by WPXI is searching for Pittsburgh’s Best Wings. For the TasteBuds, when it comes to a good chicken wing, we’re looking for much more thank Frank’s Red Hot on a breaded wing. When it comes to the Pittsburgh’s Best series of food accolades, it is great to know that it is based on a good mild wing and a specialty wing.
Think you know a restaurant or bar with a great wing?
As a former WPXI taste-tester, check out the TasteBud’s Keys to a Great Chicken Wing for our secrets to winning and then head over to WPXI.com and submit your nominations.
TasteBud’s Keys to a Great Chicken Wing
Be Meaty – A good, solid chicken wing should have a good amount of meat on it. If it feels like it’d take dozens of wings to fill up a hungry Steelers fan.
Mild ≠ Flavorless – A mild wing should be something that does have a minor spice kick to it, but nothing that would require ranch or celery to help cool the heat. Remember, just because a wing is mild, doesn’t mean it shouldn’t have flavor.
Creativity Reaps Rewards – Be creative without being wacky. I’d much sooner try a lime-tequila wing (even sounds yum) before I’d try a honey and parmesan (when has sweet and cheesy ever worked?).
Oh, and just because the Mild wing is the first category – don’t try to do your Hot wing as your creative one. Perhaps try a dry rub? or a rub-infused sauce?
Not Breaded – A chicken wing is not shake ‘n bake. It is quite okay to bake, grill or coal-fire your chicken wings, but leave the bread for the birds. Don’t use breading as a ploy to soak up the sauce.
An added bonus but not required:
Good Cold – Ever gone out for wings and your eyes were bigger than your stomach? A chicken wing, like pizza, should be edible cold. If it seems like something I could eat as a left-over, then
Please note: The Pittsburgh TasteBuds are not judges for this round of WPXI’s Pittsburgh’s Best. But if we were, these would be the things we’d look for as we judged.
