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Brining, the process of letting a hunk of protein soak in a salt solution for a few hours, is a great way to add flavor and moisture to any cut of meat. I brine chicken pieces for 3 hours before using a sweet and spicy rub. They can be grilled or roasted in the oven.

The first time tried this recipe, I used chicken wings. But later, I cut up a whole chicken, and found that parts is parts…every piece was delicious!

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 the ingredients in a saucepan and heat until the sugar and salt dissolve. Remove from the 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 ingredients in a bowl.

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If you have a baking pan like this, you can brine and then cook the chicken in one pan.

Place about 3 lbs. of chicken wings or parts in a baking pan, as above. Place it in the fridge for 3 hours. Pour in the cooled brine, making sure the pieces are submerged.

After 3 hours, remove the chicken from the brine and dry the pieces with paper towels. Discard the brine, and place the chicken pieces back in the empty baking pan.

Sprinkle the chicken pieces with 1/3 cup of the rub, rubbing it in to coat the chicken well. (Wearing disposable gloves makes this less messy.) Place the pan with the chicken in the fridge until you’re ready to cook.

About 30 minutes before cooking, remove the pan 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.

Bake at 350 for 30–40 minutes or until they’re done, about 165 degrees.

If you’re grilling, cook the wings over medium heat, turning them frequently to prevent burning. Cook until the chicken reaches temperature of 165 degrees.

Brining, the process of letting a hunk of protein soak in a salt solution for a few hours, is a great way to add flavor and moisture to any cut of meat. I brine 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 ingredients in a bowl.

Place 3 lbs. of chicken wings in a Ziplock bag and pour the cooled brine into the bag. Place the bag in a bowl to prevent leaks and place in the fridge for 3 hours.
After 3 hours, remove the chicken from the brine and dry with paper towels. Discard the brine.
Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and sprinkle 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.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until done. Lower oven temperature if it starts to burn.

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

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.

Brining, the process of letting a hunk of protein soak in a salt solution for a few hours, is a great way to add flavor and moisture to any cut of meat. I brine these wings for 3 hours before using a sweet and spicy rub. I fry them in oil, then finish them off in the oven.

The brine…

1/2 cup Kosher salt
1 teaspoon whole black peppercorns
1 whole bay leaf
2 quarts water

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

1/2 cup all-purpose flour (I use Cup4Cup to keep it gluten-free)
1/2 cup light brown sugar
1/4 cup sweet paprika
1 teaspoon Kosher salt
1 tablespoon granulated onion
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon dried thyme
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon grated ginger
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper

Combine all the ingredients in a bowl. Set aside.

3 lbs. chicken wings

2 eggs

Place the chicken pieces 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 3 hours.
After 3 hours, remove the chicken from the brine, rinse it with cold water and dry it with paper towels. Discard the brine.

Pre-heat the oven to 325 degrees. Pre-heat the oil in a heavy pan at 325 degrees.

Scramble the eggs in a bowl. Set it next to the bowl with the spice mixture. Dip the chicken in the egg, then in the spice mixture, shaking off the excess. Place the pieces in the hot oil and fry them until golden. They don’t need to cook all the way through. Turn the chicken wings over to fry the other side, then place them on a sheet pan lined with non-stick aluminum foil. When all the chicken wings are fried and on the sheet pan, place them in the oven to finish cooking, about 30 minutes. Watch the chicken so that it doesn’t burn.

Brining, the process of letting a hunk of protein soak in a salt solution for a few hours, is a great way to add flavor and moisture to any cut of meat. I brine 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 ingredients in a bowl.

Place 3 lbs. of chicken wings in a Ziplock bag and pour the cooled brine into the bag. Place the bag in a bowl to prevent leaks and place in the fridge for 3 hours.
After 3 hours, remove the chicken from the brine and dry with paper towels. Discard the brine.
Place the chicken pieces in a large bowl and sprinkle 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.
Bake at 350 for 30 minutes or until done. Lower oven temperature if it starts to burn.

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