Good Eats (1999–2012): Season 11, Episode 14 - The Wing and I - full transcript

MOST FOLKS
DON'T THINK OF BARS,

PUBS OR SALOONS AS BASTIONS
OF CULINARY CREATIVITY,

BUT IF YOU THINK ABOUT IT,

THEY ARE BASTIONS
OF CULINARY COMFORT,

AND MANY AN ENDEARING
AND ENDURING DISH

HAS BEEN INTRODUCED
TO A GRATEFUL WORLD

ACROSS A WIDE EXPANSE
OF MAHOGANY, TIN, ZINC,

LEATHER, TEAK OR OAK.

THE NACHO PLATTER,

LOADED POTATO SKINS,

STUFFED MUSHROOMS



AND FRIED CHEESE STICKS

HAVE ALL BECOME
CLASSIC BAR GRUB.

BUT NONE OF THESE CAN TOUCH
THE PHENOMENON THAT IS...

BUFFALO CHICKEN WINGS,
AKA HOT WINGS.

THE STORY OF THEIR CREATION
IS LEGEND.

IT IS SAID THAT
IN OCTOBER OF 1964,

ONE TERESSA BELLISSIMO

WAS GETTING READY
TO CLOSE HER PLACE,

THE ANCHOR BAR ON MAIN STREET
IN BUFFALO, NEW YORK,

WHEN HER SON AND SEVERAL OF
HIS COLLEGE BUDDIES DROPPED BY.

FEEDING THE BOYS ON THE FLY
BECAME NECESSARY,

AND NECESSITY, AS WE ALL KNOW,
IS THE MOTHER OF INVENTION.

AND WHAT MRS. BELLISSIMO
WAS SAID TO HAVE INVENTED

THAT NIGHT
IS NOTHING SHORT OF...



¶

WINGS ARE AMAZING STRUCTURES.

THE ONES ON THIS AIRPLANE
CREATE LIFT

BY TAKING ADVANTAGE
OF BERNOULLI'S PRINCIPLE,

WHICH STATES THAT FLUIDS,
INCLUDING AIR,

UNDERGO A REDUCTION OF PRESSURE
AS THE VELOCITY INCREASES.

NOW SINCE THE AIR MOVES
OVER THE TOP OF THE WINGS

FASTER THAN UNDER THEM,
WE CAN FLY.

THESE WINGS MUST BE
STRONG ENOUGH TO HANDLE THE LOAD

OF THE PLANE, G-FORCES,
TURBULENCE AND WHATNOT,

BUT THEY LUCKILY DO NOT HAVE
TO PROVIDE PROPULSION.

BIRD WINGS...
(chickens clucking)

WOULD YOU GUYS
BE QUIET BACK THERE?

SORRY.
BIRDS' WINGS OF COURSE DO,

AND THAT REQUIRES AN EXTREMELY
SOPHISTICATED SYSTEM OF JOINTS,

MUSCLES AND LIGAMENTS
WHICH CAN BE TASTY

BUT ALSO TROUBLESOME
FOR THE COOK.

OF COURSE,
CHICKENS AREN'T EXACTLY KNOWN

FOR THEIR SKILLS AS AVIATORS.

IN FACT, THEIR WINGS
ARE JUST A LITTLE MORE USEFUL

THAN OUR APPENDIX.
(chickens clucking)

NOISY.

YOU KNOW, DR. LACY,
IT'S NOT THAT I MIND

FLYING YOU AND YOUR CHICKENS
AROUND, BUT I DO HAVE TO ASK--

WHY IS IT THAT CHICKENS
CAN'T FLY THEMSELVES AROUND?

ALTON, LET'S LOOK AT
AN ORIGINAL CHICKEN HERE.

WHAT DO YOU MEAN ORIGINAL?

YOU MEAN LIKE, THE GRANDFATHER
OF ALL CHICKENS?

THIS IS A RED JUNGLE FOWL
FROM SOUTHEAST ASIA

WHICH IS THE ANCESTOR
OF ALL CHICKENS.

REALLY?
IT IS.

