I picked up four packs of whole chicken wings at Von's the other day. It was quite a bargain; 30% off. So what if they smelled a little funky, the BBQ grill will take care of that. After separating the wings into drummettes and flats (I hope those are the official terms), I tossed them in some garlic-infused olive oil and liberally applied Cayenne and black pepper, smoked paprika and garlic powder. I gave them a few hours in the fridge to get happy. To get the healthiest possible result, I grilled them on the Q. I used hickory chips to enhance the smokiness. Once they were cooked through, I pulled them off and tossed them in a big stainless bowl with some Franks Buffalo Wings hot sauce. After they were thoroughly coated with the sauce, I covered the bowl with some heavy foil and let them sit for a few minutes. The hot wings seem to absorb more of the sauce when you do this. I then put them back on the grill for another few minutes to tighten up the sauce coating. I gave them another light tossing with the sauce and they were ready to serve. We had to do this the traditional way with celery and carrot sticks and bleu cheese dressing. I added some Cayenne and Beau Monde seasoning to the dressing to spice it up a little.
The results: Wonderfully tender, juicy and spicy wings. The vinegar in the sauce cuts the inherent greasiness of the wings and forms a beautiful hot and sticky coating. You can judge the quality of the sauce by how many wipes with a napkin it takes to get the reddish-orange smears off your face and the length of time after the meal that your lips burn. Just for the record; four wipes and about 45 minutes.
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| From The Hollow Leg Diner - images |
