The quickest route to anyone’s heart (or at least their bedroom) — man or woman alike — is by battering them into submission with unholy quantities of food. This is, of course, followed closely by alcohol. It’s why we drink it, and it’s why we cook with it.
I first chatted with chef Trevor Bird back in November about eating with a mo’. Now his killer kitchen skills bring a boozy twist to the traditional chicken wing.
Lucky for you, they’re pretty damn easy to make.
Crispy Chicken Wings and Newcastle Mayo
Preparation time: 45 minutes. Serves four.
Chicken Wings
2 cups pork rinds
1 cup bread crumbs
2 tsp chili powder
2 tsp paprika
black ground pepper
3 eggs
1 cup all-purpose flour
12 chicken wings (halved)
Newcastle Mayo
3 egg yolks
1/3 cup Newcastle beer
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp grainy dijon mustard
1 tbsp white wine vinegar
1/2 cup olive oil
Salt and pepper
Wings
Preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Combine the pork rinds, bread crumbs, chili powder, paprika and pepper in a food processor and pulse until fine. Place in a medium-sized bowl. Crack the eggs into a second bowl and whisk. Place flour into a third bowl. Take each piece of meat placing it first into the flour, then egg wash and coat completely in the pork rind mixture.
Place on baking sheets (12 pieces per sheet) and bake until chicken is completely cooked through and the coating is crispy — about 35 to 40 minutes. Keep warm in oven until ready to serve.
Mayo
Combine egg yolks, beer, lemon juice, mustard and vinegar in a blender or food processor and purée until smooth. Reduce speed to low and slowly pour in olive oil until mixture emulsifies and thickens. Season with salt and pepper and let chill in the refrigerator until ready to serve.
Serve wings hot with chilled beer mayo on the side. Consider adding some carrot sticks aka the chicken wing’s right-hand man.
