Trashed Chicken Wings Don't Sound Delicious, But They're A Must-Try

Using the word "trash" in reference to food usually indicates something that should stay far away from one's plate. However, trashed chicken wings are a dish with plenty of fans who simply can't get enough of them. The ultra-crispy appetizer is anything but garbage, and they're easy to create at home.

Like toasted ravioli and gooey butter cake, trashed chicken wings are a St. Louis creation with a popularity that's spread far beyond the Midwestern city. The dish came about in the 1980s when Bill Gianino of Frankie G's Grill and Bar was looking for ways to get crispier chicken. He par-fried the bare wings, coated them in sauce, then fried them once more, inventing a staple that became an instant hit. Although the sauce trashed his frying oil, hence the name, this method produced wings with an incredibly crunchy coating and juicy interior.

Double-frying has long been a chicken wing hack for a crispier finish, but trashed wings elevate the method by placing the saucing step in between fries. The wing sauce caramelizes during the second fry, forming a crunchy shell with a richer, sweeter flavor.

To trash up your homemade wings, fry the wings at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for under a minute and then transfer them to a bowl with sauce. Once the oil returns to temperature, put the wings back in for about seven more minutes or until their internal temperature reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit.

If you want to use less oil, but still get super crispy chicken, trashed wings can be made in either an oven or an air fryer. The convection heating of an air fryer should give the meat a pretty crispy finish without the need for much oil. After tossing dry wings in a bit of vegetable oil and spices, heat them at 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cook time. Then, after adding some sauce, cook them for five more minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. This second blast will ensure the sauce caramelizes nicely.

You can also use the method when making crispy baked chicken wings. Add a dusting of baking powder to the wings for a crunchier finish, then bake them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. After 15 minutes, add sauce; most trashed wings recipes call for buffalo sauce, but you can use any flavor you like. For baking or air frying, the sugars in condiments like barbecue sauce will caramelize well, so opt for sweeter sauces. Once the wings are well-coated, continue baking for at least 10 minutes.