First of all, I buy FRESH whole wings. There is very little effort used to cut them, you get them cheaper by the pound, and you use the whole thing. Use the drummies and the flappers for the wings, use the wasted piece to make stock... voila... look at you, using ALL the pieces, saving money and looking like a pro, by creating your own chicken stock!
Now, wash and pat dry the wing pieces you are going to fry... YES, fry...
Sprinkle liberally with black pepper, and a bit of kosher salt, just a little, to draw out the excess moisture. Pour some garlic powder, paprika and cayenne powder over this(your taste buds will determine the amount of cayenne. Start with about 1/2 teaspoon for 3 lbs, and use more if you like) and toss the wings to cover them well. I add some Tiger Seasoning, formerly known as Praise Allah Seasoning to this, but you dont' have to use it.
Pour about half of a bottle of Great Value Louisiana Hot Sauce over the pieces, add a dash of vinegar and about two Tablespoons vegetable oil. Mix and coat the wings well, then put in the fridge, to marinate for at least 30 minutes but preferably about 90 minutes. The liquid should have some pinkish red tint to it, but look kind of milky...
Now, when you take them out of the fridge, put them in a very large, clean bag... trash bag, gallon sized zipper bag, whatever will allow ALL the wings to be in the bag at once.
Put flour in the bag. I use Self Rising, but All Purpose will work, too. Add some salt for seasoning, some pepper, if you want, but nothing else... take the wings out of the sauce, but don't drain them dry... just shake off any excess. (if you do not like your wings with breading or battering, you can fry them after draining them well at this point... I like the coating, myself. It is reminiscent of the Hooters wing)
Now, seal that bag and either shake it, or roll the wings until they are all coated well. If they don't separate easily, you need more flour, but add it a little at a time, if you must add... usually about a cup of flour does the trick for three pounds of wings... shake it, toss it, whatever you want Just coat those wings... now, drain the bowl you marinated them in, pour the wings back in and let them marinate another 30 minutes to overnight...
Pour enough oil in a deep fryer or deep pot to cover a batch of the wings about an inch., and heat it over med high heat.
The wings that were dry when you put them in the fridge should now have an pinkish to orange-ish glue like coating on them... dont' worry, this is what gives them their crunch. Drop them in one at a time, leaving enough room for the oil to get all around them. In a typical dutch oven, this will be 10 to 15 sections, depending on the size of the wing pieces.
Cook for at least ten minutes, until the wings are well browned, but not burned, and transfer to paper towels. repeat this until all the wings are cooked. If your oil gets too hot, set it off the heat for a minute or so and begin again...
Now, for the sauce... Melt a stick of REAL BUTTER , salted or unsalted, and use the rest of that hot sauce in the bottle you opened to marinate the wings. Just pour it in with the butter, sprinkle in a few crushed red pepper flakes (careful, this makes it HOT if you use too much), a dash of vinegar (THIS IS IMPORTANT, KIDDOS... I KNOW THE HOT SAUCE HAS VINEGAR, BUT HUMOR ME)...
Bring to a low boil over medium heat, taste and if you want it hotter, add more pepper flakes... if it's too hot.. add some more butter!
Pour this sauce into a very deep bowl with a lid, unless you can toss wings without making a mess... add ALL the wings at once, and toss ONLY until your wings are coated a BIT! Drain off the sauce, quickly, or they will get soggy... serve with ranch or blue cheese , celery, and enjoy!
There is an interesting video on the Internet on "How To Eat A Chicken Wing"... it tells how you can remove the bones and cartilage from a "flapper" section and have a whole piece of meat... google it, because I don't have permission to link and I don't want to violate the new Piracy Law... it works!
These are the best wings I've ever made,because you seasoned the MEAT, NOT the flour... it makes ALL the difference. Let me know how you like 'em!
Ideas and recipes,techniques, etc. that have worked for me in my 35 year journey as a cook, wife, mom and Grammy!
I began cooking when I was about 11 or 12 years old, and it was almost therapuetic, even then. After I got married, in 1982, I began really trying to come up with recipes and menus of my own.
I catered a few parties here and there, but I have no artistic abilities, so cake decorating wasn't my thing, and that limited my opportunities.
