Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

How Many Pounds of Wings Should I Buy?

Options
Judy Mayberry
Judy Mayberry Posts: 2,015
edited November -1 in EggHead Forum
I've never made wings before, so I'm taking the occasion of a high school graduation party to start (I remember when that little sucker was in diapers, wasn't 6' 3" with hairy legs).

I'm going to cook them indirect, just one batch but I can do two levels at once. There will be a lot of food, but I want to bring something extra because it's family. There will probably be 20-30 people and lots more to eat.

I just want to know how much to buy for cooking two grid-fulls. (New word? I just made it up.) I'll be really grateful for any advice.
Judy in San Diego
· Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Comments

  • FSM-Meatball
    FSM-Meatball Posts: 215
    Options
    We had a graduation party and made 12 pounds of wings. That was full wings, which we cut up into the separate pieces, it ended up filling 2 of those 1/2 size aluminum pans. We also had Pulled Pork and pasta. We only had a few wings left.

    You should probably do at least 5 pounds.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,677
    Options
    Judy, you can fit 24 whole wings (48 pieces) on these wing racks and still have room for more on the grid and even another lower level if you want.

    DSC00025.jpg
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Judy Mayberry
    Judy Mayberry Posts: 2,015
    Options
    Pat, what a great idea...I have two of those wing racks in my arsenal, forgot about them! So do you buy them by the number of pieces, or by the pound, or what?
    Judy in San Diego
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Judy Mayberry
    Judy Mayberry Posts: 2,015
    Options
    And also, do you just leave them as whole wings, or do people like them separated? Educate me, for pity's sake! I never saw one till I got to Melbourne!
    Judy in San Diego
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Little Chef
    Little Chef Posts: 4,725
    Options
    Judy: DO you plan on cooking whole wings, or the drum and flat sections? You can fit a whole lot more on the egg when cut into sections...
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,677
    Options
    I leave them whole for the cook but with a large crowd I would cut them before serving
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Judy Mayberry
    Judy Mayberry Posts: 2,015
    Options
    Thanks, Michelle. I just asked Pat what people prefer to eat. I have two racks like in his photo, do I use them with the cup-up pieces too? Or if they're cut up, is it better to cook them flat? I think personally I would rather have the smaller pieces to eat on the fly, so to speak.
    Judy in San Diego
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Judy Mayberry
    Judy Mayberry Posts: 2,015
    Options
    So how many wings, or pieces, or pounds, should I buy for two grids?
    Judy in San Diego
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • FlaPoolman
    FlaPoolman Posts: 11,677
    Options
    If your going for quanity I would load the racks with whole ones then fill the grid with the pieces, then cut the whole ones before serving. The single pieces are easier for the guests to handle.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • smbishop
    smbishop Posts: 3,053
    Options
    I am not an Eggspert, but I love my wings. I cooked two pounds and ate most of them myself. They did not fill up one layer:

    026-6.jpg

    From my limited experience (I have done a few direct and the last indirect), I Like to go a bit longer on the cook. The last one was about 2 hours, 350 - 400 indirect. My suggestion is 6 lbs.
    Southlake, TX and Cowhouse Creek - King, TX.  2 Large, 1 Small and a lot of Eggcessories.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Grillin & Chillin
    Grillin & Chillin Posts: 733
    Options
    Nice of you to plan and cook for them. IMHO I would cook at least a couple full wings (drum and flapper) for each person. With the wonderful wing rack I cook 16 each time which is what we usually get in the family pack's we buy.

    2011-04-10%202011-04-10%20001%20002.JPG?psid=1
    BGE'er since 1996 Large BGE 1996, Small BGE 1996, Mini BGE 1997
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • Little Chef
    Little Chef Posts: 4,725
    Options
    Judy: With the rack in play, might you consider doing 24 legs in the rack, and wing sections on the lower level???

    Also, please check your set up...I have never been too successful getting two of those racks in the Egg felt level, so maybe check before deciding.

    I'd be more tempted to say just do two levels of wing sections, which can be easily rotated during the cook. I would say two 'family packs' should get you about 50-60 wing sections. (I always cut them up myself) All should fit easily on two grids, with room to spare.

    Please don't fall for the IQF frozen bags...they look all nice and plump, and shrink up to nothing once all the water they've injected cooks out.
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • BobinFla
    BobinFla Posts: 363
    Options
    Little Chef wrote:
    Please don't fall for the IQF frozen bags...they look all nice and plump, and shrink up to nothing once all the water they've injected cooks out.    [/quote]
    Thanks for saying that. You saved me a lot of typing! :laugh:

    BOB
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter
  • PhilsGrill
    PhilsGrill Posts: 2,256
    Options
    I think this is what you want to see. This is 10 pounds of wings, indirect, two levels.

    wings1.jpg

    wings2.jpg

    LemmonPepper.jpg
    · Share on FacebookShare on Twitter

Categories