AND THIS BIRD GREW UP
ON THE GROUND.

A GROUND-DWELLING BIRD,

IT JUST FLEW SHORT DISTANCES
TO GET AWAY FROM PREDATORS

AND MAYBE TO CHASE BUGS,
THAT TYPE OF THING,

FLY UP INTO TREES.

THAT WAS SORT OF THE WAY
THE ORIGINAL DINOSAURS

THAT EVOLVED INTO BIRDS
USED THEIR WINGS CERTAINLY.

SO IT'S NOT THAT THESE GUYS
DEVOLVED FROM EAGLES,

IT'S JUST THAT THEY GOT OFF
THE EVOLUTIONARY BOAT

BEFORE THAT, I GUESS.
EXACTLY.

THEY USE THEIR WINGS
LIKE THE--LIKE THE DINOSAURS

THAT BECAME BIRDS
USED THEIR WINGS.

SO HE LOOKS KIND OF LIKE
A BAD-ATTITUDE KIND OF BIRD.

HE IS A TOUGH BIRD.
YOU ARE RIGHT.
YEAH?

TOUGH BIRD? WELL, WE DIDN'T
END UP WITH JUST THIS.

WE'VE GOT LOTS
OF DIFFERENT CHICKENS.

WAS THIS ALL THE WORK
OF MAN BASICALLY?

YES, INCREDIBLE GENETIC
DIVERSITY IN CHICKENS

THAT ALLOWED A LOT
OF DIFFERENT BREEDS

OF CHICKENS TO BE
BRED, INCLUDING--

I RECOGNIZE
THAT GUY RIGHT THERE,

THAT LOOKS LIKE
A PLAIN-OLD-CHICKEN CHICKEN.

THAT IS A BROILER CHICKEN,

THE ALL-AMERICAN MEAT
TYPE OF CHICKEN THAT IS--

ISN'T IT NICE
TO BE NAMED AFTER THE WAY

YOU'RE GONNA BE COOKED?
THAT'S EXACTLY RIGHT.

BROILER CHICKEN.

THAT'S GOT TO HURT

SORT OF A BOWLING BALL
WITH WINGS.

SO IF I JUST WENT LIKE THIS,
THIS GUY WOULD FLY?

HE WOULD FLY.

50 FEET?
A HUNDRED FEET?

PROBABLY A HUNDRED FEET.
MEXICO?

YEAH, A HUNDRED FEET.
THAT'S IMPRESSIVE.

AND I COULD JUST...
NO, NOT THIS ONE.

ALL RIGHT, WE'LL PUT
THIS GUY BACK.

HE LOOKS KIND OF VICIOUS.

I'LL DROP HIM IN,
YOU CLOSE THE DOOR.

READY?

GO.

SINCE THERE IS SUCH
A HIGH DEMAND FOR BREAST MEAT

IN THIS COUNTRY, WINGS ARE
STILL RELATIVELY CHEAP.

NOW SINCE I WOULD NEVER
CONSIDER COOKING WINGS

WITHOUT COOKING A MESS OF WINGS,
SAY, WELL, A LOT,

I USUALLY PURCHASE
THE PREWRAPPED PARTY PACK.

ONE PREWRAPPED
PARTY WING PACK, PLEASE.

OKAY.
SURE, YOU COULD JUST
CUT THE WINGS OFF

OF EVERY CHICKEN YOU COOK
FOR THE NEXT YEAR,

AND FREEZE THEM UNTIL YOU HAVE
YOUR OWN PREWRAPPED PARTY PACK,

BUT THAT'S A LITTLE BIT EXTREME
EVEN FOR ME.

AS THE GOOD DOCTOR
HAS ALREADY POINTED OUT,

A LONG HISTORY OF LAZINESS
HAS DEVOLVED THE CHICKEN WING

INTO A RELATIVELY
SIMPLE STRUCTURE

CHARACTERIZED BY THREE SEGMENTS
AND TWO HINGES.

HERE IS WHERE THE WING

WAS CUT AWAY FROM THE SHOULDER
AT THE PLANT.

