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MOST FOLKS DON'T THINK OF BARS,
PUBS OR SALOONS AS BASTIONS OF CULINARY CREATIVITY,
BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT,
THEY ARE BASTIONS OF CULINARY COMFORT,
AND MANY AN ENDEARING AND ENDURING DISH
HAS BEEN INTRODUCED TO A GRATEFUL WORLD
ACROSS A WIDE EXPANSE OF MAHOGANY, TIN, ZINC,
LEATHER, TEAK OR OAK.
THE NACHO PLATTER,
LOADED POTATO SKINS,
STUFFED MUSHROOMS
AND FRIED CHEESE STICKS
HAVE ALL BECOME CLASSIC BAR GRUB.
BUT NONE OF THESE CAN TOUCH THE PHENOMENON THAT IS...
BUFFALO CHICKEN WINGS, AKA HOT WINGS.
THE STORY OF THEIR CREATION IS LEGEND.
IT IS SAID THAT IN OCTOBER OF 1964,
ONE TERESSA BELLISSIMO
WAS GETTING READY TO CLOSE HER PLACE,
THE ANCHOR BAR ON MAIN STREET IN BUFFALO, NEW YORK,
WHEN HER SON AND SEVERAL OF HIS COLLEGE BUDDIES DROPPED BY.
FEEDING THE BOYS ON THE FLY BECAME NECESSARY,
AND NECESSITY, AS WE ALL KNOW, IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION.
AND WHAT MRS. BELLISSIMO WAS SAID TO HAVE INVENTED
THAT NIGHT IS NOTHING SHORT OF...
♪♪
WINGS ARE AMAZING STRUCTURES.
THE ONES ON THIS AIRPLANE CREATE LIFT
BY TAKING ADVANTAGE OF BERNOULLI'S PRINCIPLE,
WHICH STATES THAT FLUIDS, INCLUDING AIR,
UNDERGO A REDUCTION OF PRESSURE AS THE VELOCITY INCREASES.
NOW SINCE THE AIR MOVES OVER THE TOP OF THE WINGS
FASTER THAN UNDER THEM, WE CAN FLY.
THESE WINGS MUST BE STRONG ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE LOAD
OF THE PLANE, G-FORCES, TURBULENCE AND WHATNOT,
BUT THEY LUCKILY DO NOT HAVE TO PROVIDE PROPULSION.
BIRD WINGS...
(chickens clucking)
WOULD YOU GUYS BE QUIET BACK THERE?
SORRY. BIRDS' WINGS OF COURSE DO,
AND THAT REQUIRES AN EXTREMELY SOPHISTICATED SYSTEM OF JOINTS,
MUSCLES AND LIGAMENTS WHICH CAN BE TASTY
BUT ALSO TROUBLESOME FOR THE COOK.
OF COURSE, CHICKENS AREN'T EXACTLY KNOWN
FOR THEIR SKILLS AS AVIATORS.
IN FACT, THEIR WINGS ARE JUST A LITTLE MORE USEFUL
THAN OUR APPENDIX.
(chickens clucking)
NOISY.
YOU KNOW, DR. LACY, IT'S NOT THAT I MIND
FLYING YOU AND YOUR CHICKENS AROUND, BUT I DO HAVE TO ASK--
WHY IS IT THAT CHICKENS CAN'T FLY THEMSELVES AROUND?
ALTON, LET'S LOOK AT AN ORIGINAL CHICKEN HERE.
WHAT DO YOU MEAN ORIGINAL?
YOU MEAN LIKE, THE GRANDFATHER OF ALL CHICKENS?
THIS IS A RED JUNGLE FOWL FROM SOUTHEAST ASIA
WHICH IS THE ANCESTOR OF ALL CHICKENS.
REALLY?
IT IS.
AND THIS BIRD GREW UP ON THE GROUND.
A GROUND-DWELLING BIRD,
IT JUST FLEW SHORT DISTANCES TO GET AWAY FROM PREDATORS
AND MAYBE TO CHASE BUGS, THAT TYPE OF THING,
FLY UP INTO TREES.
THAT WAS SORT OF THE WAY THE ORIGINAL DINOSAURS
THAT EVOLVED INTO BIRDS USED THEIR WINGS CERTAINLY.
SO IT'S NOT THAT THESE GUYS DEVOLVED FROM EAGLES,
IT'S JUST THAT THEY GOT OFF THE EVOLUTIONARY BOAT
BEFORE THAT, I GUESS.