I do make a lovely display of food, and can, given time and space, make a lovely buffet or tablescape, but my food is what I focus on. After all, the beautiful cakes, etc. only look that way until they are cut... it is then that the true test of the cook begins. I'm not saying my food is ugly, because it isn't. You eat with your eyes first, so it has to be visually appealing.
I cook some really fancy things, and I will include those recipes here and there. But everyday food is where the majority of cooks need help. It is the newly married couple, or the beginning cook I want to reach; those struggling to come up with tasty dishes for the average Sunday meal or a dish they can make over the weekend and re heat or restyle during the week, to broaden their menu on a smaller budget.
I love to smoke foods, grill a steak, etc. But I am a southern "if it ain't fried, it ain't supper" kind of gal. Most of my dishes aren't typically low fat nor are they figure friendly. They are comfort food... pure and simple.
One of the hardest things I learned to make was a good mashed potato dish... sounds simple, but there are so many potatoes out there, and some are great for roasting, but few lend themselves to that creamy texture we love when sitting down to a true "Sunday supper at Grandma's" taste.
So it is the everyday cook who should most enjoy my dishes. I certainly don't advocate fried food everyday, but I truly enjoy my share of country fried steak and gravy, fried chicken, pot roast, pork shoulder, etc. I love to eat, I love to cook for others and my motto is "Never trust a skinny cook; if they don't eat their own food, why should I?'"
There are plenty of folks out there who can show you how to make a standing rib roast, and I may publish my own version, but I want you to be able to take that unexpected afternoon off or that lazy Saturday and turn it into something that takes you back to your childhood, or makes you think of your Grandma or Great Grandma when you eat it.
Please let me know how these recipes work for you and your family. Tell me and the followers if you put your own spin on a dish. I'd love to know if the tips, recipes, etc are helpful....comment on individual recipes or post as you like. I love to hear how someone has made a dish their very own.
The photos of recipes you will see here are pics of the actual dishes I have made and served my family... if you look closely, you may see a dirty dish or two, or a hand in the photos... I think you should only publish a recipe you have tried and tested on your own family. ENJOY!
I catered a few parties here and there, but I have no artistic abilities, so cake decorating wasn't my thing, and that limited my opportunities.
I do make a lovely display of food, and can, given time and space, make a lovely buffet or tablescape, but my food is what I focus on. After all, the beautiful cakes, etc. only look that way until they are cut... it is then that the true test of the cook begins. I'm not saying my food is ugly, because it isn't. You eat with your eyes first, so it has to be visually appealing.
I cook some really fancy things, and I will include those recipes here and there. But everyday food is where the majority of cooks need help. It is the newly married couple, or the beginning cook I want to reach; those struggling to come up with tasty dishes for the average Sunday meal or a dish they can make over the weekend and re heat or restyle during the week, to broaden their menu on a smaller budget.
I love to smoke foods, grill a steak, etc. But I am a southern "if it ain't fried, it ain't supper" kind of gal. Most of my dishes aren't typically low fat nor are they figure friendly. They are comfort food... pure and simple.
One of the hardest things I learned to make was a good mashed potato dish... sounds simple, but there are so many potatoes out there, and some are great for roasting, but few lend themselves to that creamy texture we love when sitting down to a true "Sunday supper at Grandma's" taste.
So it is the everyday cook who should most enjoy my dishes. I certainly don't advocate fried food everyday, but I truly enjoy my share of country fried steak and gravy, fried chicken, pot roast, pork shoulder, etc. I love to eat, I love to cook for others and my motto is "Never trust a skinny cook; if they don't eat their own food, why should I?'"
There are plenty of folks out there who can show you how to make a standing rib roast, and I may publish my own version, but I want you to be able to take that unexpected afternoon off or that lazy Saturday and turn it into something that takes you back to your childhood, or makes you think of your Grandma or Great Grandma when you eat it.
Please let me know how these recipes work for you and your family. Tell me and the followers if you put your own spin on a dish. I'd love to know if the tips, recipes, etc are helpful....comment on individual recipes or post as you like. I love to hear how someone has made a dish their very own.
The photos of recipes you will see here are pics of the actual dishes I have made and served my family... if you look closely, you may see a dirty dish or two, or a hand in the photos... I think you should only publish a recipe you have tried and tested on your own family. ENJOY!
