Wings Recipe

Preheat and dry

Preheat oven to 425°F (220°C). Pat the wings very dry with paper towels — removing surface moisture helps them crisp.

If wings are whole, separate drumettes and wingettes at the joint and discard tips or save for stock. Leave skin intact.

Toss wings in a large bowl with 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper and 1 tbsp baking powder or cornstarch (this promotes crisping). Ensure each wing is evenly coated.

Arrange wings on a wire rack set over a rimmed baking sheet (or directly on a lightly oiled sheet). Make sure wings are single layer with space between pieces.

Bake at 425°F (220°C) for 25 minutes. Rotate the pan and flip wings, then continue baking another 15–20 minutes until skin is golden and crispy and internal temperature is 165°F (74°C). For extra crispness, broil 2–3 minutes at the end watching closely.

While wings bake, melt 3 tbsp unsalted butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add 1 cup hot sauce, 1 tsp Worcestershire and 1 tsp honey (optional). Stir until smooth and warmed through, then remove from heat.

When wings are done, transfer them to a large bowl and pour the buffalo sauce over. Toss gently until all wings are evenly coated. Serve immediately with celery and blue cheese or ranch if desired.

Make the jerk marinade: in a bowl combine 2 tbsp olive oil, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp lime juice, 1 tsp minced garlic, 1 tbsp fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp dried), 1 tsp allspice, 1 tsp ground ginger, minced scotch bonnet/habanero (optional), 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Mix thoroughly.

If you prefer stronger jerk flavor, toss baked wings with the marinade while hot and let rest 5–10 minutes. Alternatively, for more integrated flavor, marinate wings for 1–2 hours in the refrigerator before baking (if marinating raw, reduce or omit baking powder and pat dry before baking).

Toss baked wings in the jerk marinade until well coated. Return to the baking sheet and broil 1–2 minutes to caramelize the sugars, watching carefully to avoid burning.

Make teriyaki sauce by combining 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin or rice vinegar, 1 tbsp brown sugar or honey, 1/2 tsp minced garlic and 1/2 tsp grated ginger in a small saucepan. Warm over medium heat until sugar dissolves.

Mix 1 tsp cornstarch with 1 tbsp water to make a slurry. Whisk the slurry into the sauce and simmer 1–2 minutes until slightly thickened.

Toss the hot baked wings in the teriyaki sauce to coat evenly. For a sticky glaze, place coated wings back on a baking sheet and broil 1–2 minutes to set the glaze.

Whisk together 2 tbsp mayonnaise, 1 tbsp Dijon mustard, 1 tbsp honey, 1/2 tsp lemon juice, 1/4 tsp black pepper and 1/4 tsp salt to make the honey mustard sauce.

Either toss wings with half the sauce to coat lightly (reserve some for dipping) or serve the sauce on the side. If tossing, optionally return wings to the oven for 2–3 minutes to warm the sauce.

For plain wings, simply brush lightly with 1 tbsp neutral oil and sprinkle a little extra salt and pepper to taste. Serve hot.

Garnish any style with chopped fresh parsley or sliced green onions if desired.