THAT'S THE SCAPULA BONE
UP THERE.

THIS FIRST SECTION
IS CALLED THE DRUMETTE

BECAUSE OF ITS RESEMBLANCE
TO THE DRUMSTICK.

IT HOUSES THE HUMERUS BONE.

HA-HA-HA! THE HU--

THE SECOND SECTION OR WING FLAT
CONTAINS THE ULNA AND THE RADIUS

AND THEN THE WING TIP
OR NUBBIN

IS, WELL, PRETTY MUCH
A CULINARY WASTELAND.

AND NOW WE CUT.

LIGHTS!

PERFECT.

NOW LET'S TALK
ABOUT KNIVES.

FOR THIS KIND OF JOB,

I LIKE TO USE A STIFF-BLADED
BONING KNIFE SUCH AS THIS.

IF YOU DON'T HAVE ONE,

YOU CAN USE EITHER
A SHORT CHEF'S KNIFE

OR EVEN A PARING KNIFE, BUT
I LIKE THIS CURVE RIGHT HERE.

NOW LET'S TAKE A LOOK
AT OUR TARGET, THE WING.

HERE WE GO.

NOW THE JOINT BETWEEN THE FLAT
AND THE LITTLE NIBBLET HERE

IS JUST CARTILAGE,
SO WE CAN CUT THROUGH THAT

RIGHT DOWN ON THE BOARD.

IF YOU WANT TO SAVE THAT
FOR YOUR STOCK POT, YOU CAN.

IF NOT, DISCARD.

NOW THE JOINT HERE BETWEEN
THE DRUMETTE AND THE FLAT,

NOW THAT'S A STOUT CUSTOMER--

A LOT OF CONNESSE TIIVUE
AND A GOOD BIT OF BONE.

CUTTING THROUGH THIS WAY
IS ACTUALLY PRETTY TREACHEROUS,

AND YOU COULD MAKE A BIG MESS.

WHAT I LIKE TO DO IS
JUST TURN IT OVER AND SQUEEZE.

THAT'LL KIND OF REVEAL AND
OPEN UP THAT JOINT RIGHT THERE.

THEN WE CAN MAKE
A SMALL CUT TILL IT POPS OPEN,

LAY IT DOWN ON THE BOARD

AND THEN CUT THE REST
OF THE WAY THROUGH.

THAT'S ALL
THERE IS TO IT, KIDS.

AND TO THINK YOU WERE GONNA
PAY A BUTCHER TO DO THAT.

SHAME!

¶

 ¶

NOW IF WE'RE GOING TO PRODUCE
A NICE, CRISP SKIN

ON THESE JEWELS,
THEY HAVE GOT TO BE DRY

WHEN THEY MEET THE HEAT,

AND I DON'T MEAN JUST, YOU KNOW,
PAT-DOWN-ON-PAPER TOWEL DRY.

I MEAN THE KIND OF DRY
THAT ONLY A COUPLE OF HOURS

IN THE OLD CHILL CHEST
WILL CREATE.

THAT MEANS YOU'RE GONNA HAVE TO
STASH THESE IN HERE UNCOVERED--

(grunts)
HEY!

IT'S YOU!
YES.

HERE TO STOP YOU FROM HARMING
YOURSELF OR OTHERS.

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT,
YOU ANNOYING ORNAMENTAL IMP?

I'M TALKING ABOUT YOU WITH
ALL THAT CONTAMINATED POULTRY

ALL SOAKED WITH SALMONELLA.

I NEED TO DRY IT AND CHILL IT.

COVERING IT
WILL RUIN EVERYTHING.

WELL, THEN YOU'RE GOING TO HAVE
TO FOLLOW SOME STRICT RULES,

MY DIRTY FRIEND.
HEY, I'M NOT DIRTY.

PUT THAT POULTRY DOWN HERE
ON THE BOTTOM SHELF

IN A LARGE CONTAINER.

WHAT, YOU MEAN LIKE THIS?
YES, QUITE.

AND MAKE SURE YOU CONSULT
YOUR REFRIGERATOR THERMOMETER

TO ENSURE AVOIDANCE
OF THE DANGER ZONE.

