Serves: 4
- 12 fl oz (355 ml) tart citrus beer
- 2 Tbs (30 ml) sugar
- 2 Tbs (30 ml) sea salt
- 1 Tbs (15 ml) black pepper
- 3 lb (1.4 kg) large chicken wings, split at the joint and tips removed
- ¼ cup (59 ml) canola oil
- 2 Tbs (30 ml) lemon-pepper seasoning
In a large bowl, combine the beer, sugar, salt, and pepper. Mix until the sugar and salt have dissolved. Add the chicken wings and stir to coat thoroughly. Cover, refrigerate, and let sit in the brine for 24 hours.
Preheat the oven to 250°F (121°C).
Remove the chicken wings from the brine and rinse in cold water. Toss the wings in canola oil and arrange on a sheet tray with a rack. Bake at 250°F (121°C) for 90 minutes. From here, you can serve right away or cool and reheat later in either the oven or a fryer.
To serve, toss with the lemon-pepper seasoning and serve with shredded carrots or celery and ranch dressing.
Beer Tasting Notes: Acidity is rarely an over-the-top star of the show in fruited, quick-soured beers these days, as brewers have learned to use it as a tool to support fruit flavors. Whatever fruited beer you choose here will have an impact on the marinade, but one that’s tart and lemony or citrus-forward makes the most sense, lending familiar zing to the wings and finding echoes in the seasoning.
Beer Suggestions: Revolution Freedom Lemonade (Chicago), Urban Artifact Spyglass (Cincinnati), Perennial Suburban Beverage (St. Louis), The Lost Abbey Tiny Bubbles Key Lime (San Marcos, California).