cazzy's wings - recipe (updated)

cazzy

I thought I would update this as some instructions were left out of the original recipe I posted last year. In addition, I now finish them at a higher internal temp. Enjoy!    

 

cazzy's wings

 

Ingredients needed 

• Chicken wings (whole or cut to flappers and drumettes) 
  
• 1 cup soy sauce (low sodium) 
  
• 1 cup brown sugar 
  
• 1/2 cup Mirin Rice Wine 
  
• 1 tbsp fresh ginger root (peeled and grated) 
  
• 1 tsp chili flakes 
  
• *I use this as a base and multiply quantities based on need.
  

 

Making the marinade

In a sauce pan, bring soy, brown sugar and mirin rice wine to a boil and leave on heat till brown sugar has dissolved. Stir regularly and throughout after boil to avoid scorching. Low heat and add ginger and chili flakes. Simmer for 10 min while stirring regularly. Remove from heat and refrigerate. 

****The longer you let the chili flakes steep, the better your results will be as the sweet heat will really come through. Plan ahead and you'll be golden Ponyboy! 

Marination 

Marinate wings for 24 hours in chilled marinade prior to cook (the chili flakes will rise to the top so shake it up). I use a gallon bag to marinate because I like to lay bag flat and flip after 12 hours. 

****Hold some marinade back for basting. Some members will boil the marinade after they remove the wings and use that for basting. Whatever you're comfortable with. 

The cook 

Fire up egg and stabilize at 375-400. I use a adjustable rig with a 16" drip pan and cook above the felt line. Place drumettes on outside and flappers in the middle because it will be hotter on the outside due to the drip pan. This is the anal part but I find it really makes the wings tacky and layers the flavor. At 10 min, I baste with marinade, then again at 15min. At 20min I flip and baste and then baste again at 25 min. This process is why I use a drip pan cause the marinade will make your lump smoke a undesirable taste into the wings. Your wings will be at about 145-150 and should really start having a beautiful brownish red color. Remove at 175-185ish as this will ensure the collagen breaks down. Some may go over a lil but no worries, it's hard to screw up wangs!! 

Using different soy sauces will change the flavor a tad and you can reduce/increase ginger and chili flakes based on preference. Feel free to ask me any questions!

R2Egg2Q

That's some great looking wings! I had the pleasure of eating a wing that was cooked following your recipe at an Eggfest last year. Thechief96, who was cooking next to us, cooked up a tasty batch! Thanks for posting this Cazzy as it reminds me that I need to cook up a batch myself.

NecessaryIndulg

I can't wait to make these! Thanks!!

Skiddymarker

Cazzy's wings are the hands down favourite for our family. I have always cooked indirect with a drip pan. 

I dump the used marinade into a saucepan, bring it to a boil and hold it there until the first baste. The marinade will reduce to a fantastic dipping sauce that has an incredible flavour. (One of the main reasons to keep a gasser close by with a good side burner)

For those concerned about using the marinade - the wings are probably cooked to <180, the reduced marinade has been cooked to 212 for a much longer time. It is safe.  

SmokeyPitt

Thanks for (re)-sharing @cazzy! 

@Skiddymarker- that makes perfect sense to me and I think it is a great idea.  That's one thing that always bugs me about using marinade is you end up with so much waste if you want to submerge the meat.  If you can re-purpose and re-use then why not!  By my rationale, once the marinate has reached 160 or so it is perfectly safe. 

smokesniffer

The Master refining his work. Thank you Sir.

Solson005

These are the wings that always go first at my party.

I am a big believer in making the marinade ahead of time and let the chili flakes steep. I do not boil the marinade but baste at 10, 15, 20, and 25 mins and thats what makes these wings so good! I used the "goop" from making asian chili oil we had made for cooking on the Wok and prefer the chili flakes now. 

nolaegghead

I pasteurize eggs at 135 F for 2 hours to kill any salmonella, the marinade at 165 F minimum for a minute will also do it.

cortguitarman

When you say chili flakes, do you mean crushed red pepper flakes. I made your wings before using the crushes red pepper flakes, bit didn't really get any heat. They were still fantastic, though.

Good timing on the post. A few days before the super bowl. You know there will be lots of wings soaking up some marinade.

cazzy

cortguitarman said:

When you say chili flakes, do you mean crushed red pepper flakes. I made your wings before using the crushes red pepper flakes, bit didn't really get any heat. They were still fantastic, though.

Good timing on the post. A few days before the super bowl. You know there will be lots of wings soaking up some marinade.

From my understanding, it's one in the same. Different brands will vary in heat so maybe try a different brand. I usually by the Fiesta brand, but that may just be a Texas thing. Either way, make sure your merinade has time to steep. My merinade is a few months old and it's plenty hot.

Yeah, that's pretty much why I updated the recipe as I know wings are pretty popular on SB Sunday.

Lit

Do these come out crispy?

cazzy

Lit said:

Do these come out crispy?

