Forget decorum when you eat these. These wings are impossibly crunchy and so sticky! I lick every bit of sauce off my fingers because I don’t want to waste a single drop! These sweet and spicy wings are great for a game day or holiday party. Just make sure you bring extras because it’s impossible to just eat one!
Here’s what you need:
I have a great recipe for Korean Barbecue Sauce that I use all the time which I have posted at the bottom of this page. It is the perfect blend of sweet, sour, spicy and umami! Plus I can whip it up in less than fifteen minutes!
Marinate the wings.
The marinade will tenderize the meat as well as give it great flavor. I use gochugaru flakes for a bit of heat. I buy them at a local Asian market but you order them online here if you don’t have access to one. (Just don’t forget to order the Gochujang paste for the barbecue sauce while you’re at it!) If you don’t want to use gochugaru flakes then just use ground black pepper.
Dredge the marinated wings in cornstarch for the crispiest crust.
But first, take them out of the fridge and leave them on the counter for about thirty minutes to come up to room temperature. Putting cold wings into hot oil will bring down the oil’s temperature significantly. It’s necessary the oil maintain as close to 350 degrees as possible in order to cook the wings properly.
Double fry for maximum crunch!
After the first fry, moisture still inside the wings makes its way to the surface as they cool, resulting in a soggy texture. The second fry pushes that moisture out of the surface, making way for a crispy crust.
You will likely need to cook the wings in multiple batches so they all have room to cook. Check the oil temperature in between each batch and wait for it to come back up to 350 before adding the next few wings.
After the batches are all fried, once again check the temperature of the oil, then fry the wings a second time for just a couple minutes more until they are golden brown.
Toss the wings in the Korean Barbecue Sauce and garnish with some sesame seeds and chopped scallions then dig in!
Other recipes to try:
Crunchy, Sticky Korean Barbecue Wings
Ingredients
- 2 lbs chicken wings
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1/2 tbsp ginger grated
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp gochugaru flakes or black pepper
- 2 cups cornstarch
- vegetable or canola oil for frying
- 2 cups Korean barbeque sauce
- toasted sesame seeds
- scallions
Instructions
- Toss the wings in the garlic, ginger, salt, chili flakes and vinegar and marinate for 30 minutes to 4 hours. Once marinated, dredge wings in cornstarch making sure to fully coat each wing.Heat a few inches of oil to 350 degrees. Gently place the wings in 2 or 3 batches into the hot oil and fry for 4 minutes, flipping halfway through. Place on a wire rack when finished. Be sure to check the temperature of the oil in between each fry and make sure it gets back up to 350 before frying the next batch.Fry the wings again at 350 degrees for about 2 minutes this time, or about 1 minute for each side and once again place on a wire rack when finished. Coat the finished wings with the sauce and garnish with toasted sesame seeds and chopped scallions.
Korean BBQ Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 cup coconut palm sugar
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1 tbsp gochujang
- 2 cloves garlic grated
- 1/2 tbsp fresh ginger grated
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 3 tbsp honey
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 2 tbsp cornstarch
Instructions
- Add all ingredients except cornstarch to a small saucepan and bring to a simmer over medium heat for about 4 minutes. Add 2 tablespoons of cornstarch to 2 tablespoons of water to make a slurry. Stir the slurry into the sauce and simmer for 3 minutes more until it thickens.