Buffalo Wings
ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 2 hours 5 minutes
Yield: 12 wings
Making the crispiest, juiciest buffalo wings doesn't require frying. Deep-fat frying is the norm because it crisps the skin and renders out most of the subcutaneous fat that can make buffalo wings taste flabby. But most American cooks lack access to commercial fryers. Luckily, we do have ovens. The problem with oven-roasting wings is that relatively high temperatures are required to produce crisp skin, and that can generate a lot of smoke. The trick is to steam them first to render out a lot of the fat. Then you cool them to tighten the skin before roasting them in the oven. Yes, there’s a bit of labor involved, and yes…it’s worth it. You can steam your wings in three batches, or you can grab some simple supplies from the hardware store and build yourself a Steel Lotus. This recipe first appeared in Season 11 of Good Eats.
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Software
- 12 whole chicken wings
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup hot sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
Specialized Hardware
Steamer basket or Steel Lotus
ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 2 hours 5 minutes
Yield: 12 wings
Procedure
- Load a 6-quart saucepan with a steamer basket or Steel Lotus and 1 inch of water in the bottom. Turn heat to high, cover, and bring to a boil.
- Remove the tips of the wings and discard or save for making stock. Using kitchen shears or a knife, separate the wings at the joint. Place the wings into the steamer basket, cover, reduce heat to medium,and steam for 10 minutes. Remove the wings from the basket and carefully pat dry. Lay the wings out on a metal or oven-safe cooling rack set in a half-sheet pan lined with paper towels and refrigerate for 1 hour.
- Heat oven to 425ºF.
- Replace the paper towels with parchment paper, then return the rack with the wings to the half-sheet pan. Roast on the middle rack of the oven for 20 minutes. Turn the wings over and cook until meat is cooked through and the skin is golden brown, about another 20 minutes.
- While the chicken is roasting, melt the butter in a small bowl and add the garlic. Pour garlic-butter mixture, hot sauce, and salt into a bowl large enough to hold all of the wings and stir to combine.
- Remove wings from oven and transfer to the bowl and toss with the sauce. Serve warm.
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