Wings, wings, wings

Let me start off by saying that I’ve always preferred white meat over dark meat.  This is not because white meat is leaner and healthier, but mainly because I don’t like the chewy texture and slimy feel of the skin that surrounds dark meat.  It tends to elicit a bit of a gag reflex.  (Sorry if I’ve totally grossed you out.)  So, what is the relevance of this tidbit?  Well, one of the things I made for our recent camping trip was wings.  Why would I make something I don’t like?  Because I knew others would enjoy it.  And in recent years, I’ve found that if you make the skin a bit crispy and coat it with sauce, I can handle it in small doses.

For our trip, I made honey-lime wings and Buffalo wings.  My companions on the trip seemed to enjoy both types of wings.  Or maybe they were just saying that because they are related to me and wanted to be kind or because they had nothing else to eat.  Whatever the case, I thought the wings were pretty good, so good that I made them again at home.

The honey-lime wings were zesty and fresh.

The Buffalo wings were savoury with a bit of a kick.

Both types of wings were cooked in the oven instead of deep-frying.  In my opinion, cooking them in the oven can still give you a crispy outside, while keeping the inside moist.  And it’s also easier to cook than on the BBQ, where sometimes, you can end up with wings burnt on the outside and raw on the inside (nudge David).  =)

Hmmm……I foresee more wings in my future…….

Recipes:

Honey-Lime wings (from Martha Stewart)

• zest of 2 limes, removed with a vegetable peeler
• 1/3 cup freshly squeezed lime juice, about 3 limes
• 1/4 cup honey
• 4 cloves of garlic, smashed, skins removed
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1/4 tsp Tabasco sauce
• 4 pounds (about 24) chicken wings, washed and patted dry
• coarse salt

1. Combine lime zest, lime juice, honey, garlic, soy sauce, and Tabasco sauce in a large bowl.
2. Add chicken wings and toss to combine.
3. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate, stirring occasionally, for at least 3 and up to 8 hours.
4. Preheat oven to 450°F.
5. Line 2 baking sheets with aluminum foil, then with racks.
6. Remove wings from the marinade and place on racks, reserving marinade.
7. Brush wings with marinade and sprinkle with salt.
8. Roast 15 minutes.
9. Remove from oven.
10. Baste with reserved marinade.
11. Turn wings over, and baste the second side.
12. Return to oven, and roast until cooked through, 20-25 minutes more.

Buffalo wings (from Simply Recipes)

Wings

• 2 lbs chicken wings (about 12 wings)
• 3 tbsp butter, melted
• 4 tbsp bottled hot pepper sauce (like Crystal or Frank’s Original)
• 1 tbsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• celery sticks (optional)

1. Cut off wing tips (discard or reserve for other use such as making stock). Cut wings at the joint. Put chicken wing pieces in a plastic bag. Set aside. Food safety note: when cutting raw chicken it is best to use a cutting board reserved just for cutting raw chicken. Wash thoroughly when finished. Do not let raw chicken juices come in contact with other food.
2. Create a marinade by stirring together the melted butter, hot pepper sauce, paprika, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper.
3. Pour all but 2 tablespoons of the marinade over the chicken pieces in the plastic bag. (Reserve marinade for coating after the pieces come out of the oven.) Seal bag and let marinate at room temperature for half an hour. When marinating is finished, drain marinade and discard bag.
4. Place wing pieces on the rack of a broiler pan.
5. Broil 4-5 inches from the heat for about 10 minutes on each side, until chicken is tender and no longer pink.
6. Remove from oven and baste with reserved marinade.
7. Serve with Blue Cheese Dip and celery sticks.  Makes approximately 24 pieces (about 12 appetizer servings).

Blue cheese dip

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 tbsp white wine vinegar or white vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced

1. Combine dip ingredients – sour cream, mayonnaise, blue cheese, vinegar, and garlic – in a blender or food processor.
2. Blend or pulse until smooth.
3. Cover and chill up to a week.

Notes and Tips:

For both types of wings, I marinated overnight and I basted often with all the marinade when the wings were in the oven.  For the honey-lime wings, add more Tabasco sauce if you want more of a kick – 1/4 tsp does not add any heat.  For the Buffalo wings, I didn’t baste at the end after removing from the oven.  And for the blue cheese dip, just mixing by hand is fine and use light sour cream and mayo for reduced calories.