Elephant & Castle chicken wings? Read first post!

Faith

After years of reading this thread, I finally bought Frank's today . It'll be a week or so before I try making wings, but I'm looking forward to it!

unkel

Go for it, Faith

Mike Litoris

Yeah go for it. Its so simple. The hardest part is seperating the chicken wings.

IrishAm

Piper101 wrote: »

anyone tried the new Dominos franks red hot wings? nom nom nom

I tried them recently - not half bad at all.

Pleasantly surprised.

Was in a restaurant couple of weeks ago and paid 16 euro for a large portion of wings as an app.

They were minituresque and woeful.

On the otherhand, Dominos wings hit the spot.

vibe666

Mike Litoris wrote: »

Yeah go for it. Its so simple. The hardest part is seperating the chicken wings.

you just need a good sharp knife and to rest them down on their elbow with both halves forming a V shape (like they're going to arm wrestle) and cut straight down through the joint in between the bones and they will usually come apart very easily once you get the hang of it.

i'm thinking of getting a tefal actifry and seeing if i can make the wings more healthy (bloody new year diets!:mad:).

i think i have most of it in the bag though. if i use thigh meat with no skin on it should come out okay, i just need to find something other than flour to dust them with and something other than butter to add to the franks to coat them with.

it'll probably take some experimenting, but i reckon i can manage something quite palatable that won't clog the arteries quite so much.

unkel

vibe666 wrote: »

it'll probably take some experimenting, but i reckon i can manage something quite palatable that won't clog the arteries quite so much.

Meh, stick to the full fat version and just go for a 5k run before you eat them

IrishAm

unkel wrote: »

+1

Or even better, Friet Speciaal FTW

Belgium, yeah?

Want for lunch!:pac:

vibe666

unkel wrote: »

Meh, stick to the full fat version and just go for a 5k run before you eat them

if i went for a 5k run chicken wings would be the last thing on my mind. i'd be more concerned with the searing pain up my left side and thumping sound in my chest as i laid on the ground at the side of the road gasping for air after the 1st 100 yards!

Honey-ec

vibe666 wrote: »

i just need to find something other than flour to dust them with and something other than butter to add to the franks to coat them with.

it'll probably take some experimenting, but i reckon i can manage something quite palatable that won't clog the arteries quite so much.

Seriously, the amount of flour that goes onto the wings is not going to have much of an effect on your health.

And I've blogged about it in the past, the buffalo sauce is one of the very few things that you can substitute crappy low-fat spread for real butter in with little or no difference in taste. It's the emulsifying effect that's important, the taste is really all coming from the Frank's anyway.

Anything other than Flora should be fine. I use the Aldi Kilkeely Gold light.

vibe666

Honey-ec wrote: »

Seriously, the amount of flour that goes onto the wings is not going to have much of an effect on your health.

And I've blogged about it in the past, the buffalo sauce is one of the very few things that you can substitute crappy low-fat spread for real butter in with little or no difference in taste. It's the emulsifying effect that's important, the taste is really all coming from the Frank's anyway.

Anything other than Flora should be fine. I use the Aldi Kilkeely Gold light.

i'm trying to keep it slimming world friendly for my wife (and me).

actually looking at flour and butter type products in the slimming world book, i think we could get away with a modest amount of low fat spread and a small amount of flour for dusting as long as i remove the skin from the thighs.

BlueJohn

Im going to have to try some of these recipes.

Mellor

vibe666 wrote: »

i'm trying to keep it slimming world friendly for my wife (and me).

actually looking at flour and butter type products in the slimming world book, i think we could get away with a modest amount of low fat spread and a small amount of flour for dusting as long as i remove the skin from the thighs.

The flour is optional imo

Sofiztikated

Mellor wrote: »

The flour is optional imo

Flour & corn flour is necessary, in my opinion. Gives them the crispiness and peaks and valleys that the sauce clings to.

As regards diet, for the bit that is used, you could probably reduce in other areas. Or save for a cheat day.

Mellor

Sofiztikated wrote: »

Flour & corn flour is necessary, in my opinion. Gives them the crispiness and peaks and valleys that the sauce clings to.

