Wings are the perfect backyard barbecue food, either to snack on until the ribs are done or to serve with a big crunchy salad as a meal in their own right. In this recipe the wings get nice and tender in the slow cooker, then crisp up in the oven.
| unsalted butter (1 stick) | 8 tablespoons |
| dried oregano | 1 tablespoon |
| onion powder | 1 tablespoon |
| garlic powder | 1 tablespoon |
| soy sauce | 2 tablespoon |
| tomato paste | 2 tablespoon |
| liquid smoke | 1 tablespoon |
| hot sauce (I like Burn Baby Burn—it’s spicy!) | 1 (5-ounce) bottle |
| chicken wings | 3 to 5 pounds |
| sugar | 1 teaspoon |
In a small saucepan, melt the butter and add it to the slow cooker along with the oregano, onion and garlic powders, soy sauce, tomato paste, and hot sauce. Mix everything together.
Put in the wings and completely coat them with the sauce. Turn the slow cooker on high and cook for 4 hours.
Twenty minutes before the wings are done, heat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
When the wings are ready, remove them from the slow cooker with tongs and arrange in a single layer on one or two baking sheets. Place in the oven and bake until the wings are browned and crispy on top, up to 30 minutes.
While the wings are baking, drain the juices from the slow cooker into a medium saucepan and add the sugar. Simmer on medium heat until thickened and the flavors come together.
Pull the wings out of the oven, transfer to a large bowl, and gently toss with the sauce.
Makes 8 servings as an hors d'oeuvre, 4 to 5 as a main dish