YOU MEAN LIKE THIS?
OH!

YOU'VE GONE AND TOUCHED IT
WITH YOUR CHICKENY HAND.

YOU MORON.
I'M OUT OF HERE. TA-TA.

THE LITTLE BOOGER'S RIGHT,
OF COURSE.

CROSS-CONTAMINATION
IS AN ISSUE.

THE BEST WAY TO INSURE
AGAINST IT

IS TO CONTAIN AND ISOLATE.

PLACING THE WINGS
ON THE BOTTOM SHELF

IN A HIGH-SIDED CONTAINER
WILL KEEP THEM AWAY

FROM ANY COOKED FOOD
THAT MIGHT BE EXPOSED UP HERE.

OOH, YOU'LL ALSO NOTICE
THAT I'VE SPREAD THESE OUT

ON A LITTLE STEAMER BASKET
INSIDE THIS BOWL

TO HELP WITH
THE AIR CIRCULATION.

AND ACTUALLY, THE LOWER
YOU CAN GO, THE BETTER.

THERE.

PERFECT.

NOW LET US CONSIDER
COOKING.

NOW BEING BAR FOOD,

MOST BUFFALO-STYLE WINGS
ARE DEEP-FAT FRIED

BECAUSE DEEP-FAT FRYING
IS FAST, TASTY

AND MOST BARS
THAT SERVE FOOD

HAVE COMMERCIAL FRYERS
LIKE THIS.

LET'S GIVE IT A TRY.

OH, THAT'S OKAY.
WE GOT TWO CIRCUITS.

OH, BOTHER.

WELL, AS I WAS
ABOUT TO SAY,

DEEP-FAT FRYING IS
NOT THE BEST WAY

TO COOK BUFFALO CHICKEN WINGS

BECAUSE, WELL, THEY ALREADY
CONTAIN

ENOUGH FAT TO ESSENTIALLY
FRY THEMSELVES

AS LONG AS WE CAN APPLY
THE CORRECT DOSAGE OF HEAT.

I-I THINK THE BREAKER BOX
IS IN THE BASEMENT.

EXCUSE ME.

WINGS ARE COVERED
WITH SKIN.

THAT SKIN WILL STICK
TO A HOT PIECE OF METAL

LIKE A TONGUE
TO A WINTER FLAGPOLE

SO YOU'RE GONNA USE RACKS
WHICH WILL HELP,

AND YOU'LL LUBE THEM UP
LIBERALLY

BEFORE YOU LAY ON THE POULTRY.

NOW IF YOU WANT CRISPY SKIN,
AND OF COURSE WE DO,

WE'LL NEED TO POUR ON
THE HEAT.

425 DEGREES
SHOULD DO THE TRICK.

OF COURSE, SINCE THEY CONTAIN
A LITTLE BIT OF FAT,

ODDS ARE THERE'LL BE
A BIT OF SMOKE

BUT IT'LL BE OKAY.

(coughing)

OBVIOUSLY, IF WE ROAST
THE WINGS AT 425,

WE'LL GET FABULOUS SKIN,
BUT TOO MUCH SMOKE

FROM ALL THAT FAT
RENDERING OUT AND PARALYSIZING.

IF WE GO WITH
A LOWER TEMPERATURE,

SAY, 350, FOR A LONGER TIME,

WE'LL STAY BENEATH
THE SMOKE POINT OF THE FAT.

WE MIGHT GET
THE CRISP SKIN,

BUT WE'LL ALSO
DRY OUT THE MEAT.

NO, WE NEED ANOTHER METHOD.

SO I'M THINKING
THAT THE ANSWER TO OUR DILEMMA

IS TO COOK THE WINGS TWICE
STARTING WITH A WET METHOD.

OKAY, STEAM WILL PROVIDE
THE NECESSARY HEAT

TO SQUEEZE THE EXCESS FAT
OUT OF THOSE WINGS

WITHOUT OVERCOOKING
OR DRYING THE MEAT OR THE SKIN.