No, they are sticky.  When I want crispy wings, I use a rub and corn starch.

cajunduck

Trying this out Saturday for the Mardi Gras parade!

cortguitarman

cajunduck said:

Trying this out Saturday for the Mardi Gras parade!

you won't be disappointed. These wings are really good.

Greeno55

I love how you say to cook them to a little higher temperature. I've always done it that way and find the meat so tasty. Can't wait to try this. Another bookmark to the ever growing list.

michigan_jason

@cazzy

Hey, I am making these on the fly today, just getting to a store that has rice wine, so obviously I cannot marinate 24 hours. Any tips? Also, how many wings does this recipe yield approx? I will be doing about 30

cazzy

michigan_jason said:

@cazzy

Hey, I am making these on the fly today, just getting to a store that has rice wine, so obviously I cannot marinate 24 hours. Any tips? Also, how many wings does this recipe yield approx? I will be doing about 30

Man, sorry Jason...I was away from a PC/phone pretty much all day.

Did you make em after all? You should have been good with one batch for 30 wings...would be tight but should work.

AleBrewer

Bookmarked....Thanks. I just got some decent soy sauce from a local Asian market. Can't remember the brand, but it blows away the kikoman stuff we had in the fridge.

500

I posted it on Pinterest, so you should have even more people coming here for the recipe.

otter

Hey Cazzy,

 How many wing pcs. is this recipe for?

Thanks

Skiddymarker

@otter - sure Cazzy will chime in, between 24 and 30 depending on size and each wing is either a drummer or a flapper. 

We do them at least once a month. Reduce the left over/used marinade by boiling, great dipping sauce. 

otter

Thanks

cazzy

Skiddy won't lead you wrong! If I boil the merinade after, I usually can get 40ish done off one batch. That's pushing it but the baste is what really layers in the flavor.

corey24

@cazzy......Is this rice wine vinegar? I didn't see just 'rice wine' in my local store. Also, have you ever tried just powdered ginger.  Obviously fresh would be better but hard to find in my area.  Also assuming chili flakes is just crushed red pepper flakes?

Thanks for your help?

cazzy

corey24 said:

@cazzy......Is this rice wine vinegar? I didn't see just 'rice wine' in my local store. Also, have you ever tried just powdered ginger.  Obviously fresh would be better but hard to find in my area.  Also assuming chili flakes is just crushed red pepper flakes?

Thanks for your help?

It's different, but i'm sure it wouldn't be too bad.   This is the best way i've seen it explained:

"To add depth or sweetness to a dish, use rice wine, especially shao hsing cooking wine, which is aged and somewhat mellow. Try sherry as a substitute in recipes that call for rice wine instead of reaching for the rice vinegar; it's a closer match.

Use rice vinegar to perk up or heighten flavors, such as those in sweet-and-sour dishes, or use it in place of more tart vinegars when you want to soften the edges of a dressing or marinade. My favorite way to use seasoned rice vinegar happens at the start of just about any potato salad recipe I make: A liberal sprinkling over the just-boiled, just-peeled spuds lets the flavor sink in as they cool."

This is something Skiddy sent me, so this might be an option:

Wings - Hey Cazzy, made your wings for about the 5th time, always a hit. Last time, I went for my Mirin, forgot I had used it all. Called my Taiwanese friend to borrow some, she told me to make it. I asked how, she said the "rice wine' she makes (40% home steamed stuff) plus honey or sugar. Anyway, used 2 Tbs clover honey with 1/2 cup of the high test rice wine. In a pinch it worked just fine. If anything the honey seemed to make the wings a little stickier, with a nice crisp finish. 

I have never used powdered, but do it.  It will be fine!  Yes, chili flakes are essentially crushed red pepper flakes.  I buy mine from a Asian Market, so they typically are a lil hotter than what I can buy at my local grocery store.

corey24

@cazzy.....Thank you very much.  I actually think I have some cooking sherry.  Have you ever tried that instead of the rice wine.  If so how did it turn out?

cazzy

corey24 said:

@cazzy.....Thank you very much.  I actually think I have some cooking sherry.  Have you ever tried that instead of the rice wine.  If so how did it turn out?

I haven't but Skiddy has, which is just as good.  Outside of me, he's made them the most on the board so I trust his assessment.  

PNWFoodie

@cazzy‌ I'm going to make these the morning of the SB to bring to a party. Do you suggest keeping warm in a crock pot on warm, or serving at room temp, or?????? TIA

cazzy

hmm...I think a crock pot on low would work.  Maybe throw a lil marinade in there with them.  What do you think @skiddymarker ?

Mark0525

Just my opinion I would think with all the moisture in the crock pot that they would get really  soggy

cazzy

Mark0525 said:

Just my opinion I would think with all the moisture in the crock pot that they would get really  soggy

This is true. I've always ate them off the grill so I really have no experience here. Maybe just wrap them in foil and toss them in the oven on low.