Wings...Separate Them or Keep Them Whole?

chadpsualum

Just throwing it out there...do you break apart whole wings before cooking or do you always throw them on whole?

I usually break them up largely because the two pieces (wing and drumstick) are polarizing in my family.  Some like to eat only one type.

Brisket_Fanatic

keep them together as they seem to be easier to flip and rotate.

saluki2007

Brisket_Fanatic said:

keep them together as they seem to be easier to flip and rotate.

+1

fishlessman

i cut them, drummettes over the hot spot in the back and wingettes cooked up front. they also fit in my fry basket better cut up and nowadays i pile them in a basket then into the cooker, no more standing there flipping wings

smbishop

I cut them, and this is where I learned how:

http://playingwithfireandsmoke.blogspot.com/1997/05/chicken-wings.html

jonnymack

I used to cut them before but with a good pair of kitchen shears they are easier to cut after, nobody has complained. 

Black_Badger

Clearly a lot of opinions on this question; always interesting to see a topic like this come up that people are divided on.

Personally I like to keep them together for the cook then slice apart before serving. Usually array the drums towards he hotter back portion of the Egg; raised, direct. I do like to give them at least one flip during the cook, although I realize that might not be necessary. I usually flip when I sauce, and usually use a butter/hot sauce rather than BBQ.

Wings are actually pretty amazing. Incredibly versatile ingredient. It's almost harder (but not impossible) to cook a bad wing than a good one.

Cheers -
B_B

Griffin

x3 on the leave them whole and cut them when they are done. I find they are easier to cut after they are cooked, plus your hands don't get frozen from holding cold wings. Plus they are easier to flip when cooking.

AintEZbeingme

leave'm whole. gotta nice little handle so you can get all that goodness off the bone.

theyolksonyou

Leave em whole 

easier to flip

kids like to go all caveman and tear them apart. 

Canugghead

I cook them twisted (stole photo from interweb).  Good presentation and easy to flip.

HofstraJet

Whole - for cooking and serving. I like taking them apart while eating.

saluki2007

I will add that while I do keep them whole, I do cut the tips off.  Gives you more room to fit more wings on.

fishlessman

you guys that dont cut them up are missing out on the fun part of wing cooking, adult beverages and using the big heavey meat cleaver

RRP

Count me in the cutter group. Also I admit it - I pitch the boney tips!

Foghorn

Depends on the situation.  Occasionally cook and serve them whole when they are the entrée and you are going to sit down to dinner.  More often, cut them and make them easier to handle as an appetizer or food to eat while the family watches a movie.

Legume

I usually buy them separated.

eggrock

Always whole. Fold in a triangle. Easier to flip. Fun to watch people as they try to separate the sauced up wings. Why cheat your guests of the tips. Everyone always sucks the saucey goodness from them. 

blind99

fishlessman said:

you guys that dont cut them up are missing out on the fun part of wing cooking, adult beverages and using the big heavey meat cleaver

@fishlessman yes! Breaking them down with a cleaver is great fun!

but I like these other ideas I'm seeing here like folding into triangles, or cutting after they're cooked. 

Acn

saluki2007 said:

I will add that while I do keep them whole, I do cut the tips off.  Gives you more room to fit more wings on.

I do this as well.  I also snip that extra flap of skin in the corner of the wing.

fishlessman

im as cheap as they come, wing tips are either tossed in the freezer with onion ends for stock down the road or simmered down for the dog

TexanOfTheNorth

I buy wings at Costco. They come split with the tip not included. Mrs. TOTN does not like the skin so I pull the skin off of most of the drumettes for her (leaving some with skin for me).

Carolina Q

Am I the only one here who just doesn't do wings? I have never cooked them. Not once. Except when they're still attached to the bird. I like 'em, but they just seem like they're more trouble than they're worth. There's so much more meat on the other parts. 

Why would you want scrawny, boney wings when you could have...

RRog17

WHOLE!

Dobie

Seperate with shears before cooking. Wife only eats flappers and doesnt do spicy so I can season differently.

stompbox

Carolina Q said:

Am I the only one here who just doesn't do wings? I have never cooked them. Not once. Except when they're still attached to the bird. I like 'em, but they just seem like they're more trouble than they're worth. There's so much more meat on the other parts. 

Why would you want scrawny, boney wings when you could have...

The only bad thing I can day about wings is that the price is rediculous these days.

theyolksonyou

Carolina Q said:

Am I the only one here who just doesn't do wings? I have never cooked them. Not once. Except when they're still attached to the bird. I like 'em, but they just seem like they're more trouble than they're worth. There's so much more meat on the other parts. 

Why would you want scrawny, boney wings when you could have...

You sound like my wife...

blind99

@Carolina Q the wing has such a high skin to meat ratio... Mmm so good! And you can do a variety of rubs and sauces in one cook... I'm getting hungry for wings now, can't wait for football to start!

NCEggSmoker

Carolina Q said:

Am I the only one here who just doesn't do wings? I have never cooked them. Not once. Except when they're still attached to the bird. I like 'em, but they just seem like they're more trouble than they're worth. There's so much more meat on the other parts. 

Why would you want scrawny, boney wings when you could have...

I used to think the same thing, but I'm a wing convert. Wings are all about the meat to skin ratio. Legs and thighs for the meat, but wings are about the crispy skin. 

HeavyG

I always cut off the tips but don't always separate the drums and flats. If I don't separate them I do always cut the flap of skin in towards the joint so they are easier to pull apart when eating them.

I used to use kitchen shears to cut them apart but after watching this video a few years ago I switched to just using my boning knife. Easy peasy.:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nTWOHVavdwg

WeberWho

My wife made drummies on the egg last night. They were under $3 a family pack. Never been a fan of drummies but after some homemade buffalo sauce I'm a believer!  Way cheaper than wings