NOW THE WING PIECES
WILL NEED SOME SPACE.

I DON'T REALLY WANT TO
PILE THEM ONTO A SINGLE ST--

EXCUSE ME.

¶

THERE,
24 PIECES OF CHICKEN,

EACH ONE WITH PLENTY OF ROOM

FOR STEAM TO GET IN AND AROUND.

NOW SPEAKING OF STEAM,

WE WILL BRING TO A BOIL
IN YOUR LARGEST POT

ABOUT AN INCH AND A HALF
OF WATER.

WE WILL BRING THAT DOWN
TO JUST A SIMMER

AND THEN LOWER IN
OUR LUSCIOUS PAYLOAD.

COVER, AND I FIGURE THAT
TEN MINUTES SHOULD DO THE JOB--

JUST LONG ENOUGH FOR ME
TO PUT AWAY ALL THESE FANS.

(timer buzzing)

TIME TO EVACUATE.

THERE'S GONNA BE
A GOOD BIT OF STEAM

SO DON PROTECTION
AND OPEN THE LID AWAY.

AH, VERY GOOD.

NOW I'LL SET THOSE ASIDE.

YOU CAN SEE BY LOOKING DOWN
IN THE WATER--

SEE ALL THAT SCHMALTZ IN THERE?

THAT MEANS THAT
WE'VE RENDERED OUT

A CONSIDERABLE
AMOUNT OF FAT.

NOW I WANT TO
COOL THESE GUYS DOWN,

AND I THINK THAT'S A LITTLE TALL
FOR THE REFRIGERATOR,

SO I'LL MOVE THEM TO A HALF-
SHEET PAN AND COOLING RACK

WITH A LITTLE BIT
A PAPER TOWEL

'CAUSE THOSE ARE
GONNA KEEP DRIPPING.

¶

NOW THAT THEY HAVE CHILLED,

SLIDE YOUR WINGS
INTO A 425-DEGREE OVEN

FOR 20 MINUTES.

OH, AND YOU'RE GOING TO WANT
TO TRADE OUT THAT PAPER TOWEL

FOR SOME PARCHMENT PAPER.

PAPER TOWELS DON'T LIKE
HIGH TEMPERATURES.

THERE WE GO.

NOW LET'S TALK SAUCE.

IF OUR INTEL CONCERNING
THAT FATEFUL NIGHT IN 1964

IS CORRECT,

THEN THE ORIGINAL
BUFFALO CHICKEN WING SAUCE

WAS NOTHING MORE
THAN A MIXTURE

OF BOTTLED HOT SAUCE
AND MARGARINE,

WHICH OF COURSE
IS A BUTTER SUBSTITUTE

CONSISTING OF A BLEND
OF HYDROGENATED VEGETABLE OILS,

EMULSIFIERS, COLORING AGENTS,
VITAMINS AND IN MANY VERSIONS

A BIG WHOPPING DOLLOP
OF TRANS FATS,

WHICH SOME DOCTORS SAY...

ARE ACTUALLY WORSE FOR YOU
THAN THE SATURATED FATS

IN THE BUTTER THAT THE MARGARINE
WAS INVENTED TO REPLACE.

NOT THAT YOU COULDN'T
STAND TO CUT BACK ON BOTH.

THANK YOU.

¶

 ¶

I FEEL CERTAIN,
HAD MRS. BELLISSIMO UNDERSTOOD

THE PERILS OF TRANS FATS,

SHE WOULD HAVE SIMPLY REACHED
FOR BUTTER

WHICH DESPITE ITS SATURATED FAT,
IS AT LEAST REAL FOOD...

(chuckles)
AND DARN TASTY.

SO WE NEED 3 OUNCES
OF MELTED BUTTER.

THAT'S 6 TABLESPOONS
OR 3/4 OF A STICK.

NOW THE MICROWAVE IS
THE RIGHT TOOL FOR THIS MISSION,

BUT YOU WANT
TO AVOID HIGH POWER

WHICH CAN CAUSE
GEYSER-LIKE EXPLOSIONS

AS THE WATER INSIDE THE BUTTER
BEGINS TO BOIL.

