Showerthought: That one Sunday where I burned three batches of wings actually taught me something

Two weekends ago I decided to make buffalo wings for a game day party. First batch came out soggy and limp because I overcrowded the basket. Second batch I cranked the temp too high and they came out like charcoal briquettes. Third batch I finally got it right by shaking the basket every 5 minutes and patting the wings dry with paper towels first. It took me 2 whole hours and way more napkins than I'd like to admit. But the final batch had that perfect crispy skin and juicy meat that people actually fought over. Now I'm wondering if anyone else has a specific trick for getting wings right without going through half a bag of frozen ones first?

2 comments

2 Comments

umar5911d agoMost Upvoted

OH man, I've been there with the wing struggle! @hayes.joel actually nailed it with the cornstarch trick - that's a game changer. I do the same thing but I also add a little baking powder to the mix, it helps dry out the skin even more. Another thing that saved me is letting the wings sit uncovered in the fridge overnight after seasoning, it draws out moisture and makes them way crispier. The wire rack method is solid too, but I swear by patting them dry with paper towels like ten times before anything else. Once you get that dry surface, the cornstarch and heat just do their thing without the soggy mess.

hayes.joel12d ago

You ever try tossing them in a little cornstarch before you fry? I heard about it from a buddy who swears by it for extra crunch. My own method is a bit lazy - I just bake them on a wire rack over a sheet pan at 400, flipping halfway through. Takes less time than babysitting a fryer, though you gotta fight the urge to open the oven door every five minutes to poke at em.