The not-so-secret hope of my heart whenever anyone says, “come watch the game at my place this weekend,” is that there will be wings. Not just some wings, either. Lots of wings. Wings—preferably plenty of flats!—with blue cheese dressing for dipping. Sadly, it doesn’t happen very often. I believe the reason is that lots of people don’t know how simple the recipe is or how easy they are to make. You can get fancy with tandoori, Moroccan, or garlic teriyaki flavors, but I just want simple Buffalo-style hot wings. So today we’ll talk about how easy they are to make, especially with the help of a ChefAlarm® and a Thermapen®.
Chicken wings are a beloved appetizer and finger food, especially when they’re deep fried for a crispy exterior and tender interior. But deep frying chicken wings can seem daunting for home cooks. How long should you fry wings to ensure they are fully cooked without overcooking? Here’s a detailed guide to deep frying chicken wings, including oil temperature, fry times safety tips and more.
Selecting and Preparing the Wings
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Pick fresh wings that haven’t been marinated. In order to deep fry, plain chicken wings work best. Broil or marinate wings ahead of time; they can burn or fall apart in the hot oil.
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Separate the wings – Cut whole wings at the joint into drumettes (the meatier first section) and flats (the smaller second section). This ensures even cooking.
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Pat the wings dry – Damp wings will cause hot oil to splatter and pop. Pat the wings with paper towels until very dry.
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Season simply – Plain or lightly seasoned wings work best for deep frying. A light coating of salt, pepper, and/or spices is ideal Avoid wet marinades or heavy coatings
Proper preparation is key for successful deep fried chicken wings. Dry, unmarinated, separated wings will fry up crispy and golden brown.
Heating the Oil
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Use a thermometer – An instant read or deep fry thermometer is essential for monitoring oil temperature. Heat to 350°F for wings.
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Choose a high smoke point oil – Peanut, vegetable, canola or safflower oil are good choices that withstand high heat
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Use enough oil – The wings should be able to float freely without touching the pot sides. About 2-3 inches of oil is needed.
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Let the oil heat up all the way—Get the oil to the right temperature before adding the wings. If you add the wings too soon, the oil will cool down quickly.
Heating the oil properly ensures the wings will cook quickly and develop a crispy exterior without absorbing excess grease. A thermometer takes the guesswork out of determining when the oil is ready.
Frying the Wings
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Fry in batches – Cook wings in small batches to maintain oil temperature. Avoid crowding.
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Allow oil to reheat between batches – Let the oil come back up to temperature before adding more wings.
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Flip once – Flip the wings over halfway during cooking so both sides get evenly fried.
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Stir-fry for 8 to 12 minutes; cooking times depend on the size of the food. Larger wings may need up to 12 minutes.
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Check internal temperature – Wings are done when they reach an internal temperature of 165°F-175°F.
Frying in small batches is crucial for keeping the oil hot enough to achieve a crispy exterior on the wings before the interior overcooks. Flipping halfway and monitoring with a thermometer prevents under or overcooking.
Draining, Saucing and Serving
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Drain on a wire rack – Let cooked wings drain on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Don’t pile wings or they’ll get soggy.
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Toss in sauce – For sauced wings, toss fried wings with sauce in a bowl (don’t soak wings in sauce).
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Serve immediately – Fried wings are best served right after frying. Reheating makes them soggy.
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Provide dipping sauces – Offer extra dipping sauce on the side. Bleu cheese and ranch dressings are popular choices.
Proper draining and saucing ensures hot, crispy wings. Serve wings with extra sauce for dipping to keep them from getting soggy. Enjoy wings right after frying for the perfect texture.
Oil Safety Tips
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Be careful with hot oil; it can burn you badly. Avoid splashing, overfilling, water contact.
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Don’t overheat oil – Heating oil past its smoke point is dangerous. Monitor temperature carefully.
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Look for signs of oil deterioration – Discard oil that is dark, foamy or smells off. Strained particles also signal old oil.
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Let oil cool completely before disposal – Pour used oil into a heat safe container and allow to cool before discarding.
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Ventilate well – Proper ventilation prevents air quality issues and potential fire hazards as oil heats.
Deep frying requires care to prevent burns or other accidents. Monitoring oil condition, temperature, and ventilation ensures a safer process.