CUTTING THEM INTO PIECES
HELPS WITH THIS AS WELL.

WHILE YOU'RE AT IT,

YOU MIGHT AS WELL GO AHEAD
AND TOSS IN

A CLOVE'S WORTH
OF MINCED GARLIC.

WARMING THAT
WITH THE BUTTER

WILL HELP TO OPEN UP
THE FLAVORS.

NOW WHILE THIS MELTS DOWN,

WE WILL CONTEMPLATE
THE CULT OF CAPSAICIN.

TEN YEARS AGO,

IF YOU WENT TO YOUR
LOCAL MEGAMART FOR HOT SAUCE,

THERE WERE,
LIKE, THREE CHOICES.

THERE'D BE
SOME STUFF FROM TEXAS,

SOME STUFF FROM LOUISIANA
AND SOME STUFF WITH, YOU KNOW,

CHILIES KIND OF FLOATING AROUND
INSIDE OF IT, BUT TODAY,

THERE ARE DOZENS OF DIFFERENT
SAUCES READILY AVAILABLE

FROM ALL OVER THE PLANET.
HOW DID THIS HAPPEN?

WELL, SOME SAY IT'S JUST
THE RESULT OF THE INFLUX

OF VARIOUS ETHNIC CUISINES
INTO THE MAINSTREAM,

BUT THERE'S ANOTHER THEORY
GAINING MOMENTUM.

THIS THEORY SUGGESTS
THAT IT'S THE BABY BOOMERS.

THAT'S RIGHT.

YOU SEE, THOSE OF US BORN
DURING THE GREAT POSTWAR SPAWN

BETWEEN 1946 AND 1964
ARE GETTING OLDER,

AND AS WE MOVE BEYOND 40,
WE LOSE TASTE BUDS

AT AN ACCELERATED RATE.

IT MAY BE THAT THIS
INFLUX OF HEAT IS NOTHING MORE

THAN A MARKET REACTION
TO THE FACT THAT WE REQUIRE

INCREASED STIMULATION,
AND WE'RE WILLING TO PAY FOR IT.

SOME ANTHROPOLOGISTS,
OF COURSE, BELIEVE THAT

THE CONSUMPTION OF HOT FOODS IS
CLOSELY TIED TO MATING RITUALS.

LET'S FIND OUT.

HI, WOULD YOU LIKE TO TRY
MY NEW HOT SAUCE?

UH, NO THANKS.
OH, I DON'T BLAME YOU.

WHAT'S THAT SUPPOSED
TO MEAN?

OH, NOTHING.
IT'S JUST REALLY HOT.

WHATEVER.

YOU KNOW,
I DO WANT TO TRY IT.

NO, YOU DON'T.
WHAT?

YOU DON'T THINK
I COULD HANDLE IT?

OH, COME ON, SIR.

A MAN OF YOUR STATURE
CAN HANDLE--

NO.
COME ON, PUMPKIN,
LET'S GO.

YOU KNOW WHAT SPICY FOOD
DOES TO YOU.

YOU TOO, HUH, HONEY?

YOU JUST TAKE THIS AND YOU SEE
WHAT YOUR MAN'S MADE OF.

DON'T. STOP.

DON'T DO IT.
WHOO!

DO YOU THINK THIS IS
GOING TO IMPRESS ME?

ACTUALLY, IF RECENT
SOCIOLOGICAL STUDIES

ARE CORRECT,
YES.

BECAUSE IT'S NOT.
IT'S JUST DUMB.

I'M FINE. SEE,
NO, NO...
YOU DON'T LOOK FINE.

WELL, THAT'S BECAUSE
THE CAPSAICIN

IS JUST STARTING TO REALLY
BIND ONTO HIS TONGUE,

SENDING MIXED MESSAGES
TO HIS BRAIN WHICH ARE

INTERPRETED AS PAIN.
PAIN. LOTS OF PAIN.

HAVE SOME TOAST THERE,
THAT'LL HELP.

STILL BURNING?
STILL BURNING?

SOUR CREAM, AISLE FOUR.