EXACTLY.
THEY USE THEIR WINGS LIKE THE--LIKE THE DINOSAURS
THAT BECAME BIRDS USED THEIR WINGS.
SO HE LOOKS KIND OF LIKE A BAD-ATTITUDE KIND OF BIRD.
HE IS A TOUGH BIRD. YOU ARE RIGHT.
YEAH?
TOUGH BIRD? WELL, WE DIDN'T END UP WITH JUST THIS.
WE'VE GOT LOTS OF DIFFERENT CHICKENS.
WAS THIS ALL THE WORK OF MAN BASICALLY?
YES, INCREDIBLE GENETIC DIVERSITY IN CHICKENS
THAT ALLOWED A LOT OF DIFFERENT BREEDS
OF CHICKENS TO BE BRED, INCLUDING--
I RECOGNIZE THAT GUY RIGHT THERE,
THAT LOOKS LIKE A PLAIN-OLD-CHICKEN CHICKEN.
THAT IS A BROILER CHICKEN,
THE ALL-AMERICAN MEAT TYPE OF CHICKEN THAT IS--
ISN'T IT NICE TO BE NAMED AFTER THE WAY
YOU'RE GONNA BE COOKED?
THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.
BROILER CHICKEN.
THAT'S GOT TO HURT.
SORT OF A BOWLING BALL WITH WINGS.
SO IF I JUST WENT LIKE THIS, THIS GUY WOULD FLY?
HE WOULD FLY.
50 FEET? A HUNDRED FEET?
PROBABLY A HUNDRED FEET.
MEXICO?
YEAH, A HUNDRED FEET.
THAT'S IMPRESSIVE.
AND I COULD JUST...
NO, NOT THIS ONE.
ALL RIGHT, WE'LL PUT THIS GUY BACK.
HE LOOKS KIND OF VICIOUS.
I'LL DROP HIM IN, YOU CLOSE THE DOOR.
READY?
GO.
SINCE THERE IS SUCH A HIGH DEMAND FOR BREAST MEAT
IN THIS COUNTRY, WINGS ARE STILL RELATIVELY CHEAP.
NOW SINCE I WOULD NEVER CONSIDER COOKING WINGS
WITHOUT COOKING A MESS OF WINGS, SAY, WELL, A LOT,
I USUALLY PURCHASE THE PREWRAPPED PARTY PACK.
ONE PREWRAPPED PARTY WING PACK, PLEASE.
OKAY.
SURE, YOU COULD JUST CUT THE WINGS OFF
OF EVERY CHICKEN YOU COOK FOR THE NEXT YEAR,
AND FREEZE THEM UNTIL YOU HAVE YOUR OWN PREWRAPPED PARTY PACK,
BUT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT EXTREME EVEN FOR ME.
AS THE GOOD DOCTOR HAS ALREADY POINTED OUT,
A LONG HISTORY OF LAZINESS HAS DEVOLVED THE CHICKEN WING
INTO A RELATIVELY SIMPLE STRUCTURE
CHARACTERIZED BY THREE SEGMENTS AND TWO HINGES.
HERE IS WHERE THE WING
WAS CUT AWAY FROM THE SHOULDER AT THE PLANT.
THAT'S THE SCAPULA BONE UP THERE.
THIS FIRST SECTION IS CALLED THE DRUMETTE
BECAUSE OF ITS RESEMBLANCE TO THE DRUMSTICK.
IT HOUSES THE HUMERUS BONE.
HA-HA-HA! THE HU--
THE SECOND SECTION OR WING FLAT CONTAINS THE ULNA AND THE RADIUS
AND THEN THE WING TIP OR NUBBIN
IS, WELL, PRETTY MUCH A CULINARY WASTELAND.
AND NOW WE CUT.
LIGHTS!
PERFECT.
NOW LET'S TALK ABOUT KNIVES.
FOR THIS KIND OF JOB,
I LIKE TO USE A STIFF-BLADED BONING KNIFE SUCH AS THIS.
IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE,
YOU CAN USE EITHER A SHORT CHEF'S KNIFE
OR EVEN A PARING KNIFE, BUT I LIKE THIS CURVE RIGHT HERE.
NOW LET'S TAKE A LOOK AT OUR TARGET, THE WING.
HERE WE GO.
