Why Do Restaurants Par-Cook Wings?

• The primary reason many restaurants par-cook wings is to save time. Chicken wings are often served as an appetizer, but raw wings can take 15 minutes or more to fully cook in a deep fryer. Most restaurants consider this too long to make a table wait for an appetizer. Instead, restaurants may partially bake or boil wings, then hold them until an order is placed. To fill an order, a chef drops par-cooked wings into a deep fat fryer to cook for a few minutes and develop a golden-brown, crispy skin.

Why Par-Bake Wings at Home?

• One good reason to par-bake chicken wings at home is to feed hungry diners quickly. Also, many home fryers can cook only eight to 10 wings at a time, which translates into small batches every 20 minutes or so. By par-cooking, you can cut frying time nearly in half, so batches of wings can come out closer together. Also, by par-cooking and allowing the wings to rest, the collagen in the chicken wings gets a better chance to break down into gelatin -- this makes for a juicier and more tender wing.

Par-Baked Wing Method

• After tossing the wings with a small amount of salt, place chicken wing segments in a single layer on a greased sheet pan and cook in a 375 degree Fahrenheit oven for 12 to 15 minutes. After wings are partially cooked -- they should still be a bit pink in the middle -- remove them from the oven and allow them to cool to room temperature. Store them in your refrigerator until you are ready to serve them; the wings can hold in your fridge for a couple of days. Once you're ready to serve, cook the wings in 400-degree oil for eight to 10 minutes or until the skin is golden brown. Place the finished wings on a cooling rack inside a warm oven until all of the wings are cooked. Toss the coked wings in the sauce or seasoning of your choice and serve.

Use Parchment Paper

• Chicken wings have a tendency to stick to sheet pans, even if you use a non-stick spray. For easier cleanup -- and better taste -- line your baking sheet with oven- safe parchment paper when you par-bake the wings.