Rack for baking chicken wings

[kitchengoddess8]

I saw Martha Stewart use a wire rack on top of a baking tray when she was making baked chicken wings. Can someone recommend a rack that would fit a 9 x 13.5" baking tray? I don't know what to search for online to find this kind of item, since it's not a roasting rack. Thanks!

 

[Andy M.]

Look for a rack for a quarter sheet pan.

http://www.amazon.com/Heavy-Duty-Co...1414969752&sr=8-1&keywords=quarter+sheet+rack

 

[kitchengoddess8]

Thanks so much, Andy. Do you think it's okay to bake the wings without the rack for tonight? Don't want to start a fire!

 

[Addie]

Look for a rack for a quarter sheet pan.

Amazon.com: NEW, Heavy-Duty 1/4 Size Cooling Rack, Cooling Racks, Wire Pan Grade, Commercial grade, Oven-safe, Chrome, 8 x 10 Inches, Set of 2: Kitchen & Dining

Andy, that's a good price for the two of them.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I use very similar racks purchases at Star Restaurant Supply (Los Angeles) for a variety of tasks not needing a whole cookie sheet size rack. The ones Star sells are super heavy duty (you couldn't bend one with your hands to save your life) and IIRC sell for a bit more but not a lot more.

KitchGod, use some torn pieces of aluminum foil and slightly crumple them, then fill the bottom of your cookie sheet or casserole dish with them. They support whatever your cooking keeping it out of the grease.

Remember to first line the whole pan with a few sheets of aluminum foil for easy celaning.

 

[GotGarlic]

To me, that's just another piece of equipment that will need cleaning - which Martha doesn't do, of course - and it's a pain to get cooked-on grease and skin out of those little holes. It's much easier to place the cooked wings on a paper towel-lined plate to drain after cooking them on a greased tray.

 

[Aunt Bea]

A broiler pan would work.

I use a couple of old wire racks salvaged from a long lost toaster oven.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

To me, that's just another piece of equipment that will need cleaning - which Martha doesn't do, of course - and it's a pain to get cooked-on grease and skin out of those little holes. It's much easier to place the cooked wings on a paper towel-lined plate to drain after cooking them on a greased tray.

Yeah I thought it would be a pain to clean that kind of rack. I baked the wings without a rack tonight and they didn't come out so great. Skin wasn't that crispy and they stuck to the aluminum foil even though I brushed them with olive oil. Baked then at 450 for 30 minutes and flipped them half way through.

So my questions are:

Do you need a rack if you like the skin crispy? And if not how do you get the wings crispy if you don't use one.

 

[Andy M.]

I spray the rack with Pam before cooking. The rack soaks in soapy water overnight after cooking. Then I scrub it with a brush. Cleaning isn't too bad but doing them on the grill is easier.

 

[FrankZ]

I toss my wings in olive oil to be sure they are coated well. Preheat the oven to 425F. 25 Minutes skin side down, flip and 25 minutes. I don't put them on a rack, just on the baking sheet (I don't use foil). They come out crispy, if they aren't I didn't preheat the oven well enough and I leave them in for an extra 5 minutes.

Kathleen likes her wings very crispy and dry and she is usually really happy with them.

The racks I have for the pans are temp safe to 400F per the manufacturer. I have used them but I didn't feel it was worth it.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

I toss my wings in olive oil to be sure they are coated well. Preheat the oven to 425F. 25 Minutes skin side down, flip and 25 minutes. I don't put them on a rack, just on the baking sheet (I don't use foil). They come out crispy, if they aren't I didn't preheat the oven well enough and I leave them in for an extra 5 minutes.

Kathleen likes her wings very crispy and dry and she is usually really happy with them.

The racks I have for the pans are temp safe to 400F per the manufacturer. I have used them but I didn't feel it was worth it.

Wow are the wings very well done at that temp? Mine were in the oven for only 30 minutes and they seemed a little overcooked.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

What temps and oven times do other people use for chicken wings?

 

[GotGarlic]

I don't do wings a lot because there's not enough meat for me, but I think 50 minutes at 425 is fine. You do want them cooked through. You might want to check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer to make sure it's not running hot.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

I don't do wings a lot because there's not enough meat for me, but I think 50 minutes at 425 is fine. You do want them cooked through. You might want to check your oven temperature with an oven thermometer to make sure it's not running hot.

Thanks! I'm going to give that a try. Maybe the 450 I used was too hot and caused the wings to cook too quickly.

 

[Andy M.]

I do oven wings @ 475ºF. Toss or spray with oil and arrange on a rack in a half sheet pan skin side down (the good side). Oven rack in the top third of the oven. Bake 15 minutes, turn the wing sections over so they're good side up. Bake for another 15 minutes then switch the oven to broil for a few minutes to make the skin extra crispy. Assuming your broiler is at the top of the oven.

Some smoke is generated by this process so have the exhaust fan going.

 

[FrankZ]

Wow are the wings very well done at that temp? Mine were in the oven for only 30 minutes and they seemed a little overcooked.

They are done.. but not overdone.

It takes time to get the skin crisp... or a broiler and I am not making a mess in that drawer too...

And our broiler is tiny.

 

[kitchengoddess8]

Thanks Andy and Frank! My broiler is on the bottom. I haven't used it yet because I'm in a new apartment and I'm afraid of causing a fire.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I should have remembered another trick of mine. I buy cheapo racks at dollar stores usually 2 per package. If they get real funky I toss 'em. Not so funky I run 'em through the dish washer. Sooner or later they start coming apart and that's my signal to toss instead of wash next time.

Same for their cheapo aluminum casseroles. Sometimes I cook something really greasy or splattery, I move the food to a serving dish and carry the rest out to the trash, grease and all.

 

[Roll_Bones]

Thanks Andy and Frank! My broiler is on the bottom. I haven't used it yet because I'm in a new apartment and I'm afraid of causing a fire.

This is the second time you mention fire in this thread.
Are you that afraid of your stove?

 

[GotGarlic]

I should have remembered another trick of mine. I buy cheapo racks at dollar stores usually 2 per package. If they get real funky I toss 'em. Not so funky I run 'em through the dish washer. Sooner or later they start coming apart and that's my signal to toss instead of wash next time.

Same for their cheapo aluminum casseroles. Sometimes I cook something really greasy or splattery, I move the food to a serving dish and carry the rest out to the trash, grease and all.

I try not to use cheap or disposable stuff very often. The landfills are a problem in many places.