NOW THE JOINT BETWEEN THE FLAT AND THE LITTLE NIBBLET HERE
IS JUST CARTILAGE, SO WE CAN CUT THROUGH THAT
RIGHT DOWN ON THE BOARD.
IF YOU WANT TO SAVE THAT FOR YOUR STOCK POT, YOU CAN.
IF NOT, DISCARD.
NOW THE JOINT HERE BETWEEN THE DRUMETTE AND THE FLAT,
NOW THAT'S A STOUT CUSTOMER--
A LOT OF CONNECTIVE TISSUE AND A GOOD BIT OF BONE.
CUTTING THROUGH THIS WAY IS ACTUALLY PRETTY TREACHEROUS,
AND YOU COULD MAKE A BIG MESS.
WHAT I LIKE TO DO IS JUST TURN IT OVER AND SQUEEZE.
THAT'LL KIND OF REVEAL AND OPEN UP THAT JOINT RIGHT THERE.
THEN WE CAN MAKE A SMALL CUT TILL IT POPS OPEN,
LAY IT DOWN ON THE BOARD
AND THEN CUT THE REST OF THE WAY THROUGH.
THAT'S ALL THERE IS TO IT, KIDS.
AND TO THINK YOU WERE GONNA PAY A BUTCHER TO DO THAT.
SHAME!
♪♪
NOW IF WE'RE GOING TO PRODUCE A NICE, CRISP SKIN
ON THESE JEWELS, THEY HAVE GOT TO BE DRY
WHEN THEY MEET THE HEAT,
AND I DON'T MEAN JUST, YOU KNOW, PAT-DOWN-ON-PAPER TOWEL DRY.
I MEAN THE KIND OF DRY THAT ONLY A COUPLE OF HOURS
IN THE OLD CHILL CHEST WILL CREATE.
THAT MEANS YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO STASH THESE IN HERE UNCOVERED--
(grunts)
HEY!
IT'S YOU!
YES.
HERE TO STOP YOU FROM HARMING YOURSELF OR OTHERS.
WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT, YOU ANNOYING ORNAMENTAL IMP?
I'M TALKING ABOUT YOU WITH ALL THAT CONTAMINATED POULTRY
ALL SOAKED WITH SALMONELLA.
I NEED TO DRY IT AND CHILL IT.
COVERING IT WILL RUIN EVERYTHING.
WELL, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE TO FOLLOW SOME STRICT RULES,
MY DIRTY FRIEND.
HEY, I'M NOT DIRTY.
PUT THAT POULTRY DOWN HERE ON THE BOTTOM SHELF
IN A LARGE CONTAINER.
WHAT, YOU MEAN LIKE THIS?
YES, QUITE.
AND MAKE SURE YOU CONSULT YOUR REFRIGERATOR THERMOMETER
TO ENSURE AVOIDANCE OF THE DANGER ZONE.
YOU MEAN LIKE THIS?
OH!
YOU'VE GONE AND TOUCHED IT WITH YOUR CHICKENY HAND.
YOU MORON. I'M OUT OF HERE. TA-TA.
THE LITTLE BOOGER'S RIGHT, OF COURSE.
CROSS-CONTAMINATION IS AN ISSUE.
THE BEST WAY TO INSURE AGAINST IT
IS TO CONTAIN AND ISOLATE.
PLACING THE WINGS ON THE BOTTOM SHELF
IN A HIGH-SIDED CONTAINER WILL KEEP THEM AWAY
FROM ANY COOKED FOOD THAT MIGHT BE EXPOSED UP HERE.
OOH, YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE THAT I'VE SPREAD THESE OUT
ON A LITTLE STEAMER BASKET INSIDE THIS BOWL
TO HELP WITH THE AIR CIRCULATION.
AND ACTUALLY, THE LOWER YOU CAN GO, THE BETTER.
THERE.
PERFECT.
NOW LET US CONSIDER COOKING.
NOW BEING BAR FOOD,
MOST BUFFALO-STYLE WINGS ARE DEEP-FAT FRIED
BECAUSE DEEP-FAT FRYING IS FAST, TASTY
AND MOST BARS THAT SERVE FOOD
HAVE COMMERCIAL FRYERS LIKE THIS.
LET'S GIVE IT A TRY.
OH, THAT'S OKAY. WE GOT TWO CIRCUITS.
OH, BOTHER.
