Burnt my third batch of chicken wings because I didn't preheat the basket

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2 Comments

Preheating the basket isn't really the issue here. You actually want to drop cold wings into a hot basket so the skin crisps up fast before the meat dries out. If you preheat the basket and then add cold wings, the oil temp drops too much and you end up with soggy skin that takes forever to finish. Burnt wings usually mean the oil was too hot to begin with, not that the basket wasn't ready. Try starting at 350 instead of cranking it to 400 next time.

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elliot_grant384mo ago

Have you seen that Serious Eats article where they tested wing temps and cooking methods? They found that letting the wings sit out for like 20-30 minutes before frying made a huge difference in how even the cook was. Something about the temperature difference between the oil and the meat being less shocking. Your point about 350 starting temp makes a lot of sense to me, I've had better luck staying under 375 myself after reading that piece.

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