WINGS!

It's that time of the week - preping for tailgate time this weekend. This weekend my dad will be coming to town - I'm so excited I could just spit twinkies! I'm not sure if I'll actually get a chance to watch the game but my guess is he will be game for whatever we toss at him.

I wanted to share the wing recipe that my boyfriend, M and I cooked up a few weeks ago during the Alabama vs. Kentucky game. ROLL TIDE!  I had taken a few pictures but they didn't turn out really great, which truly disappointed me, but I do have the important details for you. I do not use the grill - I leave this to M. This isn't because I don't think I can handle it, it's just that it's his thing. Guys enjoy sports, they enjoy grilling - and while I bet I could cook up a mean steak - I'd rather let him do it. Besides things always taste better when someone makes it for you, doesn't it?  I mean seriously - you've never made a better pbn'j sandwich than your mom, have you?  So here is our collabarative work making grilled chicken wings! (Please note: I'm not a professional photographer - shocking right?)

 

GRILLED HOT WINGS

1.  Preheat your grill. We use charcol when grilling - I don't like gas grills at all. If you are used to doing your own grilling get the coals or the grill ready. M usually waits until the charcol has a nice white coating and a steady meduim heat going on the grill. As the grill master in your life - if it's not you to get the coals or the grill all ready for you.
2. Start with one tray of wings from the store. Usually they are not cut, they will come whole with the wing and the drumette together. If you have the option from a butcher or they sell them already cut then by all means get these - it will make for quicker work.
3. Take your time and cut apart the wing and the drumette. Be careful doing this - you should be able to easily pull them apart to figure out where to chop on the joint with out hitting or cutting into the bone. Be careful to remove or disguard any bone bits that you may cut into.
4. Wash off the wings (just give them a quick rinse in the sink and pat them dry with a paper towel.
5. Line a cookie sheet or serving dish with foil and lay wing parts down, space evenly. Usually for us a whole tray of wings fits into one single oversized cookie sheet.
6. I usually drizzle some Extra Virgin Olive Oil on the wings and rub it in a bit. This aids in having the spices stick to the wings AND to keep them from sticking to the grill.
7. Spice up your wings: You can use anything as simple as salt and pepper or you can get really creative. This past time we used a few different things: McCormick's Grill Mates Chicken Rub, Cavender's All Purpose Greek Seasoning, Lawry's Garlic Pepper, Weber's Grill Creations Kicking Chicken (I'm addicted to this stuff I use it all the time!), as well as salt and pepper.
   HELPFUL HINT: M always does this and I always forget to. After you sprinkle this on to one side of the chicken you will have to flip the wings to do the 2nd side - my issue is that I usually shake the stuff straight from the bottle - M is smart, he makes a bowl of all the different spices and mixes them together. That way he can pinch, sprinkle, rub in the spices and flip the chicken - repeat all without having to wash his hands in between or contaminating the spices with chicken funk. He's a smart man!
8. Once the wings are all ready to rock and roll you are ready to go.
9. M grilled the wings over direct heat about 10 minutes on each side and then brought all the wings to the outside of the grill, off direct heat and let them smoke. The wings were done after about 20-25 minutes however I wanted a really crispy crust on the outside. The smoking allowed us to get that without compromising the juicy meat. I think we actually had the wings on the grill, off direct heat for almost an hour!!! Once they are cooked you can just keep checking until they are done the way you like them!
10. Once off the grill and brought inside I put some Moore's Wing Sauce in a bowl. You can make your own, or use any type of sauce you choose. I even think BBQ would have been amazing with this. I simply put a little bit in the bottom of the bowl and flipped around the wings a few at a time until evenly coated.
11. Serve with celery, carrots, ranch or blue cheese and some beers and get ready for football!

I've tried to make wings many times before - in the oven. This above all has been my best way to make wings yet! They are crispy and juicy and the grill flavor adds so much to the finished product. I'm always looking for a healthier way to eat my favorite foods. I have never tried to deep fry them - I'm too fearful that I will love them. I will never own a deep frier either for that reason. All it takes is one perfectly fried chicken wing and the next thing you know I'm deep frying twinkies!!!

Please let me know if you have any great tailgate recipes - link me to your page I'm always searching for more!

I won't be eating wings this weekend but I will definitely be front and center for the Alabama vs. South Carolina on Saturday (IT'S HOMECOMING!!!!) and the Pittsburg vs.Cleveland this Sunday!