In response to a recent post, Dave Omak, trusted site expert and guru of garlic, referred to the "concoctions" I come up with. I loved it! I do like trying to find that new flavour profile.
One of the drivers of my experimentation is chicken wings. Both She Who Must Be Obeyed and I love them but I like them sticky and she likes them dry. I am constantly trying to find a middle ground.
SWMBO pulled 12 wing segments out of the freezer with instructions to make them. The dance continues.
This effort was one of my favourite flavours, Piri Piri. It is a great flavoured sauce and marinade but is not sweet and sticky.
I started by mixing up a basic Piri Piri marinade:
I injected some of the marinade under the skin of each segment.
Then I tosssed the wings in the remaining marinade and let them sit in the fridge for an hour.
I preheated the pellet smoker to 325 F.
I fired the wings on and smoked for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, I turned the segments and brushed with the remaining marinade. It is important you do not brush with the marinade after this as it has been contaminated from contact with raw chicken and has to have time to cook off.
I smoked for 20 more minutes and served.
The Verdict
These were very tasty. The skin had a great bite through texture, the sauce gave it a bright lemon flavour with just a touch of heat. I went with the lower limit of cayenne as SWMBO doesn't tolerate high heat. It would have been better with more heat. However, if I had done that, I would be speaking in a higher octave.
This is a great balance between great skin and a saucy taste.
Disco
One of the drivers of my experimentation is chicken wings. Both She Who Must Be Obeyed and I love them but I like them sticky and she likes them dry. I am constantly trying to find a middle ground.
SWMBO pulled 12 wing segments out of the freezer with instructions to make them. The dance continues.
This effort was one of my favourite flavours, Piri Piri. It is a great flavoured sauce and marinade but is not sweet and sticky.
I started by mixing up a basic Piri Piri marinade:
- 22 ml (1 1/2 tablespoon) olive oil
- 22 ml (1 1/2 tablespoon) lemon juice
- 3 ml (1/2 teaspoon) garlic powder
- 5 ml (1 teaspoon) paprika
- 1 ml (1/8 teaspoon) cayenne (up to 1/2 teaspoon for very hot)
- 1 ml (1/8 teaspoon) salt
- 1 ml (1/8 teaspoon) pepper (fine grind)
I injected some of the marinade under the skin of each segment.
Then I tosssed the wings in the remaining marinade and let them sit in the fridge for an hour.
I preheated the pellet smoker to 325 F.
I fired the wings on and smoked for 30 minutes.
After 30 minutes, I turned the segments and brushed with the remaining marinade. It is important you do not brush with the marinade after this as it has been contaminated from contact with raw chicken and has to have time to cook off.
I smoked for 20 more minutes and served.
The Verdict
These were very tasty. The skin had a great bite through texture, the sauce gave it a bright lemon flavour with just a touch of heat. I went with the lower limit of cayenne as SWMBO doesn't tolerate high heat. It would have been better with more heat. However, if I had done that, I would be speaking in a higher octave.
This is a great balance between great skin and a saucy taste.
Disco