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Cook the Book: Best-Ever American Wings

Posted by Michele Humes, January 21, 2009 at 3:00 PM

The "American" marinade for Best-Ever American Wings is a melting pot of classic American flavors, including California wine, molasses, ketchup, and the iconic Heinz 57 sauce. The result is a little bit barbecue, a lot sweet and sticky, and all good.

Americana notwithstanding, the authors of this week's Cook the Book pick, The Great Wings Book, caution against using Heinz's relatively mild, tomato-based chili sauce. Instead, you want something with a big, vinegary kick, whether it's Tabasco or Sriracha.

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Best-Ever American Wings

- makes 24 wings -
Adapted from The Great Wings Book by Hugh Carpenter & Teri Sandison

Ingredients

24 chicken wings
4 cups red wine
3 cups ketchup
1/2 cup Heinz 57 Sauce
6 tablespoons brown sugar
1/4 cup chili powder
2 tablespoons molasses
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon dried thyme
1 tablespoon paprika
1 tablespoon Tabasco sauce
3 tablespoons flavorless cooking oil
6 cloves garlic, minced

Procedure

1. Cut off the wing tips and save them for making stock. In a large bowl, combine the red wine, ketchup, Heinz 57, brown sugar, chili powder, molasses, oregano, thyme, paprika, and Tabasco sauce. In a 12-inch saute pan, add the oil and saute the garlic. when the garlic begins to brown, add the red wine mixture. Bring to a low boil, then simmer for 20 minutes. Cool to room temperature.

2. In a bowl large enough to hold the wings, combine the wings and the red wine sauce. Mix thoroughly. Marinate the wings in the refrigerator for 1 to 24 hours (the longer, the better).

3. Preheat the oven to 375 degrees. Line a shallow baking pan with foil. Coat a wire rack with nonstick cooking spray and place the rack in the baking pan. Drain the chicken and reserve the marinade. Arrange the wings on the rack (smooth surface down) and roast for 30 minutes. Drain the accumulated liquid from the pan. Baste the wings with the reserved marinade, turn them over, and baste again. Roast until the wings turn a mahogany color, about another 30 minutes. Serve hot or at room temperature.

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Tags: chicken, chicken wings, Cook the Book, Hugh Carpenter, Super Bowl appetizers, Teri Sandison, The Great Wings Book, wings