Grilled Chicken Wings (Cooks Illustrated)
Makes 24 wing pieces, serving 4 to 6
We prefer grilling over charcoal for the smoky flavor it imparts. But a gas grill is easy to use, and it yields a flavor that’s almost as good.
Ingredients (I more than doubled the wings but used the same amount of water, sugar and salt and it was fine)
- 3/4 cup kosher salt(or 6 tablespoons table salt)
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 12 whole chicken wings (about 2 1/2 pounds) separated into sections, wingtips discarded
- Ground black pepper
Instructions
- In gallon-sized zipper-lock plastic bag, dissolve salt and sugar in 1 quart water. Add chicken; press out as much air as possible from bag and seal; refrigerate until fully seasoned, 30 minutes. I left it overnight and it was fine, next time I would cut back on salt and sugar a little if I it will soak overnight but the flavor was still really good. Remove from brine, rinse well under running water, dry thoroughly with paper towels, and season with pepper.
- Turn all burners on grill to high, close lid, and heat grill until hot, 10 to 15 minutes. Adjust one burner to medium and grill chicken pieces over it, turning once, until color is light spotty brown, skin has thinned, and fat has rendered, 15 to 20 minutes. Using tongs, move chicken pieces over burner still set on high, turning constantly to prevent charring, until wings are dark spotty brown and skin has crisped, 5 to 7 minutes longer. Transfer to serving platter and serve immediately, with a sqeeze of lemon or lime, or with an accompanying dipping sauce, if desired.
I had a new propane to the flame was high. I cooked it on low and I still got burnt spots since sugar burns so easily. Still, it was really good.