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Korea, Asia · Yangnyeom Chicken (Korean Fried Chicken)

Gochujang Buffalo Wings

Korean-style wings, double-fried in a thin starch coating, tossed in an American buttery hot sauce spiked with gochujang, with celery and a cool sour cream dip.

ServingsServes 2
Total cooking time50 min
DifficultyMedium
About servingsThis recipe uses hot oil. Don't leave the pot while frying, and if the oil catches fire, cover it with the lid and turn off the heat instead of using water.

Method

  1. If the wings are whole, cut them at the joints into flats and drumettes and discard the tips. Pat very dry and season with salt and pepper. Put the starch, flour and garlic powder in a zip bag, add the wings and shake until evenly coated, then tap off the excess and leave for 5 minutes. Once the coating looks damp, it will stay on better in the oil.

    Add in this stepChicken wings (flats and drumettes) 600 gSalt ½ tspBlack pepper 1 pinchPotato starch 4 tbspAll-purpose flour 2 tbspGarlic powder ½ tsp

  2. Mix the sour cream, mayonnaise, lemon juice and chives into a dip and refrigerate. Cut the celery and carrot into 10 cm sticks about 1 cm thick and drop them into cold water to crisp up.

    Add in this stepSour cream 4 tbspMayonnaise 2 tbspLemon ¼Chives (or scallion greens), finely sliced 2 tbspCelery stalks 2Carrot 1

  3. Pour the oil into a deep 20 cm pot (no more than a third full) and heat over medium-high heat for to 165°C. A dry wooden chopstick dipped in should give a steady stream of small bubbles. Clear any water away from the pot and keep the lid close by.

    Add in this stepNeutral oil for deep-frying 1 L

    medium-high heat

  4. Lower the wings in one at a time, away from you, and fry over medium-high heat for per batch. Fry this amount in 2 batch(es). Turn them every 2 to 3 minutes so they cook evenly; when they are pale golden, lift them onto a rack and rest for .

    medium-high heat

  5. Melt the butter in a small 16 cm pan over low heat, then add the hot sauce, gochujang, honey, vinegar and garlic and whisk for until glossy and smooth. Hard boiling splits the butter, so keep it just barely bubbling at the edges, then pour it into a large bowl.

    Add in this stepUnsalted butter 30 gVinegar-based hot sauce 2 tbspGochujang (Korean chili paste) 1 tbspHoney 2 tspRice vinegar 1 tspMinced garlic 1 tsp

    low heat

  6. Turn the heat up to high heat and bring the oil to 190°C. Fry the wings again in the same 2 batch(es), per batch, until the skin is firm and deep golden. Lift out and shake off the oil. Cut the largest wing next to the bone: no pink and clear juices means it is cooked.

    high heat

  7. Tip the hot wings into the sauce bowl and toss until coated. Serve right away with the celery and carrot sticks and the dip.

Cook's tip

If the sauce seems thin, add a little more gochujang; if it is too hot, add more butter and honey. Always toss the wings while they are still hot from the oil so the sauce clings. The dip tastes even better made the day before.

Cooking it at camp

At a campsite, grill instead of frying. Cook the coated wings over indirect heat on a covered charcoal grill for 25 to 30 minutes, turning often, until the skin is crisp, then warm the sauce in a small pot on the burner and toss.