how does gordon ramsay cook chicken wings

How does Gordon Ramsay make the best chicken wings? A look at his famous recipe…

Gordon Ramsay’s crispy baked chicken wings are legendary, with fans scrambling to recreate the chef’s signature recipe at home. But what’s the secret behind these addictively good chicken wings? How does Gordon Ramsay manage to make simple chicken wings taste so amazing?

We’ll go over every step of how the famous chef cooks chicken wings, from picking the right ingredients to getting the technique just right. After reading this, you’ll know how to make chicken wings that Gordon Ramsay would be proud of in your own home.

Choosing the Right Chicken Wings: Of course, the chicken is the most important part of making great chicken wings. Ramsay stresses the importance of starting with fresh, plump, meaty wings. The best size is between 5 and 7 ounces. Wings that are too big or too small won’t cook evenly.

Ramsay also recommends buying whole wings rather than pre-sectioned drums and flats. This allows for more even seasoning and cooking. When preparing the wings, he cuts the tips off and separates the drums and flats.

Using the Right Seasoning: One of the secrets to Ramsay’s delicious chicken wings is using the right seasoning. He likes to let the wings sit in a bowl with olive oil, garlic, ginger, and spices for at least 30 minutes. This imparts flavor and helps tenderize the meat.

Ramsay’s go-to seasoning blend includes garlic powder, smoked paprika, kosher salt, and freshly ground black pepper. The smoked paprika adds a distinctive flavor while the salt and pepper provide seasoning. He generously coats each wing in the spice mix until perfectly seasoned all over.

Baking for Maximum Crispiness

Here’s where Ramsay’s technique differs from many other chicken wing recipes. He starts by baking the wings in the oven before finishing them in the fryer.

Preheat your oven to 400°F. Line a baking sheet with foil and lightly grease. Arrange the seasoned wings on the sheet without overcrowding. Bake for 20-25 minutes until lightly browned and just cooked through.

While the wings bake, heat 2-3 inches of oil in a fryer or pot to 350°F.

Once baked, transfer the wings directly to the hot oil. Fry for 4-5 minutes until deeply golden brown and crispy. The two-step cooking process results in chicken wings with a shatteringly crisp exterior and tender, juicy interior.

Toss in Signature Sauce

The final step is tossing the crispy wings in Ramsay’s signature buffalo sauce. He combines Frank’s RedHot sauce with melted butter, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper. Toss the piping hot fried wings in the buffalo sauce until fully coated. The sauce caramelizes, forming an addictively sticky, spicy glaze around each wing.

Ramsay’s Pro Tips:

• Don’t discard the wing tips after cutting them off. Save them to make delicious chicken stock.

• Let baked wings cool slightly before frying. Frying immediately after baking can make the coating separate.

• Use tongs instead of a fork to toss wings in sauce. Forks can pierce the coating.

• Serve wings with celery sticks and creamy blue cheese dressing to balance the heat.

Customize the Flavors

Once you’ve mastered the basics, the fun part is customizing the wings to suit your tastes. Consider using different:

• Herbs and spices like cayenne, chili powder, cumin or oregano in the seasoning mix

• Hot sauces like sriracha, Tabasco or harissa to change up the flavor

• Glazes like honey-soy, bourbon-molasses or ginger-sesame for a sticky finish

• Coatings like panko breadcrumbs, cornmeal or cornstarch for extra crunch

The pairing possibilities are endless. Satisfy your inner chef by experimenting with global flavors and spice blends.

Oven-Baked Chicken Wings

For a lighter, healthier take on Ramsay’s wings, try oven baking them without the frying step. Simply coat seasoned wings in cornstarch, spray with oil and bake at 425°F for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway. Finish by tossing in your favorite sauce. You’ll get deliciously crispy oven-baked wings without needing to deep fry.

Make-Ahead Wings

Hosting a crowd? You can prep the wings 1 day ahead:

• Season and bake the wings until almost cooked through. Let cool completely.

• Transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate.

• When ready to serve, heat oil to 375°F and fry wings for 5-7 minutes until sizzling hot. Toss in sauce.

This lets you get a head start on the cooking so you can quickly fry and serve fresh wings to your guests.

Gordon Ramsay’s Buffalo chicken wings use a few simple ingredients and techniques to create a flavorful, crowd-pleasing appetizer. With his genius method of baking then frying, you’ll be able to recreate his iconic wings with a shatteringly crisp coating and irresistibly juicy meat. Adapt the recipe to suit your tastes, whether you prefer them oven-baked or extra spicy. Let your inner chef run wild with exciting new ways to season, coat and sauce these wings. Your friends and family will be amazed that such simple chicken wings could taste so incredibly good.