Ain't No Thing Butta Chicken Wings

Brandon Carroll rebuild of Guy Fieri's tailgate wings for frozen party-cut wings. Dry rub with salt and baking powder, high-heat rack roast until the skin snaps, then a Crystal hot-sauce butter toss with jalapeno, garlic, vinegar, and lime. Thawed wings can go on the pellet grill.

By Brandon Carroll

Yield: 4-6 servings

Prep: 15 minutes

Cook: 50-70 minutes

Total: about 1 hour 20 minutes

Ingredients

• 4 pounds frozen party-cut chicken wings (flats and drumettes)
• 1 tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
• 2 teaspoons cayenne pepper (use 1 tablespoon if you want the original heat)
• 1 tablespoon dry mustard
• 1 tablespoon freshly cracked black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon white pepper
• 2 teaspoons ground cumin
• 2 teaspoons aluminum-free baking powder (oven method only)
• 1 tablespoon avocado oil or neutral oil
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
• 1 tablespoon minced garlic
• 1 jalapeno, minced (seeded for medium heat)
• 1 (12-ounce) bottle Crystal hot sauce
• 1 tablespoon white vinegar
• 1 tablespoon fresh lime juice

Instructions

1. Do not rinse the wings. Mix kosher salt, granulated garlic, cayenne, dry mustard, black pepper, white pepper, and cumin. Scoop out and reserve 2 tablespoons of this spice mix for the sauce. Stir baking powder into the remaining rub (skip baking powder if you will grill instead of roast).
2. Oven from frozen (main method): Heat oven to 425 F with a rack in the upper-middle position. Set a wire rack on a foil-lined rimmed sheet pan and put the empty pan in the oven while it heats. Spread frozen wings on the hot rack in a single layer, knocking off ice crystals. Roast 25 minutes.
3. Pull the pan. Pat the wings dry with paper towels. Toss with the oil and the baking-powder rub until coated. Return to the rack, spaced apart. Roast 25 to 35 minutes more, flipping once, until the skin is deep golden and crisp and an instant-read thermometer in the thickest meat (not touching bone) reads 175 to 185 F. Broil 1 to 2 minutes if you want extra snap. Rest 3 minutes.
4. Thawed grill or pellet-grill method: Thaw wings overnight in the fridge. Pat very dry. Coat with oil and the spice mix (no baking powder). Heat a pellet grill or gas grill to 375 to 400 F with a two-zone fire if using gas. Cook over indirect or moderate heat, turning often, until crisp and 175 to 185 F, 35 to 50 minutes. Finish over hotter heat 3 to 5 minutes if the skin needs color.
5. Sauce: In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt 2 tablespoons butter. Add garlic and jalapeno and cook 45 to 60 seconds, stirring, until fragrant but not brown. Stir in the reserved 2 tablespoons spice mix, then the bottle of Crystal. Simmer 3 to 4 minutes to take the raw edge off. Kill the heat. Whisk in the remaining 4 tablespoons butter, vinegar, and lime juice until glossy. Hold warm; do not boil after the butter goes in.
6. Toss hot wings with enough sauce to coat. Serve immediately with celery and fries or tots. Extra sauce on the side keeps leftover wings from going soggy.