If you can get the skin to crisp up and bluster it does the same job. I agree it's a tiny amount if flour, I just meant if you body had to avoid it (gluten free diet for example) it could be skipped. Where as wings, butter, and franks (or a variation of) are a must.

coffee to go

Mellor wrote: »

If you can get the skin to crisp up and bluster it does the same job. I agree it's a tiny amount if flour, I just meant if you body had to avoid it (gluten free diet for example) it could be skipped. Where as wings, butter, and franks (or a variation of) are a must.

We do Gluten Free wings all the time using either cornflour or Doves Farm GF or a mix of both. Lob some smoked paprika into the flour too.

vibe666

i definitely think the flour/cornflour helps crisp them up and i have no doubt that it would do so even more in an actifry where there isn't the huge amount of oil to do the crisping part, particularly when i'll be using thigh meat with no skin on them, but it looks like i'll be able to use enough flour to do the job, plus a little low fat spread instead of butter and still keep it within the rules of the SW diet.

unkel

Using an actifry (near zero fat) compared with a deep fat fryer will make more of a difference in fat / calories than any other diet measures combined

Let us know how you get on! I'm interested in that yoke but won't buy until I've heard a lot more experiences about them

Faith

My OH's dad swears by a halogen oven for wings. I haven't tried it myself (yet), but it wouldn't involve any fat, and gets hot enough to crisp things up nicely.

the beer revolu

I didn't realise your could absolutely cock up chicken wings in Frank's like I did last night. I mean, how bad could they be? A little less crispy? A little burned? Too much butter? Not enough butter?
They'll still taste good, surely?

Not if you do what I did last night, they won't.
(although it's highly unlikely anyone would end up doing exactly as I did)

So, what did happen?

OK, somewhere on this thread is a link to a load of tests somebody did on ways to bake the wings and have them as crispy as fried. Best method was to dust the wings in bread soda, spread out and refrigerate. Then steam them. Then cool and refrigerate again on a rack and, finally, bake in a hot oven. Frank's, butter etc.

I've done it and it works very well.
However, just baking them in a hot oven works very well too.

Last night I did a sort of hybrid version.
I did the bread soda and fridge thing.
I decided to skip the steaming - forgetting that the steaming would also wash off the bread soda. I did briefly think about the bread soda on the wings but kinda shrugged it off, thinking it wouldn't be tasted with the sauce.
Wrong!!
I also did a bit of a flour/cornflour dusting.
Into a hot oven. Turned half way through.
They looked really good.
Into the Frank's and butter (with my special addition of a little tamarind extract and sugar).
Onto the plate.

Fucying horrible!!
Although I had put no salt on them (salt in the butter and Frank's, alright) all they tasted of was salt. No vinegar taste and almost no chilli. Just red and salty. Also, the flour dusting just wasn't nice when baked either.
I think the bread soda (base) reacted with the vinegar in the Frank's (acid) to create something else that bonded with the flour for a very unpleasant wing.

I almost cried.
Still ate them, though;)

As I said, unlikely anyone would have come up with that particular combination of stupid but now you know not to!

Dingle_berry

Had a look for the sauce in tescos in Omni - couldn't find it
Where in Dublin currently stocks it? Anyone have a pic of what it looks like?

Kat1170

Mellor

the beer revolu wrote: »

OK, somewhere on this thread is a link to a load of tests somebody did on ways to bake the wings and have them as crispy as fried. Best method was to dust the wings in bread soda, spread out and refrigerate. Then steam them. Then cool and refrigerate again on a rack and, finally, bake in a hot oven. Frank's, butter etc.

I've done it and it works very well.
However, just baking them in a hot oven works very well too.

The guy says baking soda leaves a bad taste, and baking powder gave good results. He mentioned steaming didnt change the results, but he never tried steam + soda. Interesting wash off theory.

My solution to the problem was to dry the wings with paper towels and bake at a hotter than normal temp. That way the outside cooks faster and skin dries quicker.

vibe666

if you don't fancy deep frying them, aldi have a desktop halogen oven in their specials at the moment for €39.99 which should be able to get them good and crispy sans oil.

http://www.aldi.ie/ie/html/offers/special_buys3_20139.htm

the beer revolu

Mellor wrote: »

The guy says baking soda leaves a bad taste, and baking powder gave good results. He mentioned steaming didnt change the results, but he never tried steam + soda. Interesting wash off theory.

My solution to the problem was to dry the wings with paper towels and bake at a hotter than normal temp. That way the outside cooks faster and skin dries quicker.

