Expensive Chicken Wings w/ Fast Food Pizza

[estricklin]

Years ago I would always go back and forth on whether to order wings with the pizza. I mean they are kinda pricey, but they are also amazingly delicious. Last I knew they were about a buck a wing. Eventually I stopped ordering them, and finally my wife talked me into just getting them, since it's what I really wanted anyway. After that, the unspoken rule is, she just doesn't tell me how much they cost. That's been the policy at our house for years, and tonight we had Pizza Hut, and she bothered to say "Hope you really enjoy those wings, I would eat them really slow if I were you.".

I guess this isn't really about the effin wings, we hardly ever eat out, and order pizza even less. I'm also at the point in my life, where I'm blessed to have a good paying career and I own a vacation rental home too.

Why I am so damn frugal? Why can't I just say screw it and enjoy the wings? Why do wings cost so much? Technically there's 4 wingettes on each chicken!

 

[renstyle]

You're frugal cuz you wanted to maintain "extras".... like that rental home. That takes alot of hard work and putting off your desires in the present so you can enjoy the future.

Maybe you subconsciously place wings in that "not really worth the expense for what you get" category still out of habit?

For whatever reason, wings are still on the half of the paper that has the heading "dunno if this is really worth it".

I assume you are a homebrewer, so is this a pattern?

There is a *direct* correlation with this mindset and my brewing.... Cuz we could easily pick up a bag of wings/drummies and turn them into much better wings at home than you can have delivered......

hmmm... maybe you should start "homebrewing" the wings at home from scratch and just get the pizza delivered moving forward!

 

[renstyle]

wait... there's a pizza making section here at HBT too!

 

[estricklin]

You're frugal cuz you wanted to maintain "extras".... like that rental home. That takes alot of hard work and putting off your desires in the present so you can enjoy the future.

Maybe you subconsciously place wings in that "not really worth the expense for what you get" category still out of habit?

For whatever reason, wings are still on the half of the paper that has the heading "dunno if this is really worth it".

I assume you are a homebrewer, so is this a pattern?

There is a *direct* correlation with this mindset and my brewing.... Cuz we could easily pick up a bag of wings/drummies and turn them into much better wings at home than you can have delivered......

hmmm... maybe you should start "homebrewing" the wings at home from scratch and just get the pizza delivered moving forward!

I literally cooked 100lbs of wings once at home, using a simple buffalo sauce recipe I learned working at a bar and grill, back when I was so 'poh' I rode a bike everywhere, cuz if I hadda bought gas I couldn't of afforded enough to push a gnat's ass half way round a BB pullin a tow sack.

And your right, that rental, If I didn't drink before it I sure do now. Although the $0 mortgage payments are nice.

 

[bracconiere]

 

[bracconiere]

All you need to do is drink a red bull? and it'll GIVE you wings! no need to pay $1 a pop for them!

 

[Dland]

All you need to do is drink a red bull? and it'll GIVE you wings! no need to pay $1 a pop for them!

Pretty sure that is not the best advice you've ever given out here.. bracco, ( but who knows, or cares,,,) I had a employee that drank a lot of that isht, and it did not work out that well for him. Think he was in jail by age of 23,...and his dad was a cop, so he got lots of chances.

I think them wings cost more than a buck a pop in some places, there was one local bar that handed them out for free to patrons that were there honestly drinking around 5:30 PM, free popcorn you could help yourself to most of the time. Placed burned down last year, but I had not been there in about 20 years. Still was kinda sad for me... one less option I'd never use.

Anyway, back on topic; You want expensive chicken, raise them yourself.

But at least then it has potential to be excellent, taste, health and nutrition wise.. let alone a semi un cruel existence for the animals involved.

Go a little further with decent plot management, one can improve ones soil & vegetable crop w rotations of high quality fertilizer and pest management.

No doubt I've exceeded the purview of this thread, and for that I apologize..

Have a better one campers...

 

[bracconiere]

I had a employee that drank a lot of that isht, and it did not work out that well for him. Think he was in jail by age of 23

not surprising for a brand that thinks adding coca extract as an ingredient on the list is a good marketing strategy....

 

[estricklin]

So my wife kinda broke the rule today, while having coffee in bed she told me “they were something like $11.89 for 6”. So yeah, that’s not worth it. I mean you could literally buy 2 entire chickens at the grocery store for that, and have money left over for the sauce ingredients.

