Saturday, February 4, 2012

Kreieki's Buffalo (sort of) Wings- A Football Story

So- we all know that there is a big football game on Sunday.  I don't care if you like football, in America, on this one particular Sunday, we all gather around the old boob tube and watch very muscular men attack each other over a ball made of pig skin.  This is tradition- it is almost sacred.  It is definitely a Holiday.  When I lived overseas, Americans would gather for the game at whatever time locally it started, usually around 3 AM and watch the game.  It unified us with our fellow Americans. Most of us would take Monday off. The locals, while maybe not fully understanding this game we called football, (Heck, there are tons of Americans who don't understand it) after all, it doesn't look at all like what the rest of the world calls football, understood this need to join together to rival it out on the sports field.  It is the one time every year that we are almost all focused on the same thing.  There is ceremony and ritual and food. It's AWESOME

Unlike other modern festivals, the food that is consumed at Superbowl Parties is purposefully NOT healthy. Pizza, Chili, Nachos, Chips and Dips, Guacamole, GALLONS of Beer are all fair   We here at Casa De Kreieki have a special love for Super Bowl Sunday- we threw our first party together for Super Bowl- a LONG time ago.  Almost every year since we have had a few friends over and we eat bad for you, but ohh so good tasting food.  Today I will be making Guacamole, Salsa, Crudites and my (almost) world famous Buffalo Wings.  These are insanely good, relatively easy and you will make the party if this is what you bring. 

Kreieki's Buffalo (sort of) Wings


In a large bowl, combine the following
  • 1 bottle of beer
  • 1 cup Jack Daniels or other American Whiskey
  • 1/2 cup tequila
  • Juice of one lemon (save the peel)
  • Juice of on lime (save the peel)
  • 1/4 cup olive or vegetable oil
  • 3 Tbsps Kosher Salt
  • 1 Tbsp Red Chili Flakes
  • 2 Tbsp Red Chili Powder
  • 2 Bay leaves
  • 2 Tbsp Oregano- Mexican preferred
  • 3 Tbsp Cumin
  • 2 Tbsp Onion Powder
  • 1 Tbsp Sage
  • 2 Heads of Garlic, diced or pressed
In a plastic container, put one cup of the above marinade with 2 cubes of unsalted butter.  Seal and refrigerate

In a large plastic zip bag, place 4-8 lbs of party wings, cover with remaining marinade.  Add either another beer or chicken stock to cover the wings Add the lemon and lime peels. Seal the bag, give it a shake, place the bag in a big bowl in your fridge- if you don't put the bag in a bowl, it is guaranteed to leak. Let marinate for at least 12 hours and up to 48 hours. 

Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.  Line 2 cookie sheet with foil. Place wire cooling racks on the cookie sheets. spray with cooking spray. Put the wings in a single layer on the racks and bake for 1 hour. 

While the wings are baking, combine the reserved marinade and butter with 1 bottle of Franks Hot Sauce in a medium sauce pan.  Heat it all until the butter is melted, keep warm.  When the wings are done, toss in the butter sauce. Serve with celery and blue cheese dressing.

YUMMY!! 


Notes
If you do not cook with alcohol, you can make this by substituting chicken stock for all of the alcohol, adding 1 more TBSP of salt and the juice of 2 more lemons and limes. 

I don't have any idea how to make this vegetarian... 

The marinade is great for chicken any time of year.

Enjoy and remember: LETS GO PATS!!!