Over the years, Costco has developed somewhat of a cult following. The retailer is known for selling everything from groceries to televisions and, of course, its iconic and inflation-proof $1.50 hot dog and drink combo. While people talk about favorably about certain Costco products, it seems the consensus is there is one item to avoid: chicken wings. There are a few reasons why, but customers have noted that, on some occasions, they’ve found feathers still attached.
“I used to get these and then I stopped because the meat tasted nasty [and] many of the wings still had feathers on them,” one person wrote on a Reddit thread about the wings. In a separate Reddit thread, someone else mentioned “a few small feathers on some pieces.” Wings should be de-feathered during processing, so you shouldn’t be subject to plucking them yourself. In some cases, though, a small amount of a hair-like texture (known as filament) remains on chicken wings. However, this is more common and different than finding true feathers.
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Some Costco shoppers say the wings are low quality
Large plate of chicken wings – Sammyvision/Getty Images
While the feathers might be an off-putting issue, it’s not the only reason some people have stopped buying Costco’s chicken wings. In various posts online about the products, consumers also discussed the wings’ quality. “They didn’t really crisp up. The texture makes them difficult to eat because they are so tough… and the flavor is unappetizing,” a Redditor wrote on one of the aforementioned threads. While some people within that thread said the wings are fine, others noted that the quality has slipped.
Ultimately, chicken wings can be tricky to cook because they have so much moisture. It’s easy to accidentally cook wings that don’t have the extra-crispy skin you’re looking for, but it doesn’t necessarily mean the quality is poor. Overcooking the wings can make them tough, so a lot of the wings’ quality issues might come down to cooking method rather than the actual chicken. Try brushing the wings with butter first; you can also dry-brine them to bring out moisture before crisping them in oil or the air fryer. Only cook them to 165 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure they’re safe to eat but not dried out and tough.
Read the original article on Chowhound.
