live tweet with the @winghunters on their Buffalo, NY adventure on Sep 5th and 6th 2015.Advertisement
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FAQ
What makes chicken wings good?
Air-drying the wings overnight helps them crisp up faster when you bake them, which corresponds to juicier meat in the end. Baking powder adds surface area to the chicken wings, intensifying their crunch.
What is the secret to perfect wings?
For the best Buffalo wings, dry brine them first (this both seasons the meat and helps to dry out the skin), then toss in a mixture of cornstarch and flour before baking the wings until golden brown and crispy and tossing with Buffalo sauce.
What is the key to a truly great chicken wing?
What makes a great chicken wing? In my opinion, a great chicken wing has to be crispy on the outside and tender inside. It is best when the wings are tossed in a sauce that nicely balances sweet and spicy.
What are the criteria for judging chicken wings?
Guide begins with a brief history of WINGS and covers 5 categories: Visual Appeal, Taste, Crispiness, Tenderness, and Sauce.