Salt Boiled Chicken Wings

 

I wanted wings in case I got the munchies, so I got some frozen wing pieces delivered. Instead of cooking a few pieces at a time, I decided to cook all of them in salted water. That way I can just toss them in sauce when I feel like it.

1. In a large pot, put in the wing pieces and enough cold water to cover. Heat until just boiling.
2. Remove the wing pieces. Note the liquid level.
3. Rinse the wing pieces with cold water. Drain and set aside. Clean the pot.
4. In the same pot, add cold water to previous liquid level. Add 1/2 cup salt. Bring to a boil.
5. Add the wing pieces, cover, and turn off the heat. Wait 15 minutes.
6. Remove the wing pieces and bring the liquid to a boil.
7. Add the wing pieces, cover, and turn off the heat. Wait 15 minutes.
8. Remove wing pieces. Dunk them in an ice bath; remove and pat dry.
9. Transfer wing pieces to zip top bag. Pour olive oil into the bag. Ensure all pieces are coated. Store in the fridge.
10. Toss wing pieces in sauce before serving.

Pot Roast

 

I was at Aldi’s looking for something to experiment with. They had a beef roast that comes with onion, carrots, celery, and red potatoes (I didn’t even know Tyson’s made these), so I decided to make a pot roast out of it (with my own twist, of course). I threw out the celery (because I hate celery, raw or cooked).

This was VERY improvised!

1. Cut onion and each potato into eight pieces.
2. Sprinkle salt and black pepper on the beef on both sides and pat it dry.
3. Soak four chipotle peppers in hot water to soften. Cut into small pieces.
4. In a large pot, sear beef on both sides in vegetable oil over high heat and remove.
5. Sautéed the onion in the same oil for a few minutes.
6. Return the beef to the pot.
7. Add enough water to cover.
8. Add the included seasoning, a pack of beef seasoning (I used one from ramen noodles), a beef bouillon, several hot jelly beans, a generous sprinkle of paprika, a generous dash of liquid smoke, a generous sprinkle of black pepper, and the vegetables.
9. Simmer covered for one hour.
10. Remove the vegetables and set aside.
11. Simmer the beef uncovered for another hour.
12. Remove the beef and cut into small pieces.
13. Turn the heat up and reduce the liquid by half.
14. Thicken the liquid with a cornstarch slurry.
15. Return the beef and vegetables to the gravy and stir to coat.
16. Serve over rice.