Pickle Brined Spicy Chicken Wings
with Blue Cheesy Goodness
I love chicken wings. My husband and I have an unspoken deal. He gets the drumettes and I get the flats. It has been that way since the first plate we ever shared over 14 years ago.
I love a variety of chicken wing types. There truly aren’t too many that I have tried, that I don’t love in one way or another. My favorite will always be the original Buffalo Wing with Blue Cheese.
My least favorite chicken wing, is the one with the soggy, flabby skin. If i wanted that, I would take a gander of me in a full length mirror after a shower. I prefer the juicy, yet crisp wing with a little sauce. That is more like me when I am dressed and ready to go out. Just kidding, Sorry for the bad chicken puns, but I think you get where I am going.
One of my favorite ways to instill flavor into meat is by brining. I think there is a time and a place for both a wet and dry brine situation. When it comes to a fried chicken, I typically go for a wet brine. When I make my fried chicken (don’t worry, I will share that with you soon, I brine it with buttermilk and a lot of seasoning. I decided to try brining the wings in pickle juice and they did not disappoint.
Pickle juice is full of that yummy acid. Acid makes the chicken tender. Don’t leave them longer than 24 hours or the meat will get soggy vs. tender. All I add to the pickle juice is some fresh cracked black pepper.
Slow roasting the wings for the first cook, drying the skin out in the fridge then frying briefly in hot oil has made these wings perfect in my book. I served the up with the Blue Cheese dip in one of my Le Parfait jars is not only an attractive way to do it but also convenient.
These wings are perfect for an easy night at home or watching the big game. We had them alongside some crab cakes while watching the Lions vs 49s in the NFC Championship game. In my opinion, they were the best part of the night.
I hope you enjoy these wings. Yes, they take some planning but man they are worth it!
With grit, grace and gratitude,
xx, JeriLynne
Pickle Brined Chicken Wings with Blue Cheese Dip
2 pounds chicken wings, cut into drumettes and flats
1 1/2-2 cups of pickle juice from dill or spicy pickles
Diamond Crystal SaltÂ
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
3/4 cup favorite hot sauce
1/2 cup butter
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
Favorite oil for frying
Dip
1/2 cup sour cream
1/2 cup good mayonnaise
1/3 cup crumbled blue cheese
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
Diamond Crystal Salt
Freshly Ground Black Pepper
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
For the wings:
In non-metal container place the chicken wings. Grind black pepper on them. Pour the pickle juice over them and place in the fridge for a minimum of 4 hours but no more than 24 hours.
When ready to prep the wings, preheat the oven to 250 degrees. On a cookie sheet place a rack over the cookie sheet. Lay out a paper towel and place the drained chicken wings on to dry. Place on the rack and place in the oven. Bake for 30 minutes. Turn them over and bake for another 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and place them in single layer on a cookie sheet. Once they come to room temp, place uncovered, into the fridge until you are ready to serve.
When ready to serve them place an inch of cooking oil in the pan and bring to 350 degrees.Â
While the oil is heating, make the the sauce. In a small pan, over low melt the butter. Add the hot sauce and vinegar. Remove from the heat.
When the oil is ready, add the chicken wings. Cook on each side until crispy, approximately 4-6 minutes. They are already cooked through but need to be crisped up. Place in a large bowl and pour a bit of the hot sauce mixture over the wings. Toss to lightly coat. Serve with extra sauce and blue cheese on the side.
For the Blue Cheese Dip:
Place all of the ingredients into a bowl and mix until well blended. Store in the fridge until time to use.