Elephant & Castle chicken wings? Read first post!

stargazer 68

limnam wrote: »

Couldn't find it in the thread as most people seem to fry the wings.

If doing the wings in the oven, is there still a benefit to adding the flour before hand?

Do you bake the wings with the sauce or is it better to cook the sauce separate and then cover after baking?

We bake the wings in the oven - no flour. Then mix the sauce, butter in a pot and pour it over them and put them back in the oven. Better than any restaurant

Gloomtastic!

I use cornflour instead of plain flour, mixed with a load of different dried herbs and spices. I'm sure there's a scientific reason for the cornflour but I just picked it up from a recipe years ago and have continued using it.

limnam

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

I use cornflour instead of plain flour, mixed with a load of different dried herbs and spices. I'm sure there's a scientific reason for the cornflour but I just picked it up from a recipe years ago and have continued using it.

Do you bake or fry though?

Gloomtastic!

limnam wrote: »

Do you bake or fry though?

Always bake. Put your dry rub/cornflour on day before. Marinade in fridge. Put a sheet of greaseproof paper over your roasting tin and a single layer of wings. Roast in oven on 140c for an hour, then 20/30 minutes on 200c to crisp up.

Adding quite a lot of salt to your marinade also helps dry wings out.

rubadub

I put potato starch on my wings, mixed with a KFC clone of spices. I airfry them and do it at about 120C first. This heats up without burning and the fat then starts to come out and is absorbed by the starch (happens with regular flour too). It also renders down a lot of the thicker bits of fat very well, once all the flour/starch is moist and full of fat I crank it up to 200C and it will not burn.

frag420

Not sure if those who bake do this but...

...I always par boil my wings for 5-7 mins and leave em to dry out before baking them. This keeps the meat moist while they bake! When laying them on baking tray try not to have them too close as they will steam and won’t be as crispy. When done right they are as good as fried!

Oranage2

frag420 wrote: »

Not sure if those who bake do this but...

...I always par boil my wings for 5-7 mins and leave em to dry out before baking them. This keeps the meat moist while they bake! When laying them on baking tray try not to have them too close as they will steam and won’t be as crispy. When done right they are as good as fried!

I heard adding baking powder before you bake to the chicken wing skin can get them even crispier

Muahahaha

Gloomtastic! wrote: »

I use cornflour instead of plain flour, mixed with a load of different dried herbs and spices. I'm sure there's a scientific reason for the cornflour but I just picked it up from a recipe years ago and have continued using it.

Theres definitely something in the use of cornflour. A lot of Chinese recipes call for a marinade of cornflour and either soy sauce or rice wine vinegar. They call the technique velveting the meat and the idea is you can use cheaper cuts but the velveting process will make it really tender. Anytime I do it with chicken thighs to make a kung pao after a couple of hours marinating the chicken ends up having the texture of breast but also very juicy and succulent. I didnt have time to marinade once and still made it and there was a noticeable difference in texture.

McMurphy

Had wings just last night, but didn't get photos, but this is the recipe/method I use everytime and it's pretty much fool proof.

First I portion complete wings, cut the tips off, and into the bin, then bend the "elbow" part of the wing back on itself and you'll feel/hear it pop as the bones dislodge from themselves. Get a sharp knife through this part leaving yourself with the flat and the drumstick.

At this stage I usually pat my portions dry with some kitchen roll, and lay them out on a roasting rack for a while to dry out further (but not important if you don't)

For my rub, I use either 3 X Tbs of chicken/steak seasoning rub (from Aldi sold in like a pepper/salt grinder) OR 3 X Tbs of peri-peri rub (also sold in Aldi) that comes in a sachet. Add to this a half tablespoon of flour and one and a half tablespoons of baking POWDER (not soda)

Lay them out on the roasting rack (with grease proof paper or foil underneath) making sure to leave plenty of room between each part to let the hot air circulate properly, ensuring maximum crispiness.

Stick them in the oven on a low heat for 20mins or so (to render the fat from them) and then whack the heat up to 180/200 for another 40mins or so turning half way.

For the sauce, and I haven't been over the thread to check others recipie, but I just heat up a cup or two of Frank's red hot original sauce in a pan, add in some butter (tbs or two) some cider vinegar, and sugar.

Bring to the boil and immediately turn off the heat once it starts to bubble.

I like to actually toss my wings in the sauce still in the pan to ensure they get coated really well, then stick them in a bowl, and pour over any remaining sauce.

Serve with celery sticks (doh) and preferably a decent really good cold beer.

rubadub

McMurphy wrote: »

First I portion complete wings, cut the tips off, and into the bin, then bend the "elbow" part of the wing back on itself and you'll feel/hear it pop as the bones dislodge from themselves. Get a sharp knife through this part leaving yourself with the flat and the drumstick.

Aldi & tesco (maybe others) sell the wings ready done.

https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=304073822

they are 4euro per kilo in tesco and 3euro per kilo for regular ones.

https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=268469756

bear in mind the tips will be discarded unless used for stock or something, so that narrows the price difference if comparing the price per kilo of what you use.


E&C are doing bigger boxes now, and seems their regular portion is 1kg.

What size portion is the Family Wing Box?
The Family Wing Box is double the size of our regular portion, approximately 2kg of our famous wings.

McMurphy

McMurphy wrote: »

For the sauce, and I haven't been over the thread to check others recipie, but I just heat up a cup or two of Frank's red hot original sauce in a pan, add in some butter (tbs or two) some cider vinegar, and sugar.