WELL, AS I WAS ABOUT TO SAY,
DEEP-FAT FRYING IS NOT THE BEST WAY
TO COOK BUFFALO CHICKEN WINGS
BECAUSE, WELL, THEY ALREADY CONTAIN
ENOUGH FAT TO ESSENTIALLY FRY THEMSELVES
AS LONG AS WE CAN APPLY THE CORRECT DOSAGE OF HEAT.
I-I THINK THE BREAKER BOX IS IN THE BASEMENT.
EXCUSE ME.
WINGS ARE COVERED WITH SKIN.
THAT SKIN WILL STICK TO A HOT PIECE OF METAL
LIKE A TONGUE TO A WINTER FLAGPOLE
SO YOU'RE GONNA USE RACKS WHICH WILL HELP,
AND YOU'LL LUBE THEM UP LIBERALLY
BEFORE YOU LAY ON THE POULTRY.
NOW IF YOU WANT CRISPY SKIN, AND OF COURSE WE DO,
WE'LL NEED TO POUR ON THE HEAT.
425 DEGREES SHOULD DO THE TRICK.
OF COURSE, SINCE THEY CONTAIN A LITTLE BIT OF FAT,
ODDS ARE THERE'LL BE A BIT OF SMOKE
BUT IT'LL BE OKAY.
(coughing)
OBVIOUSLY, IF WE ROAST THE WINGS AT 425,
WE'LL GET FABULOUS SKIN, BUT TOO MUCH SMOKE
FROM ALL THAT FAT RENDERING OUT AND PARALYSIZING.
IF WE GO WITH A LOWER TEMPERATURE,
SAY, 350, FOR A LONGER TIME,
WE'LL STAY BENEATH THE SMOKE POINT OF THE FAT.
WE MIGHT GET THE CRISP SKIN,
BUT WE'LL ALSO DRY OUT THE MEAT.
NO, WE NEED ANOTHER METHOD.
SO I'M THINKING THAT THE ANSWER TO OUR DILEMMA
IS TO COOK THE WINGS TWICE STARTING WITH A WET METHOD.
OKAY, STEAM WILL PROVIDE THE NECESSARY HEAT
TO SQUEEZE THE EXCESS FAT OUT OF THOSE WINGS
WITHOUT OVERCOOKING OR DRYING THE MEAT OR THE SKIN.
NOW THE WING PIECES WILL NEED SOME SPACE.
I DON'T REALLY WANT TO PILE THEM ONTO A SINGLE ST--
EXCUSE ME.
♪♪
THERE, 24 PIECES OF CHICKEN,
EACH ONE WITH PLENTY OF ROOM
FOR STEAM TO GET IN AND AROUND.
NOW SPEAKING OF STEAM,
WE WILL BRING TO A BOIL IN YOUR LARGEST POT
ABOUT AN INCH AND A HALF OF WATER.
WE WILL BRING THAT DOWN TO JUST A SIMMER
AND THEN LOWER IN OUR LUSCIOUS PAYLOAD.
COVER, AND I FIGURE THAT TEN MINUTES SHOULD DO THE JOB--
JUST LONG ENOUGH FOR ME TO PUT AWAY ALL THESE FANS.
(timer buzzing)
TIME TO EVACUATE.
THERE'S GONNA BE A GOOD BIT OF STEAM
SO DON PROTECTION AND OPEN THE LID AWAY.
AH, VERY GOOD.
NOW I'LL SET THOSE ASIDE.
YOU CAN SEE BY LOOKING DOWN IN THE WATER--
SEE ALL THAT SCHMALTZ IN THERE?
THAT MEANS THAT WE'VE RENDERED OUT
A CONSIDERABLE AMOUNT OF FAT.
NOW I WANT TO COOL THESE GUYS DOWN,
AND I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE TALL FOR THE REFRIGERATOR,
SO I'LL MOVE THEM TO A HALF- SHEET PAN AND COOLING RACK
WITH A LITTLE BIT A PAPER TOWEL
'CAUSE THOSE ARE GONNA KEEP DRIPPING.
♪♪
NOW THAT THEY HAVE CHILLED,
SLIDE YOUR WINGS INTO A 425-DEGREE OVEN
FOR 20 MINUTES.
OH, AND YOU'RE GOING TO WANT TO TRADE OUT THAT PAPER TOWEL
FOR SOME PARCHMENT PAPER.
PAPER TOWELS DON'T LIKE HIGH TEMPERATURES.
THERE WE GO.
NOW LET'S TALK SAUCE.
