Hooters is opening at the Bella Terra Mall...in the front space formerly occupied by "Blue Bar" or whatever that was called. I saw them putting up the sign and training the staff on Saturday.
Disagree, Peter. I make awesome wings, pizza, etc. (search my photo journal of the recipe.) But sometimes you want someone else to do the cooking.
I like Hooters wings for that reason.
I heard about this awhile back. I was looking at the pics from SDQ recently and, while the chicas are beautiful, what I noticed was a lack of dark skin women ... it's almost as if they don't exist. That being said, I plan to check out the one in STI next week or soon.
Really guys, Hooters wings aren't that great. It's like saying Pizza Hut has great Pizza. I make my own.
Start with fresh wings. I get whole ones and cut them. I find about a pound uncooked is a good portion size. Frozen bagged wings typically have water and salt added. You are also paying for all of the ice in the bag. A 5 pound bag of wings weighs about 4 pounds after it thaws and drains and the wings will shrink.
Dredge the wings in corn starch(fecula) before frying
Use plenty of oil. 4-6 cups in a large pot or wok.
Don't overload the fryer. 8-10 wings per batch depending on the size at a time for 8-12 minutes depending on how much oil you have and the size of the wings. Fry at 350-365 in corn or canola oil.
Put the "drummettes" in before the "blades" About three minutes lead time.
Use Franks Red Hot for the sauce, not simply "salsa picante."
Remove the wings with tongs Make sure you have something to take them out of the oil handy!
Don't over-sauce the wings. Usually 1/4 cup or a little more is fine for each pound of wings. Too much sauce will make them soggy and they will sit in a puddle.
My current favorite sauce is a blend of 2/3 Kikoman Garlic Scallion Sauce and 1/3 Tapitio Hot Sauce. Don't know if you can get them in the DR. "Authentic" Buffalo wings are just Frank's or Frank's with some margarine to make them less hot.
I never used to coat the wings. Flour trashes the oil and burns and the coating is too thick. But corn starch makes them crispier without it being a noticable breading and it helps the sauce stick to it. The starch actually seems to help the oil last longer by absorbing any excess water and it doesn't seem to burn.
Cook outside if you can.
Another sauce I make uses a 5oz can of Chipotle peppers with about 2 cups of any generic hot sauce and maybe some jarred garlic buzzed in a blender. HOT and Smoky.
Any place that has fried food as the main way to cook and sells wings is going to have the oil turn black in a matter of a day or so. Oil is expensive, and many franchises will work the oil until it's smoking. When oil turns bad, it will have a burned flavor and you won't be able to digest it well. The fast food chains avoid this by cooking foods that don't damage the oil. Wings kill oil with their high water content and the fat that renders off of them.
I can understand going out for wings if you're watching a game on HDTV, but other than that, it's just overpriced and not that good.
What can I say? I'm jaded from being from upstate NY and having lived in Buffalo, where once upon a time you could get 15 cent wings and dollar pints while watching the Bills ALMOST win the Super Bowl(we're talking 1989). Hooters has its points and I give them credit for getting the wing industry to spread esp the southern states. They have a nice hook, but the eye candy ain't free.
Meanwhile, I can still get 20 wings and a pitcher of Killian's at the local water hole for $12(yes, for both) and still watch football on a big screen. The nearest Hooters is 50 miles away for good reason.
Nekkid wings (Like Anchors) are good, but I like the southern fried type (Hooters) better.
Regional differences, varying opinions.
Hell, a fried chicken wing is all it is, no big dealio.
I use Franks in mine.
Ha!!!
Great idea, one problemo comigo, I'm in Boston........
But I like the way you think!!!!!!!!!