When I want good wings, I mean really good wings, this is the recipe I turn to.  It takes a lot of time to prepare but I think it is worth it.  I basically combined Alton Brown’s cooking method with a recipe I’ve used for a number of years and I really like the results. 

The intent is the steaming removes a lot of the fat and the fridge removes a lot of the moisture to make the wings crispy.  You need around two hours to prepare and cook the wings, so plan ahead as this is not a recipe you can make on a whim whenever you get hungry.

Try it and let me know what you think – I’m always willing to tweak my cooking methods and tinker with food.

The Initial Preparation Work:

Take about 3 pounds of wings, split and remove tips if not already purchased that way.  Put about 1 inch of water in a large saucepan and bring to a boil over high heat.  Using a steamer basket, steam the wings for about ten minutes.  This will remove a lot of the fat from the wings and help prevent them from smoking up your house later.

Pat the wings dry with paper towel and then lay them out on a paper towel-lined baking sheet.  Place the wings, uncovered, in the fridge for one hour. While waiting, start making the other parts of the recipe.

The Sauce:

• Melt 4 tablespoons of unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat.
• Whisk in the following ingredients:
  • 1/2 cup of Frank’s Louisiana Hot Sauce
  • 2 tablespoons of Tabasco
  • 1 tablespoon of brown sugar
  • 2 teaspoons of apple cider vinegar
• Once all ingredients are combined, removed from heat and set aside.

The Wing Coating

• Mix the following ingredients together in a small bowl:
  • 1 teaspoon of cayenne pepper
  • 1 teaspoon of ground black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon of salt
  • 3 tablespoons of corn starch

The Final Preparation Work & Cook

Start preheating your oven to 425F.  Remove the wings from the fridge and place in a large bowl.  Dust the wings with the dry mixture and toss them to coat evenly.  Lay them out on a baking sheet and bake at 425F for 20 minutes.

Remove wings from the oven.  Flip them over and rotate as needed, then bake for another 20 minutes.

Remove from oven.  Place wings in a large bowl and pour the sauce over them and toss to soak them evenly.  Grab a side of ranch dressing, a cold beer and chow down.