IF OUR INTEL CONCERNING THAT FATEFUL NIGHT IN 1964
IS CORRECT,
THEN THE ORIGINAL BUFFALO CHICKEN WING SAUCE
WAS NOTHING MORE THAN A MIXTURE
OF BOTTLED HOT SAUCE AND MARGARINE,
WHICH OF COURSE IS A BUTTER SUBSTITUTE
CONSISTING OF A BLEND OF HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OILS,
EMULSIFIERS, COLORING AGENTS, VITAMINS AND IN MANY VERSIONS
A BIG WHOPPING DOLLOP OF TRANS FATS,
WHICH SOME DOCTORS SAY...
ARE ACTUALLY WORSE FOR YOU THAN THE SATURATED FATS
IN THE BUTTER THAT THE MARGARINE WAS INVENTED TO REPLACE.
NOT THAT YOU COULDN'T STAND TO CUT BACK ON BOTH.
THANK YOU.
♪♪
I FEEL CERTAIN, HAD MRS. BELLISSIMO UNDERSTOOD
THE PERILS OF TRANS FATS,
SHE WOULD HAVE SIMPLY REACHED FOR BUTTER
WHICH DESPITE ITS SATURATED FAT, IS AT LEAST REAL FOOD...
(chuckles) AND DARN TASTY.
SO WE NEED 3 OUNCES OF MELTED BUTTER.
THAT'S 6 TABLESPOONS OR 3/4 OF A STICK.
NOW THE MICROWAVE IS THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THIS MISSION,
BUT YOU WANT TO AVOID HIGH POWER
WHICH CAN CAUSE GEYSER-LIKE EXPLOSIONS
AS THE WATER INSIDE THE BUTTER BEGINS TO BOIL.
CUTTING THEM INTO PIECES HELPS WITH THIS AS WELL.
WHILE YOU'RE AT IT,
YOU MIGHT AS WELL GO AHEAD AND TOSS IN
A CLOVE'S WORTH OF MINCED GARLIC.
WARMING THAT WITH THE BUTTER
WILL HELP TO OPEN UP THE FLAVORS.
NOW WHILE THIS MELTS DOWN,
WE WILL CONTEMPLATE THE CULT OF CAPSAICIN.
TEN YEARS AGO,
IF YOU WENT TO YOUR LOCAL MEGAMART FOR HOT SAUCE,
THERE WERE, LIKE, THREE CHOICES.
THERE'D BE SOME STUFF FROM TEXAS,
SOME STUFF FROM LOUISIANA AND SOME STUFF WITH, YOU KNOW,
CHILIES KIND OF FLOATING AROUND INSIDE OF IT, BUT TODAY,
THERE ARE DOZENS OF DIFFERENT SAUCES READILY AVAILABLE
FROM ALL OVER THE PLANET. HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?
WELL, SOME SAY IT'S JUST THE RESULT OF THE INFLUX
OF VARIOUS ETHNIC CUISINES INTO THE MAINSTREAM,
BUT THERE'S ANOTHER THEORY GAINING MOMENTUM.
THIS THEORY SUGGESTS THAT IT'S THE BABY BOOMERS.
THAT'S RIGHT.
YOU SEE, THOSE OF US BORN DURING THE GREAT POSTWAR SPAWN
BETWEEN 1946 AND 1964 ARE GETTING OLDER,
AND AS WE MOVE BEYOND 40, WE LOSE TASTE BUDS
AT AN ACCELERATED RATE.
IT MAY BE THAT THIS INFLUX OF HEAT IS NOTHING MORE
THAN A MARKET REACTION TO THE FACT THAT WE REQUIRE
INCREASED STIMULATION, AND WE'RE WILLING TO PAY FOR IT.
SOME ANTHROPOLOGISTS, OF COURSE, BELIEVE THAT
THE CONSUMPTION OF HOT FOODS IS CLOSELY TIED TO MATING RITUALS.
LET'S FIND OUT.
HI, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRY MY NEW HOT SAUCE?
UH, NO THANKS.
OH, I DON'T BLAME YOU.
WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED TO MEAN?
OH, NOTHING. IT'S JUST REALLY HOT.
WHATEVER.
YOU KNOW, I DO WANT TO TRY IT.
NO, YOU DON'T.
WHAT?
YOU DON'T THINK I COULD HANDLE IT?
OH, COME ON, SIR.
A MAN OF YOUR STATURE CAN HANDLE--
NO.
COME ON, PUMPKIN, LET'S GO.