Common Deep Fried Wing Problems and Solutions
Problem: Wings are undercooked inside.
Solution: Allow oil to fully preheat before adding wings. Fry for longer time and check internal temperature.
Problem: Wings are overcooked or burnt on outside.
Solution: Don’t overcrowd wings. Make sure oil is at proper temperature. Adjust cook times.
Problem: Wings are greasy or oily.
Solution: Drain wings properly on a wire rack. Avoid steaming or piling wings after frying.
Problem: Wings are soggy or limp.
Solution: Ensure wings are dried properly before frying. Store fried wings properly and serve immediately. Don’t let sauced wings sit in sauce.
With the right technique, deep fried chicken wings can be a crispy, crowd-pleasing appetizer. Monitor oil temperature, fry in batches, follow cook times, and use proper draining and serving methods. In about 10-12 minutes, you’ll have piping hot, perfectly cooked deep fried chicken wings ready for sauce and serving. Crisp, juicy wings are worth the effort!
Fried wings tips and temps
While you can bake or grill them, the traditional way to make chicken wings is to deep-fry them. Sometimes it takes a little longer to cook bone-in chicken wings because the bones change the way the wings heat up. A standard deep-frying oil temperature for a crisp exterior is 375°F (191°C), but at that temperature, the skin of the wings can overcook by the time the meat has come to its doneness temperature of 165°F (74°C). So the oil temperature needs to be lower so the meat can cook without the skin getting too brown. 350°F (177°C) is the best temperature. To make sure your oil has achieved the right temperature for frying, don’t drip in a breadcrumb or pinch of flour to see if it sizzles—use an accurate thermometer. With the pot clip that comes with the ChefAlarm leave-in probe thermometer, you can see when the oil reaches the right temperature for deep-frying. You can also make sure that the temperature recovers properly between batches and that the oil doesn’t get too hot while it’s cooking. Monitoring your oil temp while you cook is essential. Look at the way the oil temp drops when you add the chicken.
For best results, use a neutral-flavored, high-heat oil for this project, like peanut oil. It’s our go-to deep-frying oil of choice for its clean taste and smoke point of 446°F (230°C). But don’t use too much of it!
The Vessel: Our go-to deep-frying vessel is an enamel-coated cast iron dutch oven. As mentioned in our Grill-Worthy Burgers Indoors blog post, cast iron’s poor heat conductivity properties translate to fantastic heat retention properties. Oil temperature drops when food is added to the hot oil in a fryer; the hot cast iron helps to even out the temperature throughout the cooking process.
You make classic chicken wing sauce by whisking together Louisiana-style hot sauce (usually Frank’s) and melted butter. That’s it. It’s so simple it’s almost unbelievable. But you can make it better. By first preheating your hot sauce to about 110°F (43°C) (use your Thermapen!) and then whisking in cool butter that has been cut in pieces, you create an emulsion that is thicker, clingier, and has more body to it, which means better, saucier wings!
Chicken wings: background and history
This spicy bar-staple snack originates from the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York. In 1964 Teressa Bellissimo gathered some chicken wings typically used for stock and deep-fried them for a group of her son Dominic’s friends who were at the bar. She flavored the crispy wings with a secret sauce and they were an instant hit that has been a regular menu item ever since. Buffalo locals know them simply as “chicken wings”—not Buffalo wings. Wings got a boost in the 1980’s when producers needed to find things to do with the glut of extra chicken wings that was left after the production of one of America’s favorite meats: boneless, skinless chicken breasts. Someone had the clever idea to convince a few fast-food chains to start serving wings, and after that introduction, the upstate New York specialty became a national phenomenon. Today, chicken wings are hard to keep in stock for many grocers, especially during football season.
How Long Do I Deep-Fry Chicken Wings With Flour? : Making Meals Delicious
FAQ
How long does it take to deep fry wings?
Is it better to fry wings at 350 or 375?
Tips and temperatures for fried wings: The oil temperature needs to be lower so the meat can cook without the skin getting too brown. 350°F (177°C) is the best temperature.
How long does it take to shallow fry a chicken wing?
Add the oil and the wings. Fry the wings in a pan for 6-7 minutes on each side, without moving them, until they’re a deep golden brown. Sep 12, 2024.