The whole week leading up to the Super Bowl I had been planning to use the Turkey Fryer I got for Christmas, that all changed on Thursday night when I tweaked my back trying to get off the couch after falling asleep on it. I didn't want to have to go up and down steps or lift anything heavy to make sure it wouldn't affect (effect??) me at work on Monday so it gave me an opportunity to try some different baked wing recipes to see which one was better. First up was Alton Brown's wing recipe
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/alton-browns-buffalo-wings-recipe.html my college roommate made them one time and said they were the best he has ever had, even at wing spots. The other was from the place I found the "crack" bread recipe,
http://www.recipetineats.com/truly-crispy-oven-baked-buffalo-wings-my-wings-cookbook/To keep everything equal, I lightly dusted them with some kosher salt and let them hang out in the fridge for about 36 hours, then when ready for prepping I took equal parts drummie and double bones as I call them, 2lbs for each recipe.First up was Alton Brown's which required some steaming for 10 minutes, I would guess the lower temperature would help render the fat out.
Then an hour rest period in the fridge to chill. I let them cool on the table for about 10 minutes before putting them in the fridge for an hour.
Meanwhile the other wings went into a ziplock with a tablespoon of baking powder, yes baking powder (Aluminum free is what I used), and since I dry brined I omitted the salt it said to add too. I shook the bag to evenly coat, put them in the oven at 250F on the bottom rack for 30 minutes.
After the 30 minutes was up, I moved them to the top rack and jacked the temperature to 425F. Once the temperature hit 425F in the oven I also put in my Alton Brown style wings.
20 minutes into the cook, I spun the top rack wings, they don't require flipping, and I flipped the Alton Brown wings. I let them ride for another 20 minutes, then pulled the top rack wings coated most of them in Frank's Buffalo Wing sauce, and a couple in a Jerk sauce I made up (Sweet Lou's Jamaican Jerk, lime juice, olive oil, ponzo with lime, and a dash of sesame oil). After saucing the first batch I pulled Alton Brown's wings and did the same saucing grouping to keep everything equal, in a true taste test. I kept the bowls color coordinated so we could tell which was which.
Alton Brown Wings: Hot sauce
Alton Brown Wings: Jerk Sauce
Baking Powder Wings: Hot sauce
Baking Powder Wings: Jerk Sauce
The winner was the baking powder wings. They were crispy just like fried wings. Alton Brown's were very good, tender, and lightly crisp, but not as crispy as the other recipe. One thing that might have affected the Alton Brown wings were the fact that the other wings were on the top which may have created some steaming while baking at the higher temperature not allowing them to be as crispy. I would definitely do both recipes again. Jerk sauce would have been better if I could use fresh hot peppers, it was missing something, but in a pinch with last minute decision to make that sauce it worked in a pinch.
