Wings 3 Ways

Lately Byrd has been craving Chinese food, mostly Hot and Sour soup and spring rolls.  Yesterday the plan was to go pick some up and that would be dinner.  But at some point I got a taste for wings, I don't know where it came from, but after I talked them up, she finally agreed to put the soup and spring rolls on hold, in order to satisfy my wing craving, I am a lucky guy.  I have been wanting to try my friend Evan's (evanspices.com) sweet soy wings.  I started to make the soy sauce/marinade.  I am usually pretty good at following a recipe, but sometimes my mind wanders and I make mistakes.  This was one of those times.  Instead of the 1/8 cup of soy sauce and apple cider vinegar, I put 1/2 cup of each.  I finished the sauce and well, it tasted fine so I went with it. I had a package of 8 full wings, that I cut down to drumsticks and flats.  I took the "hook" as I call it off.  I wanted a variety so I marinated 7 wings in this sauce.  Reserving 2/3 for tossing and dipping. 

Sweet Soy Sauce

1/2 cup Soy Sauce

1/2 cup Apple Cider Vinegar

1 cup Sugar

1 Tablespoon Crushed Red Pepper

Years ago I worked for a restaurant here in Birmingham named Locos Grille and Pub.  I have always loved their hot sauce so I  made some as well.  This isn't their exact recipe, but I will say it's as close as it gets.  They don't marinate their wings, they fry them and toss them, like most restaurants do.  But I marinated 3 wings in the hot sauce just to see how it would taste grilled.  I left 8 wings with no marinade or seasoning to  toss in the sauces to see how much of a difference the marinade made.  

Hot Sauce

1 1/2 cup Texas Pete Hot Sauce

1/4 cup Sugar

1 Tablespoon Blackening Seasoning

1/4 Tablespoon granulated garlic

I used the 30-20-10 method from Nibble Me This.  I have never tried this method, but I have tried several of his dishes and have no reason to doubt him now.  So I set up my grill for an indirect cook, while the wings were drying out in the fridge.  I got my temperature to 350 and put them on.  

I cooked them for 30 minutes lid on, flipped them, cooked for 20 minutes, then sauced them and put them directly over the fire for 10 to crisp them up.  I took them off and sauced the wings.  The wings I didn't marinade I tossed in the hot sauce and sprinkled the tops with lemon pepper seasoning.  I used to do this when I worked at the above mentioned restaurant.  I love the flavor pairing.  Here are the wings with their best friends, celery, carrots and fies. We are still on the diet, but I needed some fries.

The wings turned out perfect.  I will now live by the 30-20-10 method for wings.  Great timing.  The hot sauce tossed wings were great, although Byrd and I agreed that a mix of the sweet soy wings dipped in the hot sauce was our favorite.  

Pickapeppa Chicken

I have known about Pickapeppa Sauce (you can usually find it in your local grocery store) for awhile now, but the only time I have had the pleasure is when one of my friends wifes has topped cream cheese with it.  Now it is delicious that way, served with a few tasty crackers or veggies.  But that was it for me and Pickapeppa.  When I came across this recipe on Food & Fire, a great blog by the way, I was dying to try it.  It looked simple enough, but it took planning.  I am not a great planner, more of an impulse cook. However, I am a great bargain shopper.  I came across a great deal on chicken thighs a week ago, so I naturally bought them, I took them out and froze them in bags of two and four.  Byrd doesn't really like chicken on the bone, well she likes wings, but thats about as far as it goes.  She was skeptical this time.  I took a pack of four chicken thighs out of the freezer and let them thaw and then marinated them in the Pickapeppa based marinade.  I did make a few changes to the original. First I cut the recipe in half since we were only doing 4 thighs.  I also added a little crushed red pepper, just because I like a little extra spice every now and then.  Food & Fire said to:"Marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours, overnight is better, 48 hours rocks." They were allowed 24 hours, because I just couldn't wait any longer.

I put them on the grill skin side down for 20 minutes, then flipped them and let them cook indirectly for 40 minutes.  I did add some apple wood chips for a little of that sweet smoky flavor.

To go with the chicken I made some green beans.  I started by rendering  a slice of bacon and some red onion, then adding a can of beans.  

This was by far the best chicken I have ever cooked.  It was just that good.  A perfect blend of sweet, tangy, and spicy.  We did serve it with a side of the Pickapeppa Sauce, but agreed that it was not needed, the flavor was perfect.  Byrd actually said we can have this again this week, maybe she has finally come around to the chicken thighs.  I guess it is good that we have 36 left in the freezer.

Smoked Chicken and Relish Sandwich

Today for lunch I really wanted to try some pulled pork pockets from Sizzle on the Grill with a variety of smoked chicken and pork.  These look delicious.  I started to pull some meat out of the freezer, when Bryd reminded me we didn't have any biscuit dough. So we had to make a quick change of plans, but since BBQ was already on my mind, might as well have a sandwich.  I thawed out some smoked chicken that I had frozen in some Saw's sauce.  I have never frozen chicken with sauce on it, but it turned out great.  The flavor was still in the chicken and the sauce added a nice spicy touch.

With left over BBQ chicken or pork, I like to make a little something I call BBQ relish.  A very simple mixture of diced white onions, dill pickles, and what ever sauce I have in the refrigerator.  Today for a little extra bite, I added some diced jalapenos.

Just a little on top to add that extra kick to a delicious smoked chicken sandwich.  Here partnered with some Doritos.  While Doritos are my favorite chip, I prefer plain Lays with BBQ.  I just didn't have any in the house.

A great simple lunch.  The onion roll added a nice change of taste to a normal BBQ sandwich.  I still want the "pockets" and will have them soon, but this satisfied my BBQ craving.... for now.

Smoked Chicken Salad

After a long weekend in the woods and a few days without a shower, I thought we should have something simple for dinner. I was a little wrong about the amount of food we were cooking over the weekend. Instead of 10lbs. of chicken leg quarters we cooked 30lbs. So there was a little leftover. I hate to see food go to waste, and around me it seldom does. Chicken salad is a great way to use leftover bird, and I have never made it out of smoked chicken so why not. I pulled the chicken off the bone and removed some of the skin.

Now chicken salad has always been a favorite of mine, and the best to me is simple. Chicken, mayonnaise(Hellman's only please), celery, salt and pepper. This is how my grandmother and mom have made it. And they make the best in the world. This is not my opinion it is a fact. Theirs is just that good, but this wasn't your ordinary chicken so it needed a little spicing up. While I was pulling the chicken the "in laws" stopped by to visit, and I thought 4 heads are better than 2 so we hung out in the kitchen and this is what we came up with. The pulled chicken, diced pickles and celery, Hellman's, salt and pepper, a boiled egg. I will say that it turned out delicious. The smoke flavor of the chicken came through but was not over powering.

Around here we don't just eat a salad for dinner. So with the theme of my weekend we took some left over BBQ bread and and toasted it in a pan with some butter. I added my cousin MR's mustard base sauce to my bread and some Wickles slices, if you don't know what these are ask your grocer to please order some for you, and that was my sandwich. All in all it was a great way to end the weekend. Weekends away are needed and well deserved, but there is nothing like being at home.