The Cluck Bucket Buffalo Wing

Do you want wingy? Don’t you think your mouth deserves a little party after selling all those brake pads? Picture it: crispy, smoky, juicy wings just dripping in spicy, buttery sauce. You get all excited and turn into  Joe Joe the idiot circus boy with a pretty new pet While these take some time to prepare it’s better than that meat lover’s pizza in the trunk. And that’s why people like you, me Tommy, and Helen need to forge ahead. You want wingy.

Ingredients

Brine

  • Hot water: 2 quarts = 8 cups

  • 1/4 cup Kosher

  • 1/4 cup, Dark brown sugar packed

  • 1 grated Granny Smith apple

  • Garlic clove pressed

  • Bay leaf

  • 1 tsp cloves

  • Peel of one lemon

Chicken

  • 2 pounds (900 g) chicken wings, cut into drumettes and flats

  • 2 teaspoons baking powder

  • 2 teaspoons kosher salt; for table salt use half as much by volume or the same weight

  • 1/4 cup bacon fat

Sauce

  • 4 tablespoons (50 g) unsalted butter

  • 1 tsp bacon fat

  • 1 small clove garlic, minced

  • 4 tbsp Frank’s ReHot Sauce

  • 1 tsp tabasco

Sides

  • Celery Sticks

  • Whammy! Chicken Blue Cheese Cave Sauce (Recipe Below) or Blue Cheese Dressing

Directions

  1. Place a 6-quart saucepan with a steamer basket and 1-inch of water in the bottom, over high heat, cover and bring to a boil.

  2. Place the drumettes and flaps into a steamer basket, cover, reduce the heat to medium and steam for 10 minutes. Remove the chicken from the steamer and pat dry.

  3. Combine wings with baking powder and salt and toss until thoroughly and evenly coated. Place on rack, leaving a slight space between each wing.

  4. Lay the wings out on a cooling rack set in a half sheet pan lined with paper towels and place in the refrigerator for at least one hour.

  5. Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position and set to broil.

  6. Bring bacon fat up to liquid state. Brush bacon fat onto drumettes and flaps

  7. Broil drumettes and flaps 4 minute per side or until golden brown.

  8. Combine butter and hot sauce in a small saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking until combined.

  9. Transfer wings to a large bowl, add sauce, and toss to thoroughly coat.

  10. Transfer wings to a smoker or airtight bowl with cling wrap if using a drink smoker. Smoke wings 5-10 minutes or until desired level of smoke is achieved.

  11. Serve with celery Sticks and Blue Cheese Sauce

Hardware:

Lobster Stock

Lobster Stock

Baked Mac and Cheese

Baked Mac and Cheese

Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Stovetop Mac and Cheese

Blue Cheese Sauce

Blue Cheese Sauce