Football season is heating up and your grill should be too! It’s time to plan your menu for the big game! One of the most popular game day foods in America is the classic chicken wing. What is it about this simple cut of poultry that satisfies our fidgety fingers and grumbling bellies on game day? Over 100 million pounds of chicken wings will be consumed on Super Bowl Sunday this year. That’s a lot of sticky fingers reaching for the remote!  For some wing tips, tricks, and facts, keep reading to make sure your wings are the halftime hit.

Please Pass the Wings…

Chicken has a quiet flavor profile, so strong spices like cinnamon, pepper, ginger, rosemary and basil compliment it well. It pairs particularly well with ingredients such as butter, garlic, chili peppers, sour cream and mayonnaise. So tumbling our wings in a hot sauce and butter mixture, served with creamy dressings makes perfect sense.  It is truly a winning combination!

Don’t want the fuss of creating the perfect seasoning on your own? No worries! The Meat House has delicious pre-marinated wings that pack a big punch, with flavors like:

• Meat House
• Sweet BBQ
• Teriyaki
• Cajun

So That’s How It’s Done…

Chicken wings are best cooked with a marinade or sauce to accompany them. Wings are awesome hot off the grill, but if you’re not up for dealing with the elements, don’t have a grill or don’t want to miss a big play, baking is a great alternative method.

Cooking your chicken wings at a low temperature will prevent sauces and marinades from splattering or burning. Follow our simple cooking instructions for fumble free wings every time!

Grilling:

1. Pre-heat grill to medium
2. Place chicken wings on grill and rotate every 3-4 minutes for 15-20 minutes
3. After 20 min., remove one wing and cut open to make sure there is no pink meat and juices run clear
4. If test wing looks good, remove all wings and serve immediately with your favorite dips, sauces and sides!

Baking:

1. Pre-heat oven to 375
2. Place wings on a non-stick cookie sheet in a single layer
3. Place tray in center of oven
4. Bake for 30-40 minutes or until chicken is well done and sauce is caramelized. Check one wing for doneness (no pink meat)
5. If chicken starts to burn, reduce heat and cover with foil
6. If test wing looks good, remove all wings and serve immediately with your favorite dips, sauces and sides!

Who would have guessed

Ever wonder who came up with this amazing concept of smothering wings in a peppery sauce, dipping them in a creamy dressing and calling it dinner? The idea was born in 1964 at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York.  Co-owner Teressa Bellissimo tried cooking leftover wings in hot sauce as a late-night snack for her son and his friends. The boys liked the idea so much it was put on the menu the next day and grew from there. After that, people started adding different marinades and sauces to their wings, and serving them as appetizers.

So the next time you’re savoring a tasty chicken wing just as your team scores the winning touchdown, remember that it is all thanks to some hungry teenage boys in 1964. Well at least the wings are…the rest is just football.