Salt Poached Chicken Wings 鹽水雞翼

Ingredients

• 900 g Chicken wings
• 1 tsp White peppercorns
• 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns
• 1 Star anise ((optional))
• 6 slices Ginger
• 3 stalks Green onions (, tied in a knot)
• 1 large Shallot (, halved)
• 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine
• 3 tbsp Salt
• 1 tsp Chicken broth powder
• ½ tsp Sugar
• 1.5 L Water
• 2 tsp Salt (for soaking chicken wings)
• 2 c Ice (for ice bath)

Steps

1. 1

   Soak chicken wings in water with 2 tsp salt for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, rinse well with water and drain. Set aside This step helps to reduce any unwanted odours and will help the meat absorb more of the brine

2. 2

   Prepare 1 tsp white peppercorns, 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, 1 star anise, 6 slices ginger, 3 stalks green onions and 1 large shallot. Set aside

3. 3

   Fill a pot with 1.5L water. Add the ingredients from step 2 along with 3 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1 tsp chicken broth powder and ½ tsp sugar. Bring to a boil and then let it simmer for 20 minutes I will call this the brine

4. 4

   After simmering for 20 minutes, bring it back to a boil

5. 5

   Add chicken wings to the pot. Cook on high until water reboils. Turn heat down to medium until it is at a simmering boil. Cook for 20 minutes. We will keep the water for the brine so don’t pour it out! Cooking it for 20 minutes will allow some of the gelatin from the skin of the wings to go into the brine

6. 6

   Prepare ice and water in a mixing bowl for the ice bath If you don’t have ice, you can rinse the wings with cold running water

7. 7

   Put the chicken wings into the ice bath. Let it soak until cooled This step will help the skin stay elastic, giving it an al denté texture

8. 8

   You may discard all the aromatics

9. 9

   Once the chicken wings have cooled, drain water and let dry in a colander or use kitchen towels to pat dry

10. 10

    When the brine is cool, put the chicken wings into a container and pour the brine in. Note that most of the flavour is in the brine and it will solidify after it cools in the fridge. I usually store the wings in a single layer and pour a layer of the brine so that each wing will have brine-jelly on it. You can add some more Shaoxing wine to the brine now to give it extra “drunken” flavour

11. 11

    Serve after the brine has solidified. Will take approx. 2 hours

12. 12

    Soak chicken wings in water with 2 tsp salt for 30 minutes. After 30 minutes, rinse well with water and drain. Set aside

13. 13

    Prepare 1 tsp white peppercorns, 1 tsp Sichuan peppercorns, 1 star anise, 6 slices ginger, 3 stalks green onions and 1 large shallot. Set aside

14. 14

    Boil water in a large pot, approx. 3L

15. 15

    Prepare ice and water in a mixing bowl for the ice bath

16. 16

    When water comes to a boil, add chicken wings. Cook for 3 minutes after water reboils (in other words, when water starts to boil, cook for another 3 minutes). Drain water

17. 17

    Place wings into water bath until they are completely cool. Drain and let dry in a colander or pat dry with kitchen towels This step is so that the skin can keep its texture without getting too soft and breaking open

18. 18

    Fill a pot with 1.5L water. Add the ingredients from step 2 along with 3 tbsp salt, 2 tbsp Shaoxing wine, 1 tsp chicken broth powder and ½ tsp sugar. Bring to a boil

19. 19

    Add chicken into the pot. Cook at high until water boils again. Turn heat down to medium and let cook for 15 minutes. Turn off heat, cover pot and leave it for 1 hour

20. 20

    Serve