Sweet and Spicy Crockpot Wings

Unless you happen to be in Pennsylvania, I would make these crockpot wings. 

If you are in Pennsylvania, I would forget I ever saw this recipe and go to a local restaurant that serves wings for a decent price.  The one I worked at for a few years would be a good choice.  However, any local bar in central PA will give you finger-lickin' good, deep-fried, chicken-y goodness. 

But.  I'm not in Pennsylvania.  obviously.

Wings in Alaska are approximately $16 a dozen (page 4 on the right-hand side).  They also aren't any good. 

As they say, necessity is the mother of invention.

So we've become accustomed to wings in the crockpot.  It's almost like eating the melt-off-the-bone kinda ribs that we also enjoy. 

I've bought these bags of frozen, already-separated (!) wings at the Commissary for $8 a bag.  They last forever so I highly recommend them..seriously..I think these were leftover from the Superbowl.


Sweet and Spicy Crockpot Wings
adapted from this recipe

1 t. lemon juice
1 1/2 cups bar-b-que sauce (I used Sweet Baby Ray's.)
2 t. worchestershire sauce
2 t. prepared spicy mustard
2 t. hot sauce (I used Texas Pete.)
2 t. ground cumin
1/4 cup honey

salt/pepper to taste

20-30 wing pieces

Using a broiler pan, brown each side of the wings for about 10 minutes per side in the oven.  I did it while the wings were still frozen and didn't have a problem.  

Mix up the sauce ingredients (you could do this right in the Crockpot stoneware).

Add the wings and sauce to the Crockpot and cook on low for 4-5 hours or on high for 2-3 hours.  I cooked these are high for 2 hours and then low for 1 hour in a 4-quart Crockpot.

This sauce is a great way to use up condiments in the fridge that would otherwise be forgotten.

I don't have a picture of the finished wings...but that's okay.  

Wings are wings. 

Spicy (but not too spicy) Wing Sauce

Having worked at a place that specialized in wings, I grew to love them.  I ate a lot of wings before I moved to Alaska.  I think wings might be a Pennsylvania thing?  Regardless, they are definitely not an Alaska thing :(  And when you can find them in Alaska, they cost (hold your breath) $16.00 a dozen.  No I'm not exaggerating.  It makes me sick that we paid that once (at the Peanut Farm, in case any Alaskan friends are reading this.  And they were NOT very good.  Haven't been back there since, but anyway...).  My favorite wing flavor was chipotle ranch.  I haven't tried to replicate that yet, but I have an idea of how it would go.  But here's the wing recipe I found on the internet this weekend.  I added garlic, but I think minced garlic looks and tastes so nice on wings.  This sauce has the right amount of heat and sweet and definitely isn't too spicy.  Here's the original link.  I cut the butter in half.  It's so easy that we'll definitely be making it often.


Spicy Wing Sauce
1/3 cup ketchup
1/3 cup hot pepper sauce (I used Texas Pete.)
2 T. honey
1/4 cup butter
2 cloves minced garlic

Throw it all into a saucepan and heat until it all blends nicely together.  It doesn't make a ton, so you might want to double it.  This was just right for the two of us.