My wings vs the restaurants

I've been a slight wing fanatic for well over a decade, I only started cooking respectable wings maybe around 2006. I first tried copying my favorite wing joint, TWC, and did a pretty good job. I've tried wings from most everywhere like the local restaurants, wing specialty restaurants, pizza hut, little caesars, you name it.

I wrote off BWW a few years ago and probably publicly mocked anyone who ate there (just kidding).... but ~3 weeks ago I had an overnight job in ID and went back since it was near the hotel.... I tried to drink just water & that lasted about 5 minutes before I was surprised with a Lagunitas IPA from the tap.... I went with their hottest wings, and then a hot-ish teriyaki or something, then the other person I was with got the garlic-parmaesean and habanero mango or something. These wings kicked @, crispy, flavorful, juicy........ I was really surprised. I was equally surprised when the bartender (she was working hard!) didn't charge us for the drinks. She got a nice big tip, equal to the beers + some (I just removed the city details).

The wings were so good we got them for takeout a week or so later from a local BWW, & they were nothing to speak of.

Today we went to TWC, and while the sauce was good and the skin was crisp, they weren't as good as mine (drier). The skin had very little leoparding (how people refer to pizza crusts), and the bartender said they were twice baked. This made me think that they were baked, and then put in an airless fryer or something....

Today's lunch gave me an idea, and maybe the people with the vortex cones are on to something, but I was thinking I'd do them as usual but leave the lid on my kettle cracked ~1.5" or so, aiming for higher heat. I liked TWC's teriyaki sauce, had a ton of ginger, and I liked how they thickened their sauce-----I'm going to try something other than the small slurry of corn starch I've been using.

I'm ond of those that likes my wings basically plain. S&p and that's about it. I cook indirect and then direct for the finishing touch. I basically cannot eat at restaurants or specialty joints. The prices just turn me off so badly. Glad you experianced some good ones. Means someone there cared about their product.

George Curtis said:

I'm ond of those that likes my wings basically plain. S&p and that's about it. I cook indirect and then direct for the finishing touch. I basically cannot eat at restaurants or specialty joints. The prices just turn me off so badly. Glad you experianced some good ones. Means someone there cared about their product.

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They were $10.50 for 8 wings, we split 3 orders today between 2 of us (2 traditional hot, 1 teriyaki hot). So $31.50 + tip. When I buy them fresh they're like 9-10 wings per pound @ $2.99 - $3.50 per pound. Crazy to pay >$1 per wing, especially when chicken pieces are often found under $1 per Pound! Still worth it but it's hard to justify especially when they're better & cheaper at home. Pretty sure BWW fries theirs, theirs were $19.99 for a large order for 18-20 wings.

Their (BWW) garlic parmasean wings were pretty good, and I was thinking of how to re-create them.

I was thinking like garlic bread (garlic butter, salt, maybe dried italian spices and try to thicken that, and then I thought maybe a little butter, a little greek yogurt, garlic, italian spices, and a little thickener (not sure what to use, or if the butter & yogurt would bind or separate).

I've been working on my wing technique. Not recently, mind you, but working on a better grilled wing. Pammi likes the skin CRISP! Getting that without burning them has been my biggest challenge.
But I love a good fried wing! Not super hot, but a good tasty buffalo sauce, garlic parm or Jamaican jerk wing will make me come back. ESPECIALLY if it's on special!!

Barb and I just started around new years messing with wings a little. Like Clint said chicken parts are under a buck a pound here except wings which are anywhere from $5.99 to $8.99 a pound, which is nuts.
Clint you may want to try a vortex. I couldn't cook a wing worth eating until I got the vortex, what a difference. Crispy skin and not dried out that's the reason we are now starting to try different wing recipes.

Phil Perrin said:

I've been working on my wing technique. Not recently, mind you, but working on a better grilled wing. Pammi likes the skin CRISP! Getting that without burning them has been my biggest challenge.
But I love a good fried wing! Not super hot, but a good tasty buffalo sauce, garlic parm or Jamaican jerk wing will make me come back. ESPECIALLY if it's on special!!

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Jerk is always a favorite for me.....

Rich Dahl said:

Barb and I just started around new years messing with wings a little. Like Clint said chicken parts are under a buck a pound here except wings which are anywhere from $5.99 to $8.99 a pound, which is nuts.
Clint you may want to try a vortex. I couldn't cook a wing worth eating until I got the vortex, what a difference. Crispy skin and not dried out that's the reason we are now starting to try different wing recipes.

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I'm going to have to try that. A random thought just popped into my head - what about tossing them in a wok with a little olive or avocado oil for a few minutes after the charcoal grill? I love the charcoal taste but they don't seem to get as crispy as on my gasser. That's most likely stink up the house, so might have to break out the burner I use for homebrew.

I'm a fiend for wings. I've never been super impressed with BW3. My favorite is Wings N More in College Station, Tx. I've used the vortex but its really hard to beat fried. I've gotten good results by smoking them and then tossing them in the fryer for a few minutes.

Of all the places you guys mentioned I've only heard of Pizza Hut. There's one of those over in the next town.

Making my own wings is much more preferable than ordering them at a wing place. I like wings, but have not yet had them
from one of the wing places that have made me say, that I would go back again for more.

Try Costco. 10 pound bag of frozen wings is ~$20. As soon as I free up some room in the fridge I'm going to buy some and try to replicate my local favorite BBq's smoked, then flash fried wings. They are so good!