Sweet German Style Wings

Categories: Recipes


Sinkology is proud to present Emily Schuermann, our food-loving guest blogger who runs Food for a Year. Emily is here to share some recipes she has created exclusively for the Sinkology blog that reflect her view of a copper sink: simple, timeless, affordable, and beautifully rustic. 

Admittedly, this is a weird season in life – I think we can all agree! But whether you’re watching a golf tournament re-run or the ‘big’ game in the stands – or even solo racquet ball, we all love a great ‘wing’ recipe! These Sweet German Style Wings are a real pleaser, no matter the size of your crowd!



A close-up of glazed chicken wings garnished with chopped herbs and red chilies, accompanied by glasses of beer and a bowl of pickled red cabbage in the background.


These Sweet German Style Wings are a real pleaser, no matter the size of your crowd!

Sweet German Style Wings are inspired by a favorite meal my mom made for me when I was little: “German Dinner”. This special dinner always included mashed potatoes with a sweet and sour, German-style gravy. I’ve taken that heritage gravy recipe and added it to my favorite style of oven-fried wings and created my very most favorite wing recipe to date!

the key to crispy oven-baked wings ::



Empty plastic bag with flour residue next to raw chicken wings on paper towels.
Raw chicken wings placed inside a clear plastic Ziploc bag on a checkered kitchen towel.
Raw chicken wings in a clear plastic bag on a checkered cloth.


Raw, seasoned chicken wings arranged on a wire rack over a foil-lined baking sheet, ready to be cooked.


There are a few basic steps that make this recipe both easy and crave-worthy. First, let’s talk about how to handle the wings. Our cooking technique is to oven-fry. To get a crispy skin on the wing, toss the wings in a zipper top bag with oil, salt, pepper and cornstarch.

Lay the wings out on a baking rack fitted into a rimmed baking sheet that’s been lined with foil and sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. Then place in a hot (425°) oven to cook, finishing off with a few minutes under the broiler to get them extra crispy.

German-Style glaze – tips ::



Ingredients for cooking including butter, thyme, chopped onions, chives, red pepper, brown sugar, water, and red liquid in a measuring cup on a wooden board.


A cooking setup with a pan of sautéed onions and thyme, surrounded by ingredients on a wooden board: a cup of brown sugar, chopped red chilies, a bowl of chopped herbs, a measuring cup of water, and a measuring cup of red liquid.
A stainless steel pan with diced onions and sprigs of thyme sautéing, placed on a checkered kitchen towel.
A pan filled with a cooking mixture of onions, broth, thyme, chopped red chilies, and a scoop of brown sugar, placed on a checkered kitchen towel with bowls of chopped herbs and chilies on a wooden board.


A pan of simmering broth with onions and red chilies, accompanied by bowls of chopped herbs, chopped red chilies, and a small bowl of creamy onion and chili mixture, all placed on a wooden board.
A pan of bubbling sauce with chopped onions and red chilies being stirred with a wooden spoon on a stovetop.
A pan of simmering sauce with onions, thyme, and red chilies, accompanied by bowls of chopped red chilies and green herbs on a wooden board.


While the wings are baking, it’s time to prepare the glaze that gives these wings their name! In a medium-sized skillet, sauté onions, thyme and chives in oil. Add peppers, vinegar, water and brown sugar and bring to a boil. Here’s the KEY — to thicken the glaze, take some of the cooking liquid and combine it in a small bowl with the other tablespoon of cornstarch and create a slurry. Pour the slurry back into the skillet, raise back up to a simmer and stir continuously until the glaze reaches the desired thickness.

toss & serve!



A pan of glazed chicken wings garnished with chopped herbs and red chilies, with a bowl of pickled red cabbage and a glass of beer in the background.


About this time, the wings have perfectly crisped under the broiler. All that’s left is to toss the wings in the glaze and serve! 



A plate of glazed chicken wings garnished with chopped herbs and red chilies, accompanied by glasses of beer and a bowl of pickled red cabbage.


No kidding, the first bite of these sweet and tangy, super crisp wings flashed me straight back to my childhood dinner table that was loaded with all ‘THE German Dinner favorites’.

Sweet and tangy, with a little spice. I believe this is the very best wing flavor I’ve ever had (and that’s saying a lot)!



A bowl of glazed chicken wings garnished with chopped herbs and red chilies, with the text "Sweet German Style Wings" overlaying the image. In the background are a bowl of pickled red cabbage and a glass of beer.


Sweet German Style Wings

Wings

  • 2 lbs chicken wings, drumettes and flats (bone-in + skin-on)
  • 1 t sea salt,
  • 1/2 t pepper
  • 1-1/2 T oil
  • 1 T cornstarch

Glaze

  • 1 medium white onion, small diced
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme
  • 2 T chopped fresh chives
  • 2 T cooking oil
  • 1/2 c red wine vinegar
  • 1 c water 
  • 1/2 c packed brown sugar
  • 1-2 T fresh hot red pepper, finely diced (like Fresno – optional)
  • 1 T cornstarch

Instructions

Preheat oven to 425°. Line a rimmed 1/2 sheet baking sheet with foil + spray a rack that’s complimentary in size with nonstick spray.

Place wings and wing ingredients in a plastic zipper-top bag and shake to evenly coat. Space wings 1″-2″ apart on on the baking rack, fit the rack into the rimmed, lined baking sheet and place into the preheated oven. 

Cook 30 minutes or until medium golden in color. Raise the oven temperature to HIGH BROIL and broil for 2 minutes while keeping a close eye on the wings to prevent scorching.

While the wings are cooking, prepare the glaze by sautéing (over medium/medium-high flame) the onions, thyme and chives in the cooking oil until the onions are tender and translucent (about 10 minutes). Add red wine vinegar, water, brown sugar and bring to a simmer. Once simmering, remove 1/2 c cooking liquid and place in a small bowl with the cornstarch, stir quickly to combine (this is a slurry).

Pour the slurry back into the skillet with the glaze stirring continuously. Bring the mixture back up to a simmer and continue stirring until desired thickness is reached (you’ll know it’s ready when you can leave a temporary (2-3 sec) mark in the pan with your spoon).

Once the glaze is done, set it aside. When the wings have broiled and the skin is crisp, remove the wings from the oven, toss them in the warm glaze and top with the diced red pepper.

Serve immediately

Serves 4



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