Yeah, I was getting great results with just a hot oven but I just had to keep tinkering, didn't I. ;-)

VKenneally

This sounds great, coeliacs in our family so we avoid coated wings altogether, must try the doves flour mixed with paprika...yum!!

Faith

Tonight I attempted these. I coated wings in cornflour and left them to rest in the fridge for an hour or so. I cooked them in the halogen oven at 250C for about 35 minutes.

I didn't have the ingredients for a blue cheese dip, so I cobbled together a garlic mayonnaise dip.

The cooking method provided good results. The chicken was tender and crispy. The sauce however was way too salty. I didn't add anything, or season the chicken, so it must have been the butter used. The dip was a disaster, and didn't go with the wings at all. Overall, I'd give it a 5/10. To be honest, I enjoy the experience of going out for chicken wings and beer, so eating them at home was never going to be as good for me!

Bateman

Finally tried the Franks wings from Dominos last night. Couldn't complain, they were as good if not better than a lot of what you get in pubs. Wouldn't be getting them regularly though.

Neyite

Bateman wrote: »

Finally tried the Franks wings from Dominos last night. Couldn't complain, they were as good if not better than a lot of what you get in pubs. Wouldn't be getting them regularly though.

I found they push up the price of the delivery if you want a halfway decent portion so last time I picked up ordinary chicken wings and a bottle of sauce in the supermarket, and tossed them around in the sauce, then into the oven to cook while the pizza was on the way. I only used a couple of tablespoons of sauce so it will last for a while yet.

A fraction of the price and lovely too.

Mike Litoris

Had the Hot Wings in Toscana Dame St today. They're exactly like the standard deep fried recipe here..gorgeous. The rest of the food was less than average though.

songbirds

Hi folks,
I recently visited E & C before Theatre visit - Friday evening - the first thing which surprised me was that we actually got a table! Normally you have to wait at least up to 1 hour if you are lucky, so if you are in a hurry or don't get into town early don't bother! So feeling good so far, ordered the usual basket of chicken wings to share and a main (crispy chicken salad and the OH had a E&C sandwich). When the wings arrived they looked good enough. However, we then spent the next couple of minutes fighting over who got the "drumette" part of the wing, which is the best bit with most meat. They were few and far between all the other bits of wing pieces which are just bone and skin. What a disappointment! Going out to buy a large tray of drumettes to freeze and have handy for our next "Wingfest" evening with friends.

Don't think I'll bother going back to E&C - while the service is friendly enough, the wings certainly have disimproved over the years and the price has risen rapidly too so sharing a basket is a must. So all in all, not worth the usual wait of 1 hour hanging around town. So looking forward to nice juicy decent drumettes chez moi very soon! Mmmmm can't wait:)

the beer revolu

songbirds wrote: »

When the wings arrived they looked good enough. However, we then spent the next couple of minutes fighting over who got the "drumette" part of the wing, which is the best bit with most meat.

Funnily enough, in our house we fight over the flat part of the wing.
Tastiest meat, though less of it than on your "drumette" part.

Mellor

Its a bit harsh to expect them to know which part (wingette or drumette) you prefer.
One has more meat, the other more skin. If I was interested in the most meat, I wouldn't be ordering wings.

Mellor

http://mobile.seriouseats.com/2012/01/the-food-lab-how-to-make-best-buffalo-wings-fry-again-ultimate-crispy-deep-fried-buffalo-wings.html

I thought of trying it a while ago, it's the method used my McDonalds to get fries crunchy, so figured it works with wings.

...but I never bother due to the hassle involved.

Mike Litoris

Mellor wrote: »

http://mobile.seriouseats.com/2012/01/the-food-lab-how-to-make-best-buffalo-wings-fry-again-ultimate-crispy-deep-fried-buffalo-wings.html

I thought of trying it a while ago, it's the method used my McDonalds to get fries crunchy, so figured it works with wings.

...but I never bother due to the hassle involved.

Awesome. I gotta try this.:)

Honey-ec

I just wouldn't be bothered. I like wings, but not that much. When I get a hankering on me I just go to Tribeca and let them do all the work.

Pizza dough, though. Now there's a topic on which I'm borderline obsessed...

Mike Litoris

Honey-ec wrote: »

Pizza dough, though. Now there's a topic on which I'm borderline obsessed...

