How to Cook Drumettes, Flats, and Wing Tips to Perfection
As football season ramps up, so does wing season. There’s no better game day snack than a platter of chicken wings. Did you know that each chicken wing is made up of three distinct parts: the drumette, wingette (or flat), and the often-overlooked wing tip? Each section has unique qualities, cooking techniques, and serving styles that can please all of your football and tailgate fans.
The Drumette
The drumette is the meatiest part of the wing, resembling a mini drumstick. It has more meat than the other sections and is easy to hold, making it a favorite for game day appetizers.
Cooking the Drumette
The thickness of the chicken drumette allows it to handle grilling, frying, or roasting without drying out. Its meat-to-bone ratio keeps it juicy, especially when marinated. Braising drumettes can also tenderize them beautifully by breaking down the connective tissue.
Pro Tip: Fry drumettes at 350°F for even cooking and juicy meat.
Serving the Drumette
Drumettes are perfect for dipping in sauces like buffalo or barbecue. Their sturdiness allows them to hold up to bold, flavorful sauces like honey sriracha. They’re often served alongside wingettes but can stand alone for meatier bites.
The Wingette (Flat)
The wingette, or chicken flat, is the middle section of the wing. It has two parallel bones and offers a higher skin-to-meat ratio, making it ideal for those who love crispy skin with every bite.
Cooking the Wingette
Wingettes excel in high-heat methods like frying or grilling to achieve that crispy, golden skin. Since they’re thinner than drumettes, they cook faster, so it’s important not to overcook them. Baking or roasting at high temperatures also yields deliciously crispy results.
Pro Tip: Fry wingettes (flats) at 375°F for perfectly crispy skin.
Serving the Wingette
Wingettes are perfect for tossing in sauces like garlic parmesan or lemon pepper. Their smaller size makes them ideal for finger food platters on game day. With their crispy texture and juicy bite, wingettes are always a crowd favorite.
The Wing Tip
The wing tip is the slender, pointy part of the wing with little meat. Often discarded, wing tips are rich in fat and connective tissue, making them perfect for flavor-packed broths or crispy snacks.
Cooking the Wing Tip
When fried, wing tips turn into crispy delights. They’re often used in Asian cuisines as crunchy snacks or added to soups for flavor. Wing tips are also excellent for making rich chicken stocks due to their high cartilage content.
Serving the Wing Tip
Fried wing tips can be served as crunchy, flavorful snacks with dipping sauces. While they may not be as meaty, they offer a unique texture and flavor for those who love crispy bites.
Bringing It All Together
Each part of the chicken wing has its own personality: the meaty drumette, the crispy wingette, and the flavor packed wing tip. Whether you’re grilling, frying, or baking for game day, knowing how to cook each part of the wing will help you make the most of your wings. As football season rolls on, impress friends and family with perfectly cooked wings that highlight the unique qualities of each part.
Great dishes start with great ingredients. Jidori Home has non-GMO chicken wing tips, whole chicken wings, just chicken wingettes (flats), just chicken drumettes, and chicken party wings (both drumettes and flats). If you want to really step up your wing game, serve a tray of our tulip wings (part of our chef's cut collection) at your next gathering.