Frank's with added cider vinegar??? I'm a drooly, sweaty mess here thinking about it :pac:

Mellor

[Deleted User] wrote: »

Frank's with added cider vinegar??? I'm a drooly, sweaty mess here thinking about it :pac:

If you like the sauce with a vinegar kick, pour it directly on cooked wings and don’t cook the sauce.

Boiling the sauce, coating the wings and putting them back in oven etc removes some of the vinegar. People who don’t like vinegar should boil away obviously.

zerosugarbuzz

I fine the easiest way to book wings Is to put them in the air fryer for 35 minutes on 200. Then toss them in FHS with some butter melted in. I’ll try adding a little apple cider vinegar though thanks for the tip.

Mike Litoris

I've tried all the different methods and still the ol' original deep fried cant be beat. 2 Franks to 1 unsalted butter boiled for 5 to 10 mins to create an emulsion. Flour with a bit of paprika to dust the wings before frying. Tossed in the sauce when done.

Dial Hard

Red wine vinegar also works, for the vinegar lovers.

zerosugarbuzz

Mike Litoris wrote: »

I've tried all the different methods and still the ol' original deep fried cant be beat. 2 Franks to 1 unsalted butter boiled for 5 to 10 mins to create an emulsion. Flour with a bit of paprika to dust the wings before frying. Tossed in the sauce when done.

I'm sure they taste delicious. But, the amount of oil that comes off them in their natural state in the air fryer is substantial, not sure I could bring myself to add to it. Each to their own.

I saw a youtube video for lemon and pepper wings, anyone made those?

Minime2.5

I've heard the E&C wings arent the best in Dublin anymore. Is this true?

zerosugarbuzz

Minime2.5 wrote: »

I've heard the E&C wings arent the best in Dublin anymore. Is this true?

I would agree with that about their entire menu. Haven't been back in a few years at this stage. Standards in a lot of city centre restaurants declined with the influx of mass tourism.

Mellor

Mellor wrote: »

If you like the sauce with a vinegar kick, pour it directly on cooked wings and don’t cook the sauce.

Boiling the sauce, coating the wings and putting them back in oven etc removes some of the vinegar. People who don’t like vinegar should boil away obviously.

I absolutely love vinegar, but the odd time it can bring me out in the sweats.

I used to go OTT on my wings sauce IMO - Frank's, chopped garlic and chili, some kind of vinegar. It would both burn the mouth off me and leave me soaking.

Now it's just Frank's and Kerrygold.

Fúck it - I'm having wings today.

dball

Gloomtastic!

^ Maida is just plain flour and plain yogurt can be used instead of curd. Using that much chilli powder is likely to blow your head off.

Twee.

Did wings for the first time in ages recently, bloody delicious! I spread them out on a tray and left them in the fridge overnight, then pre-cooking tossed in small bit of oil, garlic powder, salt & pepper, then cook. Make sauce of Franks, butter and honey, then coat wings and bang them under the grill. The honey caramelises and gives a lovely crunch.

E&C were bought over and made into a chain of sorts so I'm sure some reduction in quality happened along the way!

Sidford

Hope this is the right place to ask but how do you get your wings crispy without a deep fat fryer? Saw just now some use honey along with Frank's as a coat, will definitely try that.
Anyone use an air fryer to get them crispy?

Oranage2

Sidford wrote: »

Hope this is the right place to ask but how do you get your wings crispy without a deep fat fryer? Saw just now some use honey along with Frank's as a coat, will definitely try that.
Anyone use an air fryer to get them crispy?

Yeah you can, salt them and leave them in the fridge on a rack the night before (gets them dry), then space them apart in the air fryer.

rubadub

Oranage2 wrote: »

(gets them dry)

The airfryer can also dry the surface a bit before going full blast. I do this on steaks, up to 60mins on 80C and its still pink inside

rubadub wrote: »

I put potato starch on my wings, mixed with a KFC clone of spices. I airfry them and do it at about 120C first. This heats up without burning and the fat then starts to come out and is absorbed by the starch (happens with regular flour too). It also renders down a lot of the thicker bits of fat very well, once all the flour/starch is moist and full of fat I crank it up to 200C and it will not burn (burn the flour/starch)

Sidford

Nice one thanks a lot for that. Love wings but they never turn out that crispy so was just looking to see how to get them that way and whether it's best done with an air fryer.

McMurphy

Sidford wrote: »

Nice one thanks a lot for that. Love wings but they never turn out that crispy so was just looking to see how to get them that way and whether it's best done with an air fryer.

Baking powder (NOT SODA) is your friend here.

Oranage2

rubadub wrote: »

The airfryer can also dry the surface a bit before going full blast. I do this on steaks, up to 60mins on 80C and its still pink inside

How long do you cook them at each temperature? They sound delicious

dball

Now this:
https://www.mashed.com/239229/read-this-before-putting-chicken-wings-in-an-air-fryer/

rubadub

Oranage2 wrote: »

How long do you cook them at each temperature? They sound delicious

only see this now. I do wings for about 30-40mins on 120C and then maybe 20-25 on 180-200C.

It would depend on the amount of them and the size. I like the fat well rendered off.

I usually stick to thighs now and would do them 30-60mins first at 120C.

There is a tower brand airfryer going cheap at the moment, free delivery to here
https://www.amazon.co.uk/Tower-Circulation-Technology-Adjustable-Temperature/dp/B077B9X3SB