Lol...I've just learned to forget about that one as I will never own a Pizza oven.:P

Honey-ec

Mike Litoris wrote: »

Lol...I've just learned to forget about that one as I will never own a Pizza oven.:P

I suspect I'll be forced to the same conclusion eventually, but I'm nothing if not stubborn.

(OT, I know, but pizza done on a charcoal barbeque is the closest I've got to wood-oven taste at home. Definitely recommend trying it.)

Mellor

Honey-ec wrote: »

I just wouldn't be bothered. I like wings, but not that much. When I get a hankering on me I just go to Tribeca and let them do all the work...

It's not that much hastle really. You can ore fry and freeze them to store, so they just need to go straight into the oil.

Or if the hankering takes you randomly. They take only a few minutes in the oil, or 40 in the oven. It's really easy to get them to a standard that's as good as all but the top couple of places.

How Soon Is Now

Anyone know a way of breaking down franks sauce to make it taste less of vinegar??

I have tried the read hot cayenne and buffalo. Added butter to the cayenne heated it in a pot and left it to simmer and if anything the taste of vinegar was worse..... Any ideas cause its turning me off using the sauce in future.

rubadub

angerfist2009 wrote: »

Anyone know a way of breaking down franks sauce to make it taste less of vinegar??

Ì have not tried it, but in another thread I mentioned you could possibly add a tiny bit of bread soda/baking soda/bicarbonate of soda, which should neutralise the acid.

Add too much and it will taste manky of course.

Mike Litoris

angerfist2009 wrote: »

Anyone know a way of breaking down franks sauce to make it taste less of vinegar??

I have tried the read hot cayenne and buffalo. Added butter to the cayenne heated it in a pot and left it to simmer and if anything the taste of vinegar was worse..... Any ideas cause its turning me off using the sauce in future.

I find if I up the unsalted butter to closer to half to Franks and simmer, with constant stirring, for about 30 mins it becomes way mellow. It takes a lot of the sting out of it but I'm not sure about the vinegary taste. That may be just part of its natural flavour.

How Soon Is Now

Ive also had franks wings from domino s twice first time really nice flavour not over powering. Second time was as if they added vinegar to it!!

I hate the very over powering taste of vinegar that comes with this sauce.

Mellor

It's a vinegar based sauce so might be hard to totally remove it. But I'd try boiling it before adding the butter. Just a few minutes then add tv butter.

How Soon Is Now

Mellor wrote: »

It's a vinegar based sauce so might be hard to totally remove it. But I'd try boiling it before adding the butter. Just a few minutes then add tv butter.

Actually done just this as u described and wasnt much of a change :pac:

Ah ill try it another time the wings just never taste as good as anything u get out. Taste always different i never get that vinegar taste when i eat out for some reason.

Bateman

Cannot understand how boiling Franks sauce could be a good idea, you are just boiling all the sauce away into thin air and you are left with a dry lump in the pot

Mike Litoris

Bateman wrote: »

Cannot understand how boiling Franks sauce could be a good idea, you are just boiling all the sauce away into thin air and you are left with a dry lump in the pot

Maybe if you boil it for an hour you'll be left with a dry lump. I normally bring it to the boil then simmer for 15 mins with the unsalted butter. It takes the sting out of it and the slight reduction helps the sauce stick to the wings better. Simmer for another 10 to take a bit more bite out of the sauce.

Man I'd kill for some right now.:D

Honey-ec

Going to Tribeca tonight. No need to even look at the menu.

I know I've said it before, but I actually add red wine vinegar to mine when I make them at home. I love that feeling when you take a big whiff and the sides of your mouth go "Whoa!"

Mellor

Bateman wrote: »

Cannot understand how boiling Franks sauce could be a good idea, you are just boiling all the sauce away into thin air and you are left with a dry lump in the pot

I've no idea how you jumped to that conclusion.

The point was to boil off some of the vinegar, not all of the liquid. (I'm not convinced boiling would affect the vinegar, I never tried I love vinegar)

vibe666

Bateman wrote: »

Cannot understand how boiling Franks sauce could be a good idea, you are just boiling all the sauce away into thin air and you are left with a dry lump in the pot

sorry, but that really doesn't make any sense at all as a statement. you do understand that boiling is a gradual process and that by removing the pot from the heat you can stop it at any time before you are left with that dry lump in the bottom?

.jacksparrow.

Is there any definite recipe that works for these,
I'm more confused about how to make them than I was before from reading this thread!