Charcoal-Grilled Chicken Wings

Koji Marinade, Salsa Macha, Chicken Salt, and Lemon

Chef Spencer Bezaire of Eszett | Los Angeles

Adapted by StarChefs | May 2021

INGREDIENTS:

Salsa Macha:
1 pound morita chiles
6 dried guajillo chiles, stems and seeds removed
3 dried ancho peppers, stems and seeds removed
4 dried mulato peppers, stems and seeds removed
3 quarts canola oil
1 quart olive oil
8 large shallots, sliced thin then rough chopped
15 cloves garlic, rough-chopped
1 cup sesame seeds

Seasoning Salt:
125 grams sea salt
15 grams monosodium glutamate
20 grams sansho pepper
20 grams Urfa biber
10 grams smoked paprika
10 grams Aleppo peppers
5 grams coriander seeds

Chicken Wings:
5 pounds chicken wings, jointed with tips left on
3 tablespoons liquid shio koji
2 tablespoons sea salt
1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper

METHOD:

For the Salsa Macha:
In a large pot, toast all the peppers until some are almost all the way black, about 5 minutes. Add in enough water to cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling, cover and let steep for 30 minutes. Strain the peppers and pat dry on a sheet pan. In a separate pot, add oils and bring to 200°F. Add shallots and cook on medium heat until they start to brown, about 15 minutes. Add garlic and continue to slow fry for an additional 10 minutes. Add sesame seeds, remove from heat, and let cool. Strain the oil into a Vitamix blender, keeping all the solids left in the strainer. Reserve in a large bowl. In batches, blend the peppers until completely smooth then add back into the shallot, garlic, and sesame seed mix. It should create a thick chile oil.

For the Seasoning Salt:
In a clean Vitamix blender, powderize all ingredients.

For the Chicken Wings:
Toss wings in koji, salt, and pepper. Put inside a Ziploc bag and remove as much air as possible. Let marinate for at least 24 hours.

To Assemble and Serve:
Grill wings on the top rack of a charcoal oven to give a nice crispy texture or grill wings on a standard grill with charcoal. Flip often because the sugar content of the koji tends to burn. Toss wings Salsa Macha and season liberally with Seasoning Salt. Garnish with lemon wedge.

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