Some examples of things that ARE worth the money, this Founder’s Centinial IPA, .22 ammo, gasoline, Best-Made Pickles, Chase Lounges, Amarillo Hops, AMD CPUs, Apple’s Wired Headphones, Cuties, Park Tool Tube Repair Kits, Gibson Guitars and maybe….just maybe A1 Steak Sauce. I mean those things aren’t even really up to what they’re worth yet.

 

[bracconiere]

“they were something like $11.89 for 6”

damn that what i spend on a 10 gallon batch!

Chase Lounges,

sat in one of those for 30 minutes trying to do a T.O.D., got sick of the waiting!

A1 Steak Sauce

just as long as it's a hamberburger and not actually a steak!

 

[wepeeler]

Wings around me are about $1.50/wing. Ridiculous. Paid $26.49 for 18 the other day.

 

[slurms]

I know it's not the same, but thinly sliced chicken thigh meat, dredged in rice flour/corn starch (60/40), skewered on kabob sticks, and fried in 370F oil for a few minutes. Douse in a sauce and enjoy. Does pretty good in a pinch!

 

[mashpaddled]

Wings got expensive because demand outstripped supply and now an almost throwaway part of the bird is one of the most expensive parts.

If we're being honest the appeal of eating wings is getting small bits of fried chicken in a high breading to meat ratio tossed in a delicious sauce and then dipped in a second sauce. A thin slice of basically any other cut (especially thighs) will produce effectively the same thing.

 

[MaxStout]

Drummies > wings.

Fight me over it.

 

[bracconiere]

Drummies > wings.

Fight me over it.

asian fried beef....in sauce!

 

[madscientist451]

tonight we had Pizza Hut, and she bothered to say "Hope you really enjoy those wings, I would eat them really slow if I were you.".

For what you spent at PizzaSlut, you could have bought fillet mignon or T-Bones and cooked it on the grill at home. Life is all about choices, Pizza & Wings out or filet mignon at home?
Pretty easy choice in my book. Skip the crappy industrial fake food eating out and eat real food and drink what you want at home. Put the savings in your 401K or the kids college fund. As a bonus, you can drink 5-6 beers at home and not worry about getting pulled over.

PS: If you really want Pizza, buy a high-end frozen cheese pizza at the store, add your own mushrooms, sausage, extra cheese, bacon, whatever. Its still better than PizzaHut and way less money.

 

[OleBrewing]

I make my own wings. Cut em up my self also. Season up a little to marinade then coat with Cajun shore lunch. Put on pit boss and blamo crispy wings. But at 4$ a lb it is a little redicilous.

 

[Kharnynb]

wings are so big here than in the US, but a decent wings place on the other side of the country that I would visit now and then when visiting family there, started making frozen "pre-cooked" batches when the covid-plague started to affect their business, so now they actually sell nationwide, 2 kg of wings for €20,-, just pop them in the fryer for a minute or 2 and douse in their own recipe sauce...much better than the local **** and cheaper as well.

 

[matt_m]

I make my own too and its ruined me on most restaurant wings. If necessary, I cut them up at each joint (sometimes I get lucky and our grocery store has them pre-cut at the same price.) The tips go in a bag in the freezer for broth. I mix salt, pepper, and poultry seasoning in corn starch and toss the wings in that being sure to coat them completely. Then they get shaken off and set on a baking sheet with a wire rack in the fridge uncovered for at least a few hours. Most of the day is even better. The idea is to dry out the skin a good bit so it gets crispy. When its time to cook I set up the Big Green Egg with a raised cooking grate and set it about 275-300 with a couple pieces of apple wood for some smoke. I let them cook about 40 minutes on a raised rack then flip to get some browning on the back side. Time doesn't seem super critical and it doesn't really seem possible to overcook them within reason. I far prefer these to deep fried wings.

For sauces we have bought a lot of different sauces to try. Our favorite buffalo sauce was a brand I no longer remember that our grocery store discontinued. Current favorite has been Franks Wing Sauce which has a pretty classic buffalo flavor. Last time I made a honey soy siracha sauce that was a big hit. Just blended those three ingredients to tast(y). I tried a parmesan garlic sauce that didn't work out recently, need to look into that again. The parmesan congealed into a big lump and I basically had garlic butter. The trick might be to make garlic butter, toss the wings in that then grate parmesan over them while still hot or even back on the grill.

I'll usually do a few with dry rub too. Cook as normal but when its time to flip them, toss in dry rub and let that cook in a little.

For serving we let each person sauce their own wings and just set out plastic containers with lids for each flavor.

 

[marc1]

I know it's not the same, but thinly sliced chicken thigh meat, dredged in rice flour/corn starch (60/40), skewered on kabob sticks, and fried in 370F oil for a few minutes. Douse in a sauce and enjoy. Does pretty good in a pinch!