YEAH, THAT'LL SET YOU UP.

YOU KNOW, THE CONSUMPTION
OF OVERLY HOT FOODS

MAY BE AN EXPRESSION
OF ANCIENT MATING BEHAVIOR

WHERE THE MALE SEEKS
TO IMPRESS A PROSPECTIVE MATE

WITH FEATS
OF PHYSICAL ENDURANCE.

YOU--YOU MEAN
HE REALLY LOVES ME?

I DON'T KNOW
IF I'D CALL IT...

YEAH, HE LOVES YOU.

WAIT, PUMPKIN, HONEY BUNNY
IS GONNA MAKE IT ALL BETTER.

AH, 20 MINUTES IS UP,

TIME TO FLIP FOR EVENNESS--
AND NOTICE NO SMOKE.

THERE, ANOTHER 20 MINUTES

AND WE'LL BE
IN CHICKEN WING NIRVANA.

ALTHOUGH THE RATIO
OF HOT SAUCE TO BUTTER

IS COMPLETELY UP TO YOU,

I FIND THAT
A QUARTER OF A CUP

OR 2 OUNCES
OF THE HOT STUFF

TO 3 OUNCES OF BUTTER
HITS THE BEST BALANCE.

THE HEAT WILL BE THERE,
BUT SO WILL THE FLAVOR.

YOU WON'T JUST
BLOW YOUR HEAD OFF.

NOW MAKE SURE YOU MIX THIS

ALONG WITH 1/2 TEASPOON OF
KOSHER SALT IN A BIG OLD BOWL,

BIG ENOUGH TO ACCOMMODATE
THE TOSSING OF THE WINGS.

AND OF COURSE, IF YOU WANT
TO UP THE GARLIC,

YOU COULD THROW IN ANOTHER
ONE, MAYBE TWO MINCED CLOVES

AT THIS TIME.

THERE.
NOW WHISK TO COMBINE.

AH, PERFECT.

NOW I KNOW 40 MINUTES AT 425
SEEMS EXTREME

FOR ITEMS THIS SMALL

BUT KEEP IN MIND
THERE IS STILL A FAIR AMOUNT

OF FAT LEFT INSIDE
THOSE LITTLE JEWELS

AND SOME TOUGH CONNECTIVE TISSUE
THAT NEEDED TO SOFTEN.

AS FOR THE SKIN,
IT IS VERY CRISP

WHICH IS PERHAPS THE MOST
IMPORTANT CHARACTERISTIC.

AND AGAIN, NO SMOKE.

NONE.
NOT A BIT.

HA-HA.

IN ORDER FOR THE SAUCE TO
PROPERLY MARRY WITH THE SKIN,

IT IS IMPERATIVE
THAT THIS STEP BE DONE

WHILE THE WINGS
ARE STILL HOT.

THE NICE THING ABOUT
THIS PARTICULAR METHOD IS THAT

EVEN ONCE SATURATED WITH SAUCE,

THE SKINS WILL REMAIN CRISPY.

¶



THERE YOU GO.

I KNOW, YOU'RE WONDERING
WHERE THE CELERY

AND BLUE CHEESE DRESSING ARE.

WELL THEY'RE IN
THE REFRIGERATOR.

I KNOW.

THERE ARE THOSE WHO WOULD ARGUE
THAT THE CELERY AND DRESSING

WERE PUT WITH THE WINGS BECAUSE
MRS. BELLISSIMO KNEW

THAT THE HEAT OF THE WINGS
WOULD NEED SOME COOLING BALANCE.

WELL, I DON'T THINK
IT DIMINISHES HER GENIUS ONE BIT

TO SUGGEST THAT BEING
A GOOD HOSTESS,

SHE JUST GRABBED
WHAT SHE HAD.

I THINK IT WAS PROBABLY
A HAPPY ACCIDENT

AND IT'S NOT ONE
THAT I'M INCLINED TO PERPETUATE.

WHEN I WANT TO GET
MY WING ON,

I DON'T WANT TO STOP
FOR A SALAD.

