Live the Live ™

There are few things that make me happier than a plateful of really tasty chicken wings. If I watched football, I could easily finish a plate off within the first quarter of the game. I don’t though (watch football, that is) so let’s just say I can finish a plate off before the credits roll on the end of an episode of “Chef’s Table” on Netflix. That’s right…I’m bad.

I come from a long line of gnawers. Nothing is better than meat on a bone. A porterhouse is the ultimate steak for that very reason. So nothing bothers me more than someone who orders a plate of chicken wings and leaves all that tasty gristle and cartilage–along with some serious meat–behind. What is that? When I finish my wings, I walk my plate over to the trash can and drop a pile of surgically cleaned bones into the bag…not a bit left behind. One look at that pile of clean bones, and even my dog high-fives me.

Brining is a process where you soak a hunk of protein in a seasoned salt solution for a few hours. It’s a great way to add flavor and moisture to any cut of meat. I brined these wings for 3 hours before using a sweet and spicy rub. They can be grilled or roasted in the oven.

The brine…

1/2 cup Kosher salt
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 whole bay leaf
2 quarts water

Combine all ingredients in a saucepan and heat until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from heat, and let it cool to room temperature.

The rub…

1/4 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup granulated sugar
1/4 cup sweet paprika
1 tablespoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon granulated onion
2 teaspoons black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all the rub ingredients in a bowl.

Place 3 lbs. of chicken wings in a Ziploc bag and pour the cooled brine into the bag. Place the bag in a bowl to prevent leaks and place it in the fridge for several hours.

After a few hours, remove the chicken from the brine and dry the wings with paper towels. Discard the brine.

Place the chicken wings in a large bowl and sprinkle them with 1/3 cup of the rub, tossing to coat the chicken well. Place the bowl with the chicken in the fridge until ready to cook.

About 30 minutes before cooking, remove the bowl from the fridge and let the chicken come to room temperature.
Pre-heat the oven to 350 or light a grill.

Toss the chicken with some more of the rub, if you like, then place the pieces on a sheet pan lined with non-stick aluminum foil or a wire rack. Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until done. Lower the oven temperature if it starts to burn.

If you’re grilling, cook the wings over medium heat, turning frequently them to prevent burning. Cook until the wings are done.

Sometimes I’ll do a combination of the two and I’ll cook the wings in the oven until they’re almost done. Then I’ll throw them on a grill to get that smokey char on them, flipping them often to prevent burning.