Carolina Gold Mustard Chicken Wings – Baked in the Oven

Step-by-step recipe

1. Carolina Gold wings turn out best without the thin wing tips: there is hardly anything to eat on them, and they usually overcook. As for the sauce, besides the authentic Carolina Gold there are plenty of similar, quite decent sauces sold all over the world – buy any of them. To make it more piquant, we add a little chili and garlic straight into the sauce before baking the wings in it – the result is excellent.
   
2. Before baking, it's important to let the wings sit with the spices so they absorb the salt and aroma. Wash the wings, pat them dry with paper towels and cut them in half at the joint. Put everything in a bowl and add salt, sweet paprika, black pepper, dried onion and garlic. Use as much spice as you like – the dish will be flavourful either way. I once read that a chef on some cooking show said: use every spice you have, it still won't be enough. Toss the wings with the spices, cover the bowl with a plate or cling film and leave for 1 hour.
   
3. How to bake the wings: the simplest way is in an oven preheated to 180-190°C. If you can, use a grill. We bake them in the oven – it's convenient and quick. Preheat the oven thoroughly. Toss the spiced wings with 1 tbsp of any vegetable oil, then spread them on a baking tray in a single layer. We usually use an ovenproof glass dish: food bakes and browns more evenly in it.
   
4. Put the dish of wings in the oven. To get well-cooked chicken with a nice golden colour, bake for at least 30 min. Go by how brown they are and don't let them burn. While they bake, turn the pieces from time to time or simply stir them with a spatula.
   
5. While the meat is in the oven, prepare the sauce for the final bake. Pour about half a cup of Carolina Gold mustard sauce into a cup. By the way, there is nothing exotic in this sauce, and it's easy to make yourself. The simplest version: mix yellow mustard, apple cider vinegar, brown sugar or honey, good ketchup and Worcestershire sauce – the proportions are very flexible, so experiment. Add spices: dried garlic and onion, chili powder, black pepper. Heat the sauce over low heat until it thickens. Add finely chopped garlic and chili to the sauce. Since the sauce has a fairly pronounced apple cider vinegar taste, I also recommend adding 1 tsp of brown sugar.
   
6. When the wings are nicely browned, brush them with the sauce or simply toss them with it in a bowl, then return them to the oven for 10-15 min so the sauce dries into a slightly crispy, golden-orange glaze. There is no need to stir them this time. If you are using a grill, make sure the sauce doesn't start to burn.
   
7. Most sauced baked wings are served in much the same way. Usually a small bowl of sauce is placed on the plate – either the one the wings were baked in or something special. Buffalo wings, for example, are often served with a cheese dip. Sliced fresh vegetables are served too: carrots, celery, cucumbers, tomatoes and herbs.
   
8. Some versions deep-fry the wings instead. The meat is patted dry with paper towels, coated in flour or cornstarch and fried until cooked, then coated with the sauce and baked.