What makes the Buffalo chicken wings served at bars and restaurants so good, and why do you struggle to replicate them at home? The Takeout got a few tips from Down North Pizza owner Muhammad Abdul-Hadi at the New York City Wine & Food Festival in the Seaport. According to Abdul-Hadi, the key to good wings isn’t the sauce or the seasoning. “The crunch,” he said. “You’ve got to have crunch.”
Buffalo chicken wings can technically be prepared either by frying or baking. While recipes aimed at home cooks favor the latter, the wings you’ll find at your favorite pub are probably deep fried. Deep frying can certainly elevate homemade wings, but a double-fry takes them to a whole new level — and helps leftover fried chicken maintain first day crispiness.
Abdul-Hadi uses double-frying to get that extra texture, the same technique that makes Korean fried chicken so crunchy. “We par-fry and double-fry,” he explained. This two-step process does take a little extra time, according to Abdul-Hadi, but it’s well worth it. Even with that extra round of frying, you’ll still have crispy wings in about half an hour.
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Why double-frying chicken wings improves texture
Chicken wings frying in a pan. – Gumpanat/Getty Images
Frying is all about dehydration. You know that surge of bubbles you see when you slide food into hot oil? That’s the water in the wing rising to the surface and evaporating. The remaining moisture gets trapped near the meat or in the skin as the crust develops. Once you take the chicken out, the water starts to evaporate. That’s how you get a soggy crust.
With a double-fry, you let the wings rest before a second fry. That gives the moisture time to soak through the crust. The second fry cooks off the remaining water, leaving a crispy crust with a satisfying crunch. Trying to cook out all that moisture in one round of frying could dry out the chicken. With the resting period and second dip, you’re quickly cooking off the water that’s making the crust soggy, not the water keeping the chicken moist.
Frying isn’t the only thing you should double down on: Dredging fried chicken twice before it even hits the oil also improves the crispiness. You should also prepare your Buffalo sauce beforehand so it’s ready when you finish frying. Don’t dunk the wings right away, though. “Let them rest for a second, then toss,” Abdul-Hadi explained. Then, serve your crispy, pub-style Buffalo chicken wings — and let the compliments roll in.
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