The Three Best Chicken Wings Recipes I Have Ever Tasted by Far

A while back I recieved an intriguing e-mail. It read: 

"For the past several years, a chicken wing cooking contest has been held at our home.  This is an event where invitees prepare their best wing recipes for all participants to review, analyze, score and devour..... We are looking to alter the voting procedure this time around to spice it up a bit with a panel of expert judges...I was hoping that you would consider being one of the judges on this panel." ....  Mark and Debbie Roman

I wondered was this ligit?  Or was it material for the sequel to the movie Catfish? 

Well I decided to attend and am very happy I did. I am especially pleased to be able to publish the extraordinary recipes for the winning entries. Here they are....

The event this year was called Eighth Annual Bring Your Own Wings (B.Y.O.W) hosted by the delighful and interesting couple of Mark and Debbie Roman at their inviting home.

I was thrilled to meet the other judges, Jason Perlow, Off the Broiler author, Egullet founder and  true foodie; his wife Rachel, who was remarkable in keeping the judging voting process on track, while contributing great insights; and Heidi Raker Goldstein, also a consummate foodie and author for the excellent food blog Jersey Bites. We joined the 26 contestants and many friends and family. All in all there were over 50 people in attendance in what turned out to be a really fun time for all.

Jason has posted his report and more photos here: Spooky Wing Ding Ding Party.

Tasting 26 different wings was certainly a challenge. There were many great entries. The process was helped along by a fantastic selection of micro brews, Ales of many kinds, that Mark assembled.

After much deliberation, debate and some re-tasting we arrived on our choices of winners.

Here are the exceptional recipes.

1^st Place – Mark Roman  Wings To Thai For



Ingredients



35 chicken wings, cut in half, wing tips discarded or saved for another use

1 ½ c. fish sauce

12 oz. Goya piloncillo sugar

6 large garlic cloves, smashed

8 2” long, thin slices fresh ginger, unpeeled

3 large limes, juiced

2 T. Sriracha

¼ c. olive oil

¼ c. Thai basil, finely chopped

¼ c. fresh chives, finely chopped

6 large garlic cloves, sliced



Preparation



In a sauce pan combine the fish sauce, sugar, garlic, ginger, lime juice and Sriracha and bring to a simmer until the sugar is completely dissolved. Let the mixture cool to room temperature. Place wings and fish sauce mixture in a zip-lock bag and marinate overnight. Preheat the oven to 375. Place a piece of aluminum foil on each of two baking sheets and spray with oil. Place chicken wings on the sheet with the drumettes on one sheet and wingettes on the other, fat side up.  This will allow you to have more even cooking. Reserve the marinade. Cook for approximately 20 minutes. Chop the Thai basil and chives and combine in a small bowl. In a small saucepan, heat the olive oil over medium-high heat and fry the garlic slices until golden brown. Remove and place on paper toweling. When cool, finely chop and mix together with basil and chives. Reserve herb mixture. Turn all the chicken pieces over and continue cooking for an additional 15 -20 minutes or until the chicken is nice and brown. Place the reserved marinade in a saucepan and over medium heat reduce until the liquid has become syrupy. When chicken wings are finished, coat each wing with the reduced marinade syrup. You will use all of it. When all wing pieces are coated, toss wings with herb mixture until evenly distributed. Serve and enjoy.

 2^ndPlace - Quentin & Trevor Unsworth  Timbuktu-Wings

Ingredients

The Base

8 full chicken wing pieces - cut to 16 wing sections.  Serves 2.

The Brine

1 quart water
1/4 - 1/3 Cup salt
3 Broken cloves garlic
Fresh Thyme
1 Teaspoon Coriander

The Timbuktu Dry Rub

1 Tablespoon *Hot* Chili Powder
1 Tablespoon Onion Powder
1 Teaspoon Garlic Powder
2 Teaspoons Chopped Dried *Hot* Chilis
1/2 Teaspoon Cayenne Pepper Powder
1 Teaspoon Pepper
1 Teaspoon Salt

1/2 Teaspoon Ginger Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Cinnamon Powder
1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg
1 Teaspoon Mustard Powder
1/2 Teaspoon Cumin Powder

The Pomegranate Wash

1 Stick Butter
2 Cups Pomegranate Juice
2 Tablespoons Organic Granulated Sugar
1/2 Teaspoon Cinnamon
1/4 Teaspoon Nutmeg
2 Tablespoons Blue Agave
2 Wedges Lemon

Preparation

  

Create Brining Mixture boiling 2 quarts water, salt, fresh thyme, coriander, lemon and garlic.  Boil until fragrant and then let cool completely.  Brine wings in a the cooled mixture overnight.  Rinse in cold water and pat dry wing pieces.  Combine the dry ingredients to create the Timbuktu Dry Rub.  Apply an even coat of Dry Rub mixture to the chicken pieces and set aside. Prepare the Timbuktu Pomegranate Wash.  In sauce pan heat the Butter over low heat.  When melted add the Sugar, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg and cook until sugar begins to dissolve. Add the pomegranate juice and lemon wedges and stir.  Simmer until slightly reduced and then set aside.

Prepare the Wings.  Heat grill to low heat and cook each wing both sides until cooked through.  Dunk each wing in Pomegranate Wash and return to grill being careful not to burn wings.  A slight glaze will being to form.  Remove wings, repeat wash and grill process and then serve.  Enjoy!

  

3^rd Place – Kevin & Robin Pierce

These wings gets cooked in their marinade, then cooled, breaded, flash frozen and fried.
 

Ingredients

 

Marinade:

• 2 (12 oz) cans frozen limeade concentrate
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons crushed garlic
• 2 teaspoons ground turmeric
• 2 teaspoons red pepper flakes (or your favorite super hot sauce)
• 1 tablespoon freshly grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 30 chicken wings, jointed (for 60 pieces)

Breading:

• 3 Cups All Purpose Flour
• 10 Large Eggs -- beaten
• 4 Cups Crushed Cornflakes
• 4 Cups Sweetened Coconut Flakes
• Peanut Oil For Frying (about a gallon, perhaps 5 quarts)

Preparation:

 
Cut up your wings, saving the tips, placing the wingettes and drumettes into a cooking pot that is big enough to hold them and the marinade, but small enough to spend several hours or overnight in your refrigerator.  Place the wing tips into a separate sauce pan and cover with just enough water to allow them to simmer.   You’re looking to extract some flavor from the wing tips before you discard them.  After them have simmered for about half an hour, remove from heat, discard the wingtips, retain the broth.  

Marinade:
Add the limeade, which will melt in the hot broth, bringing both to slightly cooler than room temperature.  Stir in the remaining marinade ingredients, pour over wing portions and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.

Cook:

The wing portions are to be simmered in the marinade, just long enough to cook them to an internal temperature of 170 degrees F.   Remove the wings from the marinade and put on a baking sheet to cool.  The wings will be fully cooked at this point, and if desired, the breading step can be skipped.

Bread & Fry:

Set out three large bowls. In the first, place the flour; in the second, the eggs; in the third, combine the cornflakes and coconut. Dip the cooked wings in the flour, then the eggs, then the coconut-cornflake mixture. Place the coated wings on a greased cookie sheet. When about 15 wing portions are coated, place the sheet in the freezer for 15 minutes.

Heat the vegetable oil in a fryer or large, heavy skillet to 350. Carefully place now-slightly frozen wing portions into the oil one at a time. Fry the wings until they're golden brown (about 4 minutes). Keep in mind that the first batch will cook quickly; adjust the oil temperature if necessary. Drain the wings on a platter lined with paper towels.

Enjoy. 

Copyright @2010 by Respective Owners.