I like to save wings from the whole chickens that I roast for weekly dinners by stashing them in the freezer until I have enough for a wing day. In 3–4 weeks I’ll have 5 birds’ worth of wings, which when split at the elbow makes 20 winglets. That’s enough for 2–3 people, served with some veg.
Wings
- ~20 winglets
Spicy poultry rub
- ½ cup Bruce’s poultry and pork spice rub
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1–2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes, ground in a mortar and pestle
- 1 tsp smoked dried habanero
- 1 tsp baking powder (optional, for crispier wings)
- 1 tbsp cornstarch (optional, for crispier wings)
If you have whole wings, cut each one apart at the joints with a sharp knife, saving the tips for stock. Thaw frozen wings first.
Mix the rub and season the wings liberally, keeping a little rub back for the sauce. Refrigerate for 1–8 hours.
Heat the oven to 220°C (425°F), with convection if you have it. Set the wings on a rack in a lined baking sheet.
Bake for 20–30 minutes, turning the pan once. Flip the wings once they lift without tearing and bake until well browned, another 20–30 minutes. They should read about 85°C (185°F) on an instant-read thermometer.
Hot sauce
- ¼ cup vinegar-based hot sauce (like Frank’s)
- ¼ cup melted butter
- spicy poultry rub, to taste
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh herbs, such as celery leaves, dill, oregano, or parsley (freeze-dried works in a pinch)
Stir the hot sauce, butter, and a little rub together. Toss the hot wings in the sauce and sprinkle with the herbs.
Notes
- Frozen wings from younger birds may ooze a bit of red. This is harmless and comes from the bones; it doesn’t mean the wings are underdone.
- Fresh wings are better, and air-chilled ones come out much crispier.