Grilling chicken wings is a popular summer activity that brings families and friends together. However, getting perfectly grilled chicken wings requires careful planning and preparation, including precooking the wings before grilling them. Failure to pre-cook your chicken wings can lead to inconsistent cooking, undercooked meat, and over-charring the skin. In this article, we will guide you through the process of pre-cooking chicken wings before grilling them to achieve mouth-watering flavors every time.
Step-by-Step Guide to Precook Chicken Wings
1. Preheat the Oven
Before doing anything else, preheat your oven to 425°F.
2. Preparing the Chicken Wings
Trimming: Trim off any excess skin or fat from the chicken wings using kitchen scissors or a sharp knife.
Seasoning: Sprinkle some salt evenly across all sides of each wing before placing them in the preheated oven.
3. Parboil the Chicken Wings
Boiling makes cooking your chicken easier by making sure it cooks faster and reducing cook times significantly.
Bring water to boil: Place a large pot of water on high heat until it comes to a rolling boil.
Add wings and parboil for 7-8 minutes: Gently place your prepared chicken wings into the boiling water for about seven to eight minutes until they’re fully cooked without becoming dry or chewy.
4. Cook in an Air Fryer or Deep Fryer
Preheating The next step is optional but will add more flavor to your precooked wings: deep frying or air frying such that they get crispy brown coating while still retaining their tenderness inside.
For deep-frying Pour enough oil (such as peanut oil) into deep frying pan and heat up until hot then add precooked chicken winglets. Cook for approximately three minutes till desired crispiness achieved per side then carefully remove them from the oil using tongs or spoon and place them onto kitchen paper to remove any excess grease.
For air-frying Preheat air fryer to 375°F, place precooked chicken wings into a fryer basket; be careful not to crowd and add another layer if necessary and cook for about 10-12 minutes.
5. Final steps to prepare for grilling
Tossing with Sauce: In case you want some extra flavor, swiftly toss your pre-cooked wings in your favorite sauce before setting aside.
Refrigerating until ready to grill: It’s best if you transfer them into an airtight container at this point and refrigerate until later, but if it’s still a bit hot, let the winglet cool down first before placing it inside its container.
Benefits of Precoking Chicken Wings Before Grilling
- Ensures even cooking throughout the flesh: Precooking chicken wings helps ensure that they cook evenly all through, which reduces the risk of undercooked meat or over-charring skin.
- Saves time: If you pre-cook your chicken wings as part of meal prep earlier in the day or in advance, you can significantly reduce their cooking time when you grill them later.
Tips and Tricks for Grill Mastering Wings
- Grill at lower temperatures: Your goal is to have perfectly grilled chicken wings with tender juicy meat on the inside while also maintaining an even char along with their exterior crusting.
- Apply sauce towards end of cook time: To avoid burning your sauce opt to apply towards end of cook time or immediately after pulling off heat to ensure that they achieve their desired consistency without over-caramelizing on a hot grill.
- Keep a spray bottle on hand: Always keep water nearby (in a small spray bottle) if flames start flaring up too much due to spitting oils from the meat drippings.
Conclusion
In conclusion, precooking chicken wings before grilling them is crucial for achieving the perfect grilled chicken every time. From trimming and seasoning to parboiling and deep frying/ air frying, this step-by-step guide has shown you everything you need to know. Keep these tips in mind: Grill at lower temps, apply sauce tactfully, and keep a spray bottle on hand – these tricks will take your grilled chicken wings to their true potential.
With these techniques in mind, there’s no reason why you can’t show off your BBQ skills and amazing flavor with some hot zesty sauce and a cold drink in hand. Have fun experimenting with other methods of precooking your chicken besides boiling—from marinating in advance to cooking sous vide; experiment enough until you find something that works well for you.
Q&A
- Q: What is the best way to precook chicken wings before grilling them? A: There are several options for precooking chicken wings before grilling them, such as boiling or baking them. However, parboiling is often recommended as it helps remove excess fat and results in a crispier texture on the grill.
- Q: How long should I precook chicken wings before grilling them? A: Depending on the method you choose, precooking time can range from 10-30 minutes. Boiling or parboiling generally takes 10-15 minutes, while baking can take up to 30 minutes. It’s important to make sure the wings are fully cooked before grilling.
- Q: Can I use a marinade when precooking chicken wings? A: Absolutely! Marinades add flavor and tenderize the meat, so they’re a great addition to your precooking process. Just be careful not to over-marinate as it can lead to mushy textures.
- Q: Should I let my precooked wings cool down before grilling? A: It’s best to let your precooked wings cool down for a few minutes before transferring them to the grill. This prevents flare-ups and ensures even cooking. Additionally, always make sure your grill is preheated and lightly oiled before adding your wings for optimal results.
