No matter how experienced you are with grilling, you’re probably doing something wrong (or at least you could be doing something better). This article talks about everything, from the age-old argument about dry rubs vs. marinades and fresh vs. frozen food to the question of whether to oil the food or the grill. Don’t turn up the heat too high or leave the grill feeling too sure of yourself. Remember that barbecue sauce can only hide so much. And if you grill these wings just right, the sauce will enhance the taste instead of hiding its flaws.
Can anyone be a chicken wing master? Yes. Will it take some work? Sure. Maybe some trial and error? Probably. So stock up on wings and get going. Because once you perfect these juicy, crispy wings, youll never go back to boring, dry chicken breasts. Youll also be invited to every tailgate party and Super Bowl Sunday get-together. Actually, maybe you should hide your grilling prowess from acquaintances. Otherwise, you might be stuck manning the cue while everyone else enjoys the game.
Still, knowledge is power, right? So whether you enjoy these with friends or keep your knowledge to yourself, youll soon be avoiding all the mistakes people make when grilling chicken wings.
Should I Pre-cook My Chicken Wings Before Grilling?
Grilled chicken wings are a classic appetizer that everyone loves. The crispy skin and juicy, tender meat are hard to beat However, grilling wings can be tricky It’s easy to end up with undercooked chicken, which is unsafe, or overcooked wings that are dry and tough. That’s why many backyard grill masters pre-cook their wings before tossing them on the grill. But is this extra step really necessary? Here’s a detailed look at the pros and cons of pre-cooking chicken wings before grilling.
The Case for Pre-Cooking Wings
There are some good reasons to pre-cook your wings before grilling:
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It ensures the chicken is fully cooked. Chicken wings cook quickly on the grill. By parboiling, baking or sous viding the wings first, you can guarantee they reach a safe internal temperature. This is extra important when cooking for a crowd.
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Pre-cooking reduces grilling time. Wings only need a quick grill after pre-cooking to char and crisp the skin. Less time on the grill means you’ll get juicier meat.
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It allows you to season or marinate the wings for longer. Pre-cooked wings can soak up a marinade for hours in the fridge, rather than just the short time they’re on the grill. More flavor infusion!
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You get more consistent results. Parboiling or baking wings evens out the cooking so they turn out uniformly done, not spotty.
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It gives you flexibility. Wings that have already been cooked can wait on a baking sheet until it’s time to grill if guests show up late. No need to worry about refrigerating and re-grilling raw wings.
The Case Against Pre-Cooking
However, pre-cooking wings isn’t always necessary and does have some drawbacks:
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It can make the skin less crispy. The hot, dry heat of the grill is best for crisping up wings. Pre-cooking can soften the skin.
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Juiciness can suffer. Cooking wings twice means moisture loss. Going straight on the grill is best for maintaining juiciness.
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You lose some smoky grill flavor. The char and smoke from the grill penetrates wings beautifully when cooked completely over the fire.
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It takes more time and dishes. Pre-cooking requires extra pots, pans and time that grilling alone does not.
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Overcooking is still possible. Wings that have already been cooked can get too done on the grill if you’re not careful.
So in the end, whether or not you should pre-cook comes down to your priorities with the dish. If tenderness, thorough cooking and flavor infusion are most important, pre-cooking can help. But if you value speed, maximum juiciness, grill flavor and crispy skin, skip the pre-cook.
Choosing a Pre-Cooking Method
If you do decide to pre-cook your wings, you have options on how to do it. Here are some of the most popular pre-cooking methods:
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Baking: This is one of the easiest and most hands-off ways to pre-cook. Bake wings on a sheet pan at 375°F for 20-30 minutes. The dry heat will render fat and start crisping the skin.
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Boiling: Submerging the wings in simmering water for 10-15 minutes cooks them quickly and evenly. Make sure not to overcrowd the pot.
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Steaming: Like boiling, this technique gently cooks the wings through without drying them out. Place in a steamer basket over simmering water for 15-20 minutes.
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Sous vide: For the juiciest wings, cook them low and slow submerged in hot water with an immersion circulator at around 145°F for at least an hour, up to 4 hours.
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Poaching: Gently cooking the wings in a flavorful liquid like chicken broth or wine at 170-180°F for 15-30 minutes infuses extra flavor.
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Pan frying: Get a jumpstart on crisping the skin by pan frying for 5-10 minutes before grilling. Use just enough oil to coat the pan.
Any of these moist-heat cooking methods will prep the wings for perfect grilling later.
Grilling Pre-Cooked Wings to Perfection
Once your wings are pre-cooked, follow these tips for grilling them to crispy, mouthwatering perfection:
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Pat the wings completely dry before grilling. This helps the skin get ultra crispy.
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Use a grill basket. It makes flipping and removing wings easy. Lightly oil it first to prevent sticking.
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Get the grill very hot, 500°F or above if possible. The high heat will give the best sear.
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Grill over direct heat. You want that high heat directly hitting the wings to maximize crisping.
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Flip frequently, every 2-3 minutes. Frequent flipping cooks them evenly and prevents burning.
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Grill for 8-15 minutes total, depending on size. Cook until the skin looks crisped and charred.
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Generously brush with sauce only during the last 1-2 minutes. Too early can make the skin soggy.
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Let wings rest 5 minutes before serving. This lets juices redistribute so you don’t lose any when cutting.
With high heat and frequent flipping, you’ll get tender and juicy chicken encased in an ultra crispy charred skin. Perfection!
