Black bean sauce in and of itself isn’t very tasty. Eat a spoonful of it and you will see what I am talking about. It’s very salty, bitter and in this case, garlicky. But man oh man, when you combine it with a little sweet, a little heat, an acidic ingredient or two and a few other less key ingredients and you got yourself a wonderfully bold sauce.
This black bean sauce recipe hits on all cylinders and delivers a big taste with an Asian essence. You can easily use this as a finishing sauce for grilled chicken or a hearty fish or as a marinade for chicken and beef. But I, of course, chose chicken wings as the recipient of the fantastic marriage of flavors. Make extra, these will go fast.
Slightly off topic: Stay tuned for my forth coming FREE e-book “I Heart Chicken Wings, The Book” which will cover my most show stopping chicken wing recipes and cooking methods. Soon to be available here for free download. It will be ready in time for tailgating season.
INGREDIENTS
For the wings
- 2 lbs chicken drumettes & flats (no tips), cleaned, washed and pat dry
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the sauce
- 6 tablespoons Garlic Black Bean Sauce (found in most grocers or Asian markets)
- 3/4 cup sugar
- 3/4 cup red wine vinegar
- 3 tablespoons HOT chile infused sesame oil ( (found in most grocers or Asian markets)
- 6 tablespoons sesame seeds, toasted in a pan for a few minutes
- 3 tablespoons fresh minced ginger
- 4 green onions, minced
- 2 tablespoons orange zest
PREPARATION
1. Again we are using the Alton Brown method of steaming the chicken wings for 10 minutes and then allowing them to dry in the refrigerator for 1 hour before frying, baking or grilling. In this case we are grilling them but either method will result in crispy, moist wings. The steaming and drying can be done a day ahead of time, perfect for tailgating.
You my need to work in a couple of batches depending on the size of your steamer. I just use a colander over a soup pot with a lid. Steam the wings for 10 minutes, turning in the middle then remove to paper towels. Next arrange the wings on basking sheets, spaced out enough to allow air to flow all around them to speed the drying process. Place them in the fridge for one hour. If they are still a little damp, blot them with more paper towels.
2. While these are drying in the fridge, let’s make the sauce. Pretty easy, just combine all ingredients in a bowl and stir to incorporate.
3. Grease your grill grates and preheat your grill to medium low heat. Cook the wings, turning as needed to prevent charring, until done. Should take about 45 minutes. You can brush on some of the sauce during the finally 10 minutes of cooking to get a nice glaze on them but be careful as the sugar can scorch quickly. Toss the wings in the remaining Chinese Black Bean Sauce and serve.
