Photos by L.G. Patterson

When it comes to football season, there are so many tailgating traditions, whether that’s playing games like corn hole, enjoying a cocktail, dressing up in your team’s colors or enjoying your favorite game day wings. To celebrate this football season with all the best flavors, we spoke with local restaurants to get the best tips for preparing, cooking and serving delicious wings. Bon appétit!

Prepping Your Wings

The prep may seem like the scariest part, but in fact, prepping wings for cooking is a straightforward process. According to the Food Network, start by placing the wings in a large bowl and season them generously with salt, pepper, garlic power and any other desired spices or marinades. Then you’ll want to toss the wings with the seasoning mixture to ensure each piece is evenly coated.

If you are deep frying your wings, whisk together two cups of all-purpose flour, ½ teaspoon of fine salt and ½ a teaspoon of cayenne.

Once you have the rub of your choosing, Matt Hawkins, the coowner of Como Smoke & Fire, says the prep is the easy part. “Just take the wings straight from the package and into the rub. Now if you buy frozen wings, make sure they are thawed so they take on that rub. Make sure to cover them well,” he says.

Angie Buttrum, the owner and manager of D&D Pub N Grub says picking the right seasoning is very important. “Whether they are naked or breaded, you want to use a seasoning that is going to complement your sauce or sauces. If you are using a variety of sauces, make sure you season lightly and recommend using a general seasoning. What may work for one may be too much for another,” she says. For Eduardo Urbina, the manager of D. Rowe’s Restaurant & Bar, the prep is all about the marination. “Marinate in your favorite dressing with your favorite spices,” he says. For extra flavor, let the wings marinate for at least 30 minutes, or up to several hours in the refrigerator. When ready to cook, ensure the wings are evenly coated and proceed with your preferred cooking method, whether it be grilling, baking or frying.

Cooking Your Wings

Chicken wings can be cooked in a variety of delicious ways, whether that’s smoking, grilling, baking or frying. When smoking wings, make sure to place wings evenly on a smoker rack, according to the Food Network, and smoke in the smoker until golden brown.

For grilling, preheat the grill to medium heat and place wings on the grill so they are all touching. Cook for twenty minutes, flipping the wings every five minutes. When baking wings, make sure to spread them out on the baking sheet and roast them for 40 minutes on 400 degrees, turning the pan halfway through. During the last five minutes, make sure to coat the wings in the sauce of your choosing. And if you’re looking to create a more classic wing, in oil that has reached 375 degrees, working in batches of three, place wings in the oil until the chicken is lightly browned, which is typically 10-12 minutes.

Ty Moore, the owner of CJ’s Hot Wings says, “Wings are not a ‘onesize-fits-all’ item.” Moore says when creating the Missouri hot wing, the most important thing is to keep the customer in mind. “There’s no right or wrong when it comes to wings, it’s all up to what the consumer prefers,” Moore says. “Don’t try to have something for everyone, find something your audience enjoys and do it at a high level.” 

For Moore, while his specialty is frying wings, the unique details of his cooking method are kept a secret. “Our particular methods are geared towards creating a product that presents an enjoyable crispness while also being lathered sauce, and for real wings, it’s all about the sauce,” Moore says.

At Como Smoke & Fire, it’s also all about what the customer prefers. Hawkins says any meat wings are very subjective. “It all depends on the preference of the individual eating them and the flavor profile they enjoy. Our preference is smoking wings around here. Keep it simple,” he says. Compared to chicken breast, Hawkins says wings are more forgiving. “So, 165 internal temperature isn’t going to overcook them like it would the breast but I would pull them a few degrees before,” Hawkins says. “The hotter you cook, the quicker you will get there.”

At D. Rowe’s, Urbina says smoking wings is also their specialty, and the key to making the best smoked wings is to keep them on the smoker for several hours. “Smoke the wings anywhere  between four to six hours between 200-250 degrees with your favorite rub. Make sure the internal temperature is 165 degrees before you pull them off the smoker or grill.” If you are more into the classic flavors, Buttrum says to try making a wing that is breaded and fried. “If you like a traditional wing, I would stick with a wing that is breaded and fried. If you are looking for a diet-friendly wing, I would grill, smoke, or fry a naked (no breading) wing,” she says.

To add a unique twist, try air frying the wings at 360 degrees for 12 minutes on both sides and 390 degrees for an extra six minutes or until the outside is crispy. Each of these cooking methods gives deliciously different results, which are all perfect for any occasion. 

Serving Your Wings

The secret to serving chicken wings depends on the event you are serving them at. Are you staying home? Are they traveling in a car to a tailgate? This answer will decide the best way to arrange the wings before serving them to guests.

Hawkins says wings are best right out of the smoker. So, if you’re having a tailgate party at home, serve them up when they are fresh, if possible, but “If you can’t do that, reheat using the oven, air fryer or deep fry for that crispy skin.”

If you are packing up your wings and taking them to a tailgate, Buttrum says it’s important to pack the sauce. “I do recommend taking your sauce bottle with you and saucing them at the tailgate,” she says. But no matter where you are serving them, make sure to arrange them on a large platter with a mix of drums and wings for variety. You can also add different dipping sauces, whether that’s classic buffalo, barbecue, ranch, blue cheese or any other dip of your choosing. To add a bit of color, garnish the platter with celery and carrots too!

Whether hosting a game day party or a casual get-together, any of these wing creations will be a hit.