I like this idea!

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

Wings got expensive because demand outstripped supply and now an almost throwaway part of the bird is one of the most expensive parts.

Yeah, I feel like a lot of people just don't understand the supply/demand equation of wings.

• Breasts: 2 per chicken, typically 1 is a meal, so you get 2 meals per bird.
• Thighs: 2 per chicken, typically 1 is a meal, so you get 2 meals per bird.
• Drumsticks: 2 per chicken, probably need at least 2 for a meal, so you get 1 meal per bird.
• Wing pieces: 4 per chicken, need at least 6 for an appetizer or 12 for a meal, so you require 1.5 birds for an app or 3 birds for a full meal of wings.

Because of the limited size and the limited amount you get from a single bird, wings will be MUCH more sensitive to supply/demand changes than other parts of a chicken.

It actually got so bad a few years ago that wings started to exceed breast on a per-pound price basis. So now, if you go to a restaurant and get boneless "wings" (i.e. chunks of breast) instead of traditional wings for the same price, you're actually saving the restaurant money by ordering boneless.

 

[Jaybird]

So my wife kinda broke the rule today, while having coffee in bed she told me “they were something like $11.89 for 6”. So yeah, that’s not worth it. I mean you could literally buy 2 entire chickens at the grocery store for that, and have money left over for the sauce ingredients.

Some examples of things that ARE worth the money, this Founder’s Centinial IPA, .22 ammo, gasoline, Best-Made Pickles, Chase Lounges, Amarillo Hops, AMD CPUs, Apple’s Wired Headphones, Cuties, Park Tool Tube Repair Kits, Gibson Guitars and maybe….just maybe A1 Steak Sauce. I mean those things aren’t even really up to what they’re worth yet.

PARK TOOLS. THAT REPAIR KIT IS MONEY! I am tubeless these days and still carry it as the back up to my back up

Cheers
Jay

 

[bracconiere]

• Breasts: 2 per chicken, typically 1 is a meal, so you get 2 meals per bird.
• Thighs: 2 per chicken, typically 1 is a meal, so you get 2 meals per bird.
• Drumsticks: 2 per chicken, probably need at least 2 for a meal, so you get 1 meal per bird.
• Wing pieces: 4 per chicken, need at least 6 for an appetizer or 12 for a meal, so you require 1.5 birds for an app or 3 birds for a full meal of wings.

for some reason you rationalizing the value of those poor little birds that way gave me a 'chuckle'.....

 

[camonick]

The biggest factor driving poultry and egg prices right now is the avian flu outbreak that has destroyed over 36 million domestic chickens and turkeys to date. Add in the highest energy costs seen in history and soaring feed costs, there’s no wonder we have to pay more for our food. It’s only going to get worse too.

 

[camonick]

My brother in law owns a sandwich shop in North Carolina. He makes his own homemade chicken salad for a couple of his menu items. A case of chicken used to cost him $49 not too long ago. Now the exact same box of chicken costs him $177 if he can even get it.

 

[estricklin]

PARK TOOLS. THAT REPAIR KIT IS MONEY! I am tubeless these days and still carry it as the back up to my back up

Cheers
Jay

I'm a commuter and tourer, and I'm too dumb to go tubeless I guess, although I really want to on my MTB. I never could get why so many guys just toss tubes, I mean they are like $10 now at the bike shop and I've had a dozen flats in a few months time before. There goes my frugality again........

If you carry a mini pump, tire boot and park tool patch kit your almost guaranteed not to get stranded by a flat. I see guys riding with 1 c02 cartridge and 1 tube, no tire levers or multi tool.

 

[Jaybird]

GO TUBELESS! You wont regret it! I'm doing a little over 100 miles a week right now and starting to step that up, End of July I'll do 560 miles in 7 days in NY. I have 900-1000 miles on my tubeless and LOVE the feel of them! A tad more maintenance but for what I get from them I'll take it.

Cheers
Jay

 

[balrog]

I mean you could literally buy 2 entire chickens at the grocery store for that, a

My brother in law owns a sandwich shop in North Carolina. He makes his own homemade chicken salad for a couple of his menu items. A case of chicken used to cost him $49 not too long ago. Now the exact same box of chicken costs him $177 if he can even get it.

@camonick beat me to it, but have you priced protein lately in the grocery store? When they have it?

 

[NickTheGreat]

Yeah, I feel like a lot of people just don't understand the supply/demand equation of wings.

