Bison-Stuffed Smoked Wings Recipe

By MooK

Ingredients

• 12 large chicken wings, at room temperature
• 1/4 cup loose black tea, or tea removed from about 10 bags
• peel of two apples
• 3 tablespoons sugar
• 3 pieces star anise
• 8 ounces ground bison, at room temperature
• 1/2 cup pistachios, toasted and chopped
• 1 clove garlic, finely minced
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
• 1 teaspoon finely minced thyme
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• freshly ground black pepper
• oil for deep-frying

Preparation

Step 1

Use a small, sharp knife to split the wings from the drums and save drums for another recipe. Cut off the cartilage-covered tips of the wings, then use the tip of knife to gently separate the meat from bone all the way to the joint. Carefully push the flesh down to expose the bones and twist each bone out.

In a medium bowl, combine the bison, salt, garlic, thyme, olive oil and freshly ground black pepper and set aside. Use a teaspoon to fill each wing with bison mixture, but make sure not to overstuff them or wings will burst when frying.

Line the bottom of a roasting pan with heavy-duty foil. Mix the tea, apple, sugar and star anise together and put at the bottom of the pan. Place pan on burner then cover with foil. Heat the mixture for 5 minutes with burner on medium heat.

Remove foil, then put a wire rack in pan, making sure it doesn’t touch the smoking mixture at the bottom. Put wings on rack then use foil to cover wings. Leave the chicken on the heat for 10 minutes, then turn off heat. Let wings sit covered for 15 minutes before you remove the foil.

Heat the oil to 350° in a deep fryer or a very large pot. Fry the wings for 3-4 minutes or until wings are golden brown and crisp and serve immediately.