We at UP are rounding up some of Charlotte’s best to give their best take on everything from perfectly-seared steak to the most devilishly-good deviled eggs. This time, they’re taking a break from the kitchen to chime in on the subject of chicken wings. Editor’s note: Responses have been edited for clarity and brevity.

Just as the Super Bowl lineup is decided well before the big game with each grueling practice and tough matchup, so is your chicken wing game. Achieving crispy skin with flavorful, tender meat takes loads of experimentation to get the wings just right. Here to coach us through the challenges of supply costs and tasty chars vs. unintentional burns are six Charlotte cooks:

• Heidi Billotto, Food and Restaurant Writer, Recipe Developer, and Cooking Instructor
• Michael Bowling, Chef/Owner of Hot Box: Next Level Kitchen
• Lewis Donald, Chef/Owner of Sweet Lew’s BBQ
• Justin Holland, Owner/Head Pecker in Charge of D.D. Peckers Wing Shack
• Mike Libretto, Owner of Coaltrane’s Char Grill
• David Sarro, Kitchen Manager of Lebowski’s Neighborhood Grill

In Chef’s Takes, we ask, they answer, and you benefit from pro tips and insights. Here’s what the experts have to say on chicken wings done right.

What is your take on how to get the crispiest chicken wings (beyond simply frying)? 

Most of our chefs agree: layered cooking methods are the way. There is also consensus that the steps leading up to the actual fry or grill are most critical, starting with a good brine.

Michael Bowling: There  is a fine line between crispy and burnt. Crispy requires time and attention to detail. Wings — good wings — require attention from the start. To get my wings crispy when grilling at home or at Hot Box, I brine them. It helps reduce the water in the skin and flavors the mix. Then, it’s all about your heat.

Lewis Donald: For me, I think it’s important to brine the wings, which gives them some sugar content to crisp up. My brine generally has heavy salt and some sort of sugar. Some use honey, granulated sugar, or juices containing sugar. I also personally believe wings should be twice-cooked, finished on a live fire grill. If you’re going to sauce, sauce before grilling.

Justin Holland: Home chefs can dry brine wings with kosher salt for 24 hours to reduce moisture content and achieve a crispier finish.

Mike Libretto: A crispy wing is important. I like to roast the wings in a convection oven first to get some of the fat off of them. After that, I’ll double grill the wings. Throw them on the grill to get a nice char on them, toss them in sauce, then right back on the grill until the skin gets nice and crispy.

David Sarro: Without revealing all of Lebowski’s secrets, our wings are first rinsed then coated with our signature seasoning, placed on pans and par-baked. All wings are then fried to order and tossed in one of our sauces. To directly answer your question, the crispiest wings are a direct result of the preparation before the wings are fried.

Heidi Billotto: Interestingly enough, I don’t love crispy wings. I like a crispy wing from time to time, but for me soft and full of flavor is the way to go.

How would you advise working around chicken wings’ soaring prices and shortages?

On Super Bowl Sunday, Lebowski’s has been known to sell more than 8,000 wings. Most kitchen managers like Sarro are developing good relationships with suppliers to endure. For Holland and D.D. Peckers, “it’s a waiting game for prices to subside,” he says. “We’ve managed to keep menu prices relatively low, which doesn’t immediately help the bottom line, but keeps the restaurant busy and fully staffed. I think with any price or supply issues over the years, it’s usually temporary and necessary to take a long term vision for success.” For the average home cook, there are strategies, too. 

Heidi Billotto: Buy from and support local farmers. Lots only sell whole chickens, but there is at least one farmer at every Charlotte area farmers market who will sell cut pieces.

Michael Bowling: If you like drums and flats, I’d buy whole and cut the joints myself. This will save a few bucks. And if you’re really trying and are patient, buy whole chickens and cut the wings off, freezing them until you have a collection for a meal.

Lewis Donald: If you’re experiencing a shortage at your normal grocer, grab some friends and go in on a case, like 40 pounds. You can purchase large quantities at Chef’Store, or ask the butcher shop at Costco or Sam’s Club for assistance. Freeze them or have a wing contest!

What are your favorite wing rubs, sauces, and dips?

You might be on team Bowling and believe as he says: “A good wing is like good barbecue —  no sauce needed.” Lewis Donald’s view is in alignment here, since he feels the brine adds potent flavor. Keep it simple he says. “Lemon, garlic pepper, garlic parmesan, or good ol’ salt and pepper.”

Still, it can be hard to resist finger-licking goodness with flavors like the nine offerings from Lebowski’s including Blackened, Garlic-Parm, Jerkiyaki, Buffalo Hot, Buffalo Medium, and Southern Fried, or D.D. Peckers’ most popular (all starting from a hot Buffalo base): Hot Honey, Hot Ranch, Hot Honey BBQ, and Hot Gold. 

Heidi Billotto: I love the Ya’ll Sauces line from Winston-Salem and Cackalacky, another great local sauce made from N.C. sweet potatoes. The local line of authentic Japanese sauces from Raleigh called TonTon Sauces is also quite good for ginger and hibachi varieties. I always go local when I make wings and marinate them first, baking to finish. Here is a link to a quick recipe using this method: https://heidibillottofood.com/2020/02/01/have-a-foodie-field-day-this-superbowl-weekend/

Mike Libretto: I like a little spice to my wings. Chipotle peppers have a nice kick and smoky flavor to them. Combined with maple or mango gives a little sweetness. Buffalo sauce was always the go-to in New York, so a hot Buffalo wing dipped in bleu cheese will always hit the spot. 

Where is your favorite place to get chicken wings in Charlotte?

The majority of our cooks head Moosehead Tavern’s way to get their wing fix. “They’ve been around forever, and the Uncle Donnie’s Blackened wings are excellent,” Holland says. “They’re also good people and the atmosphere is right up our alley.” Other places of mention included votes for each other’s establishments, as well as McCoy’s Smokehouse & Saloon. “I like a smoked wing,” Libretto says. “The guys over at McCoy’s know what they’re doing.”

Want intel on a certain cooking technique or culinary topic? Let us know in the comments, and we’ll get the scoop from Charlotte’s food and beverage maestros.

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