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A Super Bowl Snack Tradition

New Wing Order Food Truck
Credit New Wing Order Food Truck

 There may not be any food more associated with the Super Bowl than hot wings!

I asked the guys behind the New Wing Order food truck - Cole Forrest and Jesse McDonald – for tips on how to cook and serve hot wings.

An issue Cole and Jesse often see with home cooked wings is lack of tenderness due to them not being cooked long enough.

They recommend brining your wings. Brining the wings for at least four hours ahead of time makes it almost impossible to overcook them and gives them great tenderness. Their go-to brine is 1 quart water, 1/4 cup kosher salt and 1/4 cup brown sugar.

Of course Cole and Jesse recommend picking up a bottle of their award-winning Memphis Buffalo sauce, but if you’re making your own, they offer this tip. Always think about balancing the flavors in your recipe. Even if you’re going for heat, you’d be surprised what just a pinch of sugar can do for the overall taste.

Once your wings have cooked, keep them in the oven at a low temperature, un-sauced. When serving, pull them out in smaller batches and toss in room temperature sauce to keep them from sitting too long and becoming soggy.

When planning your menu, Cole and Jesse offer this tip. Even though hot wings are what most people want, keep in mind some of your guests may not be fans of heat. Make sure you include a mild flavor option like lemon pepper or classic BBQ.

Some people are team ranch all the way and some people are team blue cheese all the way – so make sure you have both dipping sauces on hand.

This is Jennifer Chandler with The Weekly Dish. Bon Appetit!

New Wing Order is an award-winning food truck in Memphis, Tennessee.  For more information, visit newwingorder.com.

Copyright 2021 WKNO

Jennifer Chandler graduated at the top of her class from Le Cordon Bleu in Paris. She is a full-time mom to two daughters in Memphis, Tennessee, and is a freelance food writer, restaurant consultant, and author of four cookbooks The Southern Pantry Cookbook, Simply Salads, Simply Suppers, and Simply Grilling.