This is Recipe Roundup, Episode 93. Today we are talking about one of my all time favorite foods – chicken wings. To be fully honest, I’m a bit of a chicken wing snob. I maintain that the best wings have no discernable breading and should be cooked to a crisp. It might seem that breading would impart crispiness – but this is not fried buttermilk chicken and the best way to avoid sogginess is to completely render the chicken fat and skin before dousing with sauce. 

According to some sources, the trick to consistently getting the crispiest wings is to steam the wings for about 10 minutes and allow them to rest before frying or baking them. This helps begin the break-down process of the fatty skin. Alternatively, letting raw wings dry uncovered in a fridge assists in the pursuit of crispy skin, but takes some forethought. 

I decided to try the pre-steaming method for some baked wings this week to excellent results. 

I like all types of wing sauces and rubs, as long as it’s somewhat edible. Often if a restaurant has the option of a honey habanero or spicy barbecue, that’s what I will choose.  If you are a fan of spicy sweet, consider picking up some gochujang paste for your next batch of wings. Gochujang is a Korean fermented pepper paste. In addition to being very spicy and very sweet, it’s also a vibrant red color. I find it has a very addictive quality to it – the kind of delicious pain that keeps wing eaters coming back for more. 

You’ll need 

Chicken wings

Salt and pepper

Gochujang

Vinegar

Melted butter

Green onion to serve

1. I started by rinsing my wings, patting them dry, then seasoning them with salt overnight in the fridge. When I was ready to begin preparing them, I placed them in a steamer basket above boiling water for 10 minutes and then allowed them to rest for a half hour. 
2. On a parchment paper covered pan, I baked the wings at 400 degree for 25 minutes. If you have a rack, this will help get all side of the wings. Either way, flip them over and bake for another 25minutes. 
3. While waiting on the chicken, I mixed equal parts gochujang, rice vinegar, and melted butter, heating slightly to combine. For my pound two pounds of wings, 2 tbs of each was just about perfect.  
4. When the chicken wings are nice and crispy, toss them with the sauce and enjoy!