YOU KNOW WHAT SPICY FOOD DOES TO YOU.
YOU TOO, HUH, HONEY?
YOU JUST TAKE THIS AND YOU SEE WHAT YOUR MAN'S MADE OF.
DON'T. STOP.
DON'T DO IT.
WHOO!
DO YOU THINK THIS IS GOING TO IMPRESS ME?
ACTUALLY, IF RECENT SOCIOLOGICAL STUDIES
ARE CORRECT, YES.
BECAUSE IT'S NOT. IT'S JUST DUMB.
I'M FINE. SEE, NO, NO...
YOU DON'T LOOK FINE.
WELL, THAT'S BECAUSE THE CAPSAICIN
IS JUST STARTING TO REALLY BIND ONTO HIS TONGUE,
SENDING MIXED MESSAGES TO HIS BRAIN WHICH ARE
INTERPRETED AS PAIN. PAIN. LOTS OF PAIN.
HAVE SOME TOAST THERE, THAT'LL HELP.
STILL BURNING? STILL BURNING?
SOUR CREAM, AISLE FOUR.
YEAH, THAT'LL SET YOU UP.
YOU KNOW, THE CONSUMPTION OF OVERLY HOT FOODS
MAY BE AN EXPRESSION OF ANCIENT MATING BEHAVIOR
WHERE THE MALE SEEKS TO IMPRESS A PROSPECTIVE MATE
WITH FEATS OF PHYSICAL ENDURANCE.
YOU--YOU MEAN HE REALLY LOVES ME?
I DON'T KNOW IF I'D CALL IT...
YEAH, HE LOVES YOU.
WAIT, PUMPKIN, HONEY BUNNY IS GONNA MAKE IT ALL BETTER.
AH, 20 MINUTES IS UP,
TIME TO FLIP FOR EVENNESS-- AND NOTICE NO SMOKE.
THERE, ANOTHER 20 MINUTES
AND WE'LL BE IN CHICKEN WING NIRVANA.
ALTHOUGH THE RATIO OF HOT SAUCE TO BUTTER
IS COMPLETELY UP TO YOU,
I FIND THAT A QUARTER OF A CUP
OR 2 OUNCES OF THE HOT STUFF
TO 3 OUNCES OF BUTTER HITS THE BEST BALANCE.
THE HEAT WILL BE THERE, BUT SO WILL THE FLAVOR.
YOU WON'T JUST BLOW YOUR HEAD OFF.
NOW MAKE SURE YOU MIX THIS
ALONG WITH 1/2 TEASPOON OF KOSHER SALT IN A BIG OLD BOWL,
BIG ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE THE TOSSING OF THE WINGS.
AND OF COURSE, IF YOU WANT TO UP THE GARLIC,
YOU COULD THROW IN ANOTHER ONE, MAYBE TWO MINCED CLOVES
AT THIS TIME.
THERE. NOW WHISK TO COMBINE.
AH, PERFECT.
NOW I KNOW 40 MINUTES AT 425 SEEMS EXTREME
FOR ITEMS THIS SMALL
BUT KEEP IN MIND THERE IS STILL A FAIR AMOUNT
OF FAT LEFT INSIDE THOSE LITTLE JEWELS
AND SOME TOUGH CONNECTIVE TISSUE THAT NEEDED TO SOFTEN.
AS FOR THE SKIN, IT IS VERY CRISP
WHICH IS PERHAPS THE MOST IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTIC.
AND AGAIN, NO SMOKE.
NONE. NOT A BIT.
HA-HA.
IN ORDER FOR THE SAUCE TO PROPERLY MARRY WITH THE SKIN,
IT IS IMPERATIVE THAT THIS STEP BE DONE
WHILE THE WINGS ARE STILL HOT.
THE NICE THING ABOUT THIS PARTICULAR METHOD IS THAT
EVEN ONCE SATURATED WITH SAUCE,
THE SKINS WILL REMAIN CRISPY.
♪♪
THERE YOU GO.
I KNOW, YOU'RE WONDERING WHERE THE CELERY
AND BLUE CHEESE DRESSING ARE.
WELL THEY'RE IN THE REFRIGERATOR.
I KNOW.
THERE ARE THOSE WHO WOULD ARGUE THAT THE CELERY AND DRESSING
WERE PUT WITH THE WINGS BECAUSE MRS. BELLISSIMO KNEW
THAT THE HEAT OF THE WINGS WOULD NEED SOME COOLING BALANCE.
