Slow Cooker Sticky Wings

So, this Sunday is Super Bowl Sunday.  I am always torn on how to feel about this day.  On one hand, I get to do two of my favorite things--watch football with friends, and eat yummy food.  On the other hand, I know that when the last whistle blows, I won't be able to enjoy another game until the end of August.  And that is just soooo far away!

But I will try to focus on the positive today--food.  One of my favorite football-watching foods is wings.  The are the epitome of sports bar food.  And they come in so many varieties!  I have shared a few recipes already.  My first homemade wings were good ol' Buffalo wings, which are still probably my favorite.  I have also made Asian honey BBQ wings.  These also were finger-looking good!  I found this recipe in an issue of Cook's Country.  Sticky wings were something new to me, and I knew that during football season, it wouldn't take me long to make them.  And I was right!

Unlike many wings you would get at your favorite watering hole, none of my wings are fried.  Duh.  And these are no exception.  As the name implies (actually, downright states!) these are cooked in a slow cooker.  There is very little prep work involved in making these wings, which makes them great for a busy Super Bowl party.  However, in order to get wings that are actually sticky, after spending a few hours in the slow cooker, these are coated in a simple sauce and then caramelized under a blast of heat in the broiler.

Flavor-wise, these were similar to the Asian honey BBQ wings I made before.  Which means they were awesome!  These wings are deliciously sweet, but they have a bit of tang from the ginger, garlic and soy sauce.  Cayenne pepper gives them just a hint of heat, which I love in a good wing!  And these would be well suited for a party where you want to get most of the cooking done in advance and just put on the finishing touches right before game-time.  Or whatever-time!  Heck, these are good enough and easy enough to make for yourself whenever you just feel like having something delicious.  No special occasion needed!

Fair warning:  you will need napkins.  Lots, and lots of napkins!!

Slow Cooker Sticky Wings
Ingredients:
1 tsp ground ginger
4 cloves garlic, minced
3/4 cup packed brown sugar
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
4 pounds chicken wings
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup tomato paste
Directions:
Combine ginger, garlic, 1/4 cup brown sugar, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, and 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper.  Add mixture to slow cooker insert.  Add chicken and toss until combined.
Cover and cook on low until fat renders and chicken is tender, 3-4 hours.  Using slotted spoon, remove wings from slow cooker and transfer to clean large bowl.  Discard liquid in slow cooker.  Let wings cool 20 minutes, or cool briefly and refrigerate up to 24 hours.
Adjust oven rack to lower-middle position and heat broil.  Set wire rack inside rimmed baking sheet and spray rack with baking spray.  Whisk water, tomato paste, remaining sugar, remaining soy sauce, and remaining cayenne pepper in bowl.
Add half of the sauce to bowl with cooled wings and toss gently to coat.  Arrange wings, skin side up, on prepared rack.  Broil until wings are lightly charred and crisp around edges, 10-15 minutes.  Flip wings, brush with remaining sauce, and continue to broil until well caramelized, about 3 minutes.  Serve.

Serves 12.
Recipe adapted slightly from Cook's Country, February/March 2010