Considerations for Safely Grilling Raw Wings
You can absolutely grill wings without pre-cooking – you just need to take some care to do it safely:
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Defrost fully in the fridge before grilling raw wings. Never grill from frozen.
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Arrange wings on the grill so they aren’t crowded. Crowding prevents even cooking.
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Use indirect heat, placing wings away from direct fire if your grill runs hot. This prevents burning.
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Grill over medium heat, 350-450°F. Avoid high heat which can burn the outside before the inside cooks.
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Cook for 25-40 minutes, flipping occasionally. Use a meat thermometer to confirm they reach 165°F internally.
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Monitor carefully and adjust heat as needed. Move to cooler areas of the grill if cooking too fast.
Take the time to grill raw wings low and slow, and you can still achieve juicy, tender results safely.
Flavorful Wing Recipes for Grilling
However you choose to cook your wings,flavor is key. Here are some lip-smacking marinades and sauces to try:
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Sweet and Spicy Sriracha: Mix sriracha, brown sugar, soy sauce, lime juice, garlic and ginger.
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Lemony Herb: Brighten up wings with lemon juice, olive oil, garlic, basil, oregano and pepper.
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Hawaiian Teriyaki: Soy sauce, brown sugar, pineapple juice, sesame oil and garlic.
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Jerk Dry Rub: Smoky and spicy blend of paprika, brown sugar,allspice, garlic, pepper and cayenne.
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Buffalo Sauce: Butter, hot sauce and vinegar make the classic creamy,tangy buffalo flavor.
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Honey Habanero: For fiery wings, mix habanero peppers, honey,lime juice and cumin.
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Korean Gochujang: Mix the savory sweet red pepper paste with rice vinegar, sesame oil, garlic and ginger.
Get creative with global flavors! Marinating raw wings overnight or tossing cooked wings in sauce both work great.
Pre-Cooking for Perfect Wings
Grilling juicy, crispy chicken wings with tender meat and crackling skin can be tricky. Pre-cooking provides insurance for thoroughly cooked wings without overdrying. While not mandatory, it does offer advantages like better flavor infusion and more leeway with grilling times. Boiling, baking or sous vide cooking allow you to pre-cook wings low and slow before hitting them with high grill heat for that perfect char. But grill masters using the right techniques can also cook raw wings to finger-licking perfection. Either way, flavorful marinades and sauces elevate grilled wings. Experiment to find your favorite pre-cooking method and spice mix for your tastiest wings yet!
Oiling the grill, not the chicken wings
Instead of oiling the grill to keep your chicken wings from sticking to it, what you actually want to do is oil the wings, according to Meathead Goldwyn of AmazingRibs.com in an interview for HuffPost. Not a ton of oil, mind you, because the wings already have plenty of fat in them and adding too much oil could prevent them from crisping up (see below), but a thin layer of oil will do the trick and even help the food cook more evenly (via Lovefood).
The main reason not to oil the grill is that the oil will reach its smoking point faster than if you oil the food itself, which means youll end up with more potentially cancer-causing char. Having a thin layer of high-heat oil on the grill is fine if youre not going to be using high heat, but wings are probably going to need high heat (again, see below), so youre better off just cleaning your grill and leaving it clean before you throw on the meat.
Serious Eats does, however, recommend oiling your grill if you dont know if theres oil on your food already. The only other reason to oil the grill and not the food is if your wings are pre-seasoned and you dont want to mess up the seasonings on the skin. Then you can oil the grill to prevent sticking (as long as theres not a lot of oil in the seasonings already).
Not using a meat thermometer
The safe internal temperature for cooked chicken wings is 165 F according to the USDA, so the best plan is to get your meat to the tiniest bit below that, because unless you live in an ice house, theyre going to keep cooking inside after you take them off the grill. That should result in the ideal temperature of 165 F.
Serious Eats recommends doing something similar when youre cooking your wings sous vide and then deep-frying them. Wings dont retain heat like larger pieces of meat, though, so dont dip much lower than 165 F. Then again, some people like the texture of the meat when its a little more well done, so feel free to cook them to a slightly higher temperature if thats you.
See how complicated this can get? Now imagine doing it without a thermometer. You might think your wings are cooked through because theyre charred and crispy on the outside, but if you used high heat, theres a chance that theyre not cooked through in the middle. The larger your wings, the more likely that is.
And if you, say, lucked into a ridiculously large chicken wing, like this one, youd definitely want that thermometer. Youd also need a very big grill … and a very big budget.
The Secret to Perfect Grilled Chicken Wings
FAQ
How long should you pre-cook chicken wings before grilling?
Pre-bake them. Par cook. I’ve done batches of wings at 350 for about 8 minutes. Then let them come to room temp, if you can its not necessary, can deep fry for 6 minutes and they are good to go, or bake them for another 6-8 minutes if you let them come to room temp.
Is it better to pre-cook chicken before grilling?
Yes, absolutely! In fact, pre-cooking chicken before grilling is a smart idea. It helps make sure the chicken is cooked all the way through, so you don’t have to worry about raw spots — especially with thick pieces or bone-in cuts.
Should you precook chicken wings?
I parboil the wings before roasting them instead of using baking powder, which many recipes do but doesn’t work very well. This step melts away excess fat, ensuring the wings crisp up beautifully in the oven—no frying needed.
What is the secret to grilling wings?
The trick with grilling wings is to cook them at a high enough heat to crisp the skins, but a low enough heat that you don’t burn the skins in the time it takes to cook the meat. BBQ-great, Malcom Reed uses the Weber Vortex to cook his grilled wings.