THAT'S A DIFFERENT SHOW.

NOW I REALIZE THAT THE HOT SAUCE
AND BUTTER APPROACH

MAY NOT BE FOR EVERYONE

BUT THAT'S NO REASON
TO VEER OFF YOUR WINGS.

THE TECHNIQUE OF COATING A FOOD
IN A SUGAR-BASED GLAZE

HAS BEEN PRACTICED
IN CHINA SINCE,

I DON'T KNOW,
SINCE CONFUCIUS WAS A KID.

THE SECRET TO SUCCESS
IS TO STRIKE A BALANCE

OF SWEET AND SOUR,
SALT AND SPICE.

IT'S A YIN-YANG KIND OF THING.

HERE'S HOW I SEE IT.

THE SALTY, WE WILL GET FROM
1 TABLESPOON OF SOY SAUCE,

THE SPICE FROM HALF A TEASPOON
OF RED PEPPER FLAKE,

THE SWEET FROM
2 TEASPOONS OF HONEY

AND A 6-OUNCE CAN OF FROZEN
ORANGE JUICE CONCENTRATE.

THE SOUR WILL BE
1 TEASPOON OF VINEGAR,

RICE WINE VINEGAR,
AND WE'LL ALSO USE

3 TABLESPOONS
OF HOISIN SAUCE.

OKAY, NOW HOISIN
USUALLY CONTAINS

FERMENTED SOYBEAN PASTE
LIKE MISO, VINEGAR, GARLIC,

VARIOUS CHILIES
AND OTHER FLAVORINGS,

AND SOMETIMES SESAME OIL.

IN OTHER WORDS,
IT CONTAINS COMPONENTS

OF ALL THE TEAMS
PUT TOGETHER AND THEN SOME.

COMBINE THE AFOREMENTIONED
INGREDIENTS

IN A SMALL SAUCEPAN
AND BRING TO A SIMMER

OVER MEDIUM-HIGH HEAT.

THE GOAL IS TO SLOWLY DRIVE AWAY
THE WATER CONTENT

AND THEREFORE INCREASE
THE SUGAR CONTENT

CREATING ABOUT HALF A CUP OR SO
OF A FINISHED GLAZE.

NOW REMEMBER,
AS THE SUGAR CONTENT INCREASES

SO WILL THE POSSIBILITY
OF BURNING,

WHICH IS WHY WE'RE DOING THIS
OVER, WELL, NOT FULL FLAME.

WHEN YOU SEE THE BUBBLES
START TO KIND OF

STACK UP ON EACH OTHER,
YOU KNOW THAT YOU'RE GETTING

VERY, VERY CLOSE SO MANAGE
YOUR FLAME ACCORDINGLY.

THERE, OUR GLAZE IS DONE,

BUT IT IS NOT YET READY
TO MEET OUR WINGS.

GO AHEAD AND TRANSFER
TO YOUR GREAT BIG TOSSING BOWL

AND THEN LET THIS COOL DOWN
FOR FIVE MINUTES.

THAT WILL THICKEN THE GLAZE,

AND BECAUSE THE WATER CONTENT
WILL BE A LITTLE LESS MOBILE,

IT WILL BE A LOT LESS LIKELY TO
SOFTEN THE CRUST ON OUR WINGS.

YOU DID STEAM, COOL
AND PERFECTLY ROAST

A PAN OF WING PIECES, RIGHT?

GOOD.

THERE YOU GO.

AND THUS, THE HUMBLE,
ALMOST COMPLETELY USELESS

CHICKEN WING SHOWS THAT IT STILL
DOES HAVE A REASON TO EXIST.

MY HOPE IS THAT ONE DAY,

CHICKEN BREEDERS WILL EMBRACE
THIS MAGNIFICENT APPENDAGE

AND BREED US A BIRD
WITH WINGS LIKE...

(eagle shrieking)

IF THAT DAY EVER COMES,

I'LL BE WAITING,
HOT SAUCE IN HAND.

SEE YOU NEXT TIME
ON "GOOD EATS."

Closed Captions provided
by Scripps Networks, LLC.