Thanks eddie, wings can be a lot of work on the gill, but these pre-cut wings make it as easy as it can be......season up and grill away!
There are actually 2 functions of cornstarch, and they are the molecular level.
First, on the raw chicken the starch attracts the water at the molecular level to act as an emulsifying agent for the chicken juice and thereby helps the rub "stick" a whole bunch better. Combined with the rub its almost like a supper thick dry bbq sauce.
The second, during grilling it protects the meat by absorbing the moisture and wicking it to the surface allowing it to evaporate as the heat increases. As the moisture evaporates a "ridged network" of starch molecules is left behind creating a crispy texture (interlaced with he rub...yum)......This "crispy" texturing for wings starts happening when the INT of the wing hits 185 (after a would be stall temp of 175-180 deg) and is about perfect at 200 ish.....(this in a 375-395 degree convection oven/grill)
As an fyi we always corn starch our hand cut fries as well.
Thanks for that information. I am sure to give that a try next time I do wings.
JC