Kind of a different question about wings

Hub · November 2015

I'm a big fan on wings and eat them often, both out at restaurants and at home. One thing I've noticed is that there tends to be a huge variance in the wings themselves before they are even cooked. Some wings are large and fatty, while other wings are petite and somewhat lean. I very much prefer the petite/lean wings and dislike the larger/fatty ones. It's frustrating when ordering wings at a restaurant because you never know which you will get, although some chains are fairly consistent. (Buffalo Wild Wings always seems to have the petite wings) It's also frustrating when you buy a batch at the store with a mixture of the two because of the uneven cooking times.

So my question is why such variance? Is it the age of the chicken? The way the chicken is fed? Are their different types of commercial chickens? Even if there is, I don't understand why the same package of wings from the same supplier will have a variance in size. Anyways, not your typical BGE forum question, but am curious as to what others here have to say. I'm just trying to figure out a way to always get the petite wings and stay away from those large, fatty ones.

Jeepster47 · November 2015

Don't have an answer to your question, but if you find a knowledgable individual, please ask my question. What happens to the off-side wings. My store will have package after package of right wings ... but, no left wings. Then the next time it'll be just the opposite. Why can't I get both wings off the same chicken?

gdenby · November 2015

See this link. And this chart.

First answer, methods of raising chicken have improved, and the chickens just grow bigger. Second answer, different breeds are raised for slightly different purposes. Some will just be smaller than others. These days, I suppose there are breeds that are raised which have particularly big wings because Buffalo wings are so common now.

From what I've seen of meat processing, there's probably one guy who cuts off nothing but left wings, another, just right. Same w. any (dis)assembley line. You do one thing only, and do it really quick.

RRP · November 2015

gdenby said:

See this link. And this chart.

From what I've seen of meat processing, there's probably one guy who cuts off nothing but left wings, another, just right. Same w. any (dis)assembley line. You do one thing only, and do it really quick.

LOL - not my job mentality on the ol' chicken processing line, huh?

pgprescott · November 2015

Oh, you've got to really pay attention in the store. You want only right wings. The left wings are salty and bitter. They're all over the place you could get anything with the left wings.

Jeepster47 · November 2015

@gdenby 's chart URL contained some extra characters ... try this one:
http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html

Oh yes ... be careful not to click on the "sex-links" hot link in the middle of the page.

@pgprescott ... looks like you've had your coffee already ... good morning.

Mattman3969 · November 2015

I heard that @sgh on eats wings from the left

pgprescott · November 2015

Jeepster47 said:

@gdenby 's chart URL contained some extra characters ... try this one:
http://www.sagehenfarmlodi.com/chooks/chooks.html

Oh yes ... be careful not to click on the "sex-links" hot link in the middle of the page.

@pgprescott ... looks like you've had your coffee already ... good morning.

Just kidding of course. I love all kinds of wings. I do slightly prefer the flats to the drummies

Hub · November 2015

I should have stated that when I buy wings in the grocery store I usually buy wings that are already processed and cut specifically for frying (that is what the package says). I prefer flats to drums. For whatever reason, Publix has all drums cut and ready to go, but not all flats. Wal Mart has a mixture, as does Food Depot. I haven't been able to find all flats anywhere in my area. Sometimes I buy the uncut wings and but them myself, but I'm not very good at it and prefer to buy them pre-cut and ready to go.

pgprescott · November 2015

Hub said:

I should have stated that when I buy wings in the grocery store I usually buy wings that are already processed and cut specifically for frying (that is what the package says). I prefer flats to drums. For whatever reason, Publix has all drums cut and ready to go, but not all flats. Wal Mart has a mixture, as does Food Depot. I haven't been able to find all flats anywhere in my area. Sometimes I buy the uncut wings and but them myself, but I'm not very good at it and prefer to buy them pre-cut and ready to go.

In our area it is much easier to find drums than flats idk why? I like them parted out too. I will say they buying whole isn't a big deal if you have a sharp chefs knife or even a good pair of kitchen sheers. Once you find the sweet spot at the wing joint, you can butcher them in a couple minutes. The whole ones tend to be the larger ones you referenced earlier.

Jeepster47 · November 2015

pgprescott said:

... The whole ones tend to be the larger ones you referenced earlier.

That is true down in central Illinois also. And, you're right about the butchering input; a short, sharp paring knife ... a quick flex and feel of the join on the first wing to "remember" where it's at ... and, an angled cut will do the trick. I also like to do the butchering 'cuz then it's easy to remove that hanging flap of skin along the back of the drum and flat. I know others eat wings for the skin, but I think they cook better and taste better with that flap missing.

In Japan, the locals eat strips of chicken skin threaded on a bamboo skewer and grilled over an open flame. Just looking at them made me shudder.

Kind of a different question about wings

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