CHICKEN WINGS

by Ed Halmagyi

Instructions

You’ve undoubtedly seen the science video where a mouse is offered a delicious treat, a piece of cheese or some such. Of course, when he sidles up to nibble at it he discovers that the cheese has been hooked up to a battery and there’s a mild, but very uncomfortable, zap.

The experiment is used to demonstrate that even a simple mouse will learn from experience. No matter how hungry he is, eventually he’ll stop biting the electric cheese.

Cheese? Ow! Cheese? Ow! Cheese? No thanks!

In making this connection our rodent friend demonstrates more intelligence than many humans.

Barbecued chicken wings are the science experiment I use to sift the culinary wheat from the chaff. Most people, and I include many otherwise competent chefs in this observation, destroy chicken wings on the barbie. What was intended to be a simple and luscious treat will emerge burnt, inedible, and possibly raw inside.

But here’s the thing. They’ll do this the first time, the second time, the third time and so on, never adjusting their technique. It’s kind of like marinating meats in honey and soy. What happens on the barbecue? It burns, just like last time, and the time before. And you know I’m talking about you!

So here’s the trick. Slowly does it. That’s all there is to it.

If I have a barbecue with a lid and a resting rack I’ll set the flames to low, arrange the wings along the rack, and close the lid. Twenty minutes later they wings have cooked through with that classic barbecue flavour but without colouring. Then I’ll simply chuck them on the grill for a couple of minutes to get that barbecued look.

Remember, a barbecue with a lid can be an outdoor oven, and using the resting rack allows you to better control the temperature. Play around with it. Try part-cooking your roast on there first, or sealing your steaks on a hot grill then allowing them to slowly finish on the rack for a more succulent result.

Give it a go, you’ll be a BBQ-Jedi in no time. Who knows, maybe you can come on my new show: ‘Are you smarter than a common brown mouse’!
Moroccan-spiced chicken wings