Caramelized Chicken BBQ Wings

I have an unhealthy fixation with chicken wings. In spite of the mess (and maybe the savagery) associated with getting your hands dirty and tearing the wings apart to get all the meat, gnawing on the bone when you're too lazy to eat the wings properly (here's how) and how small it is compared to other cuts, there's something gratifying about biting into succulent, flavorful meat that underlies an often crispy exterior.

This recipe is from Appetite magazine's June '11 issue. I garnished it with sesame seeds (not roasted) and substituted banana catsup for tomato catsup so it was almost, almost cloyingly sweet. Was it still good? Let's put it this way: no matter what you do, it's hard to cook unpalatable wings unless you're a total dullard. Next time, though, I'm making it with tomato catsup, a little less sugar and chili flakes. To note, I also halved the recipe because you're really not going to use all the sauce up.

Recipe after the jump.

Ingredients

• 1 kilo chicken wings, clean and pat dry
• 2 cups tomato ketchup
• 2 cups packed brown sugar
• 4 tbsps vinegar
• 5 tbsps Worcestershire sauce
• salt and pepper to taste

Procedure

1. In a medium bowl, whisk together ketchup, sugar, Worcestershire sauce and vinegar. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Use 1 cup of the barbecue sauce to marinate the chicken wings inside the refrigerator. Marinate for at least 3 hours, or overnight when possible.
3. Pre-heat the oven to 375 F. Transfer wings into a baking dish. Pour another cup of sauce on top. Bake chicken until cooked about 30 to 35 minutes. Toss wings half-way through to ensure even cooking.
4. Remaining sauce may be served on the side or can be reserved for another barbecued dish. This sauce would also go well with pork spare ribs.