WELL, I DON'T THINK IT DIMINISHES HER GENIUS ONE BIT
TO SUGGEST THAT BEING A GOOD HOSTESS,
SHE JUST GRABBED WHAT SHE HAD.
I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY A HAPPY ACCIDENT
AND IT'S NOT ONE THAT I'M INCLINED TO PERPETUATE.
WHEN I WANT TO GET MY WING ON,
I DON'T WANT TO STOP FOR A SALAD.
THAT'S A DIFFERENT SHOW.
NOW I REALIZE THAT THE HOT SAUCE AND BUTTER APPROACH
MAY NOT BE FOR EVERYONE
BUT THAT'S NO REASON TO VEER OFF YOUR WINGS.
THE TECHNIQUE OF COATING A FOOD IN A SUGAR-BASED GLAZE
HAS BEEN PRACTICED IN CHINA SINCE,
I DON'T KNOW, SINCE CONFUCIUS WAS A KID.
THE SECRET TO SUCCESS IS TO STRIKE A BALANCE
OF SWEET AND SOUR, SALT AND SPICE.
IT'S A YIN-YANG KIND OF THING.
HERE'S HOW I SEE IT.
THE SALTY, WE WILL GET FROM 1 TABLESPOON OF SOY SAUCE,
THE SPICE FROM HALF A TEASPOON OF RED PEPPER FLAKE,
THE SWEET FROM 2 TEASPOONS OF HONEY
AND A 6-OUNCE CAN OF FROZEN ORANGE JUICE CONCENTRATE.
THE SOUR WILL BE 1 TEASPOON OF VINEGAR,
RICE WINE VINEGAR, AND WE'LL ALSO USE
3 TABLESPOONS OF HOISIN SAUCE.
OKAY, NOW HOISIN USUALLY CONTAINS
FERMENTED SOYBEAN PASTE LIKE MISO, VINEGAR, GARLIC,
VARIOUS CHILIES AND OTHER FLAVORINGS,
AND SOMETIMES SESAME OIL.
IN OTHER WORDS, IT CONTAINS COMPONENTS
OF ALL THE TEAMS PUT TOGETHER AND THEN SOME.
COMBINE THE AFOREMENTIONED INGREDIENTS
IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN AND BRING TO A SIMMER
OVER MEDIUM-HIGH HEAT.
THE GOAL IS TO SLOWLY DRIVE AWAY THE WATER CONTENT
AND THEREFORE INCREASE THE SUGAR CONTENT
CREATING ABOUT HALF A CUP OR SO OF A FINISHED GLAZE.
NOW REMEMBER, AS THE SUGAR CONTENT INCREASES
SO WILL THE POSSIBILITY OF BURNING,
WHICH IS WHY WE'RE DOING THIS OVER, WELL, NOT FULL FLAME.
WHEN YOU SEE THE BUBBLES START TO KIND OF
STACK UP ON EACH OTHER, YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE GETTING
VERY, VERY CLOSE SO MANAGE YOUR FLAME ACCORDINGLY.
THERE, OUR GLAZE IS DONE,
BUT IT IS NOT YET READY TO MEET OUR WINGS.
GO AHEAD AND TRANSFER TO YOUR GREAT BIG TOSSING BOWL
AND THEN LET THIS COOL DOWN FOR FIVE MINUTES.
THAT WILL THICKEN THE GLAZE,
AND BECAUSE THE WATER CONTENT WILL BE A LITTLE LESS MOBILE,
IT WILL BE A LOT LESS LIKELY TO SOFTEN THE CRUST ON OUR WINGS.
YOU DID STEAM, COOL AND PERFECTLY ROAST
A PAN OF WING PIECES, RIGHT?
GOOD.
THERE YOU GO.
AND THUS, THE HUMBLE, ALMOST COMPLETELY USELESS
CHICKEN WING SHOWS THAT IT STILL DOES HAVE A REASON TO EXIST.
MY HOPE IS THAT ONE DAY,
CHICKEN BREEDERS WILL EMBRACE THIS MAGNIFICENT APPENDAGE
AND BREED US A BIRD WITH WINGS LIKE...
(eagle shrieking)
IF THAT DAY EVER COMES,
I'LL BE WAITING, HOT SAUCE IN HAND.
SEE YOU NEXT TIME ON "GOOD EATS."
Closed Captions provided by Scripps Networks, LLC.