• Breasts: 2 per chicken, typically 1 is a meal, so you get 2 meals per bird.
• Thighs: 2 per chicken, typically 1 is a meal, so you get 2 meals per bird.
• Drumsticks: 2 per chicken, probably need at least 2 for a meal, so you get 1 meal per bird.
• Wing pieces: 4 per chicken, need at least 6 for an appetizer or 12 for a meal, so you require 1.5 birds for an app or 3 birds for a full meal of wings.

Because of the limited size and the limited amount you get from a single bird, wings will be MUCH more sensitive to supply/demand changes than other parts of a chicken.

It actually got so bad a few years ago that wings started to exceed breast on a per-pound price basis. So now, if you go to a restaurant and get boneless "wings" (i.e. chunks of breast) instead of traditional wings for the same price, you're actually saving the restaurant money by ordering boneless.

My daughters are just kinda realizing that meat come from animals. Like, an actual animal they've seen.

They're generally okay with the concept, but the other day we cooked 6 racks of ribs for a birthday party, and one them asked how many pigs this came from! I got to thinking about it . . .

 

[betarhoalphadelta]

My daughters are just kinda realizing that meat come from animals. Like, an actual animal they've seen.

They're generally okay with the concept, but the other day we cooked 6 racks of ribs for a birthday party, and one them asked how many pigs this came from! I got to thinking about it . . .

LOL... Well if you were doing both baby backs (3 racks) and spares (3 racks), tell them that 6 racks of ribs is only 1.5 pigs. If just 6 racks of one or the other, 3 pigs. That might blow their minds!

 

[NickTheGreat]

LOL... Well if you were doing both baby backs (3 racks) and spares (3 racks), tell them that 6 racks of ribs is only 1.5 pigs. If just 6 racks of one or the other, 3 pigs. That might blow their minds!

Yeah they were all baby racks and I told them 3 pigs. I think they were impressed?

 

[bracconiere]

have you priced protein lately in the grocery store?

you say protein like it only means meat....i eat a lot of beans! still can walk out of the store with a week's food for 10-15$'s.....

 

[SanPancho]

Why I am so damn frugal? Why can't I just say screw it and enjoy the wings? Why do wings cost so much? Technically there's 4 wingettes on each chicken!

at the end of the day, you know the drill-

cheap, fast (i.e. delivered), or good. you can only get two.

as OKC is a relatively large city i'm going to advise you to do what alot of folks here are suggesting- stop ordering it from someone else and make it yourself.

there is likely a large food service warehouse in town. buy a case of wings for yourself. if they have "mis-cuts" even better cuz they're cheaper. you might need to sweet talk them into letting you buy if you're not a business owner, but technically food isnt taxed so there's no reason they cant legally sell to you. worst case, buy em at costco or sams club or wherever else you can. you can even ask manager at local supermarket to sell you a case, say 10% markup. it can be done, one way or another.

as for the pizza, make your own. there's a little pizza oven on amazon for like $300ish. runs off propane and AND wood. makes 12" pies, traditional napolitana style. you can order bulk italian pizza flour on amazon for fairly cheap. costco sells san marzano tomatoes in can. you just need to find a source of GOOD quality fresh mozzarella.

whole foods has house brand thats decent, maybe 4-5 bucks for enough to make 4 pizzas. or 3 if you go heavy on cheese. for BEST get buffalo mozzarella if you can find it. our whole foods has it frequently on sale, like $5 and i buy a few at a time. put a little basil plant in the kitchen window, and you're good for a few months. we make 4 pizzas for maybe 5-7 bucks. plus 20-30 minutes of propane. and few small pieces of hardwood thrown in for flavor. better than anything i could order for delivery. better than most pizza places around town too. sunday dinner. great for small parties too.

 

[Brooothru]

You guys are missing the obvious answer. Combine the two items to save $$$. Scratch the itch while saving some 'scratch'..

What am I talking about? Why Buffalo Chicken Pizza of course. I'm not lying. A local pizza joint offers up a really delicious one. Since Covid, I started doing my own home version. You don't even need to use wing pieces. Any part of the bird that results in chunks, though I prefer white meat.

Simmer the meat pieces in some Frank's Wing Sauce. Add a little oil to the top of a pizza crust, top with the chicken pieces using the sauce as the 'gravy', sprinkle liberally with grated parm to tame the heat, bake in a hot oven to crisp the crust and melt the cheese. Buno appetito!

 

[day_trippr]

When done even just half-assed proper there really is nothing better than home made pizza...

 

[estricklin]

When done even just half-assed proper there really is nothing better than home made pizza...

I've been making pizza (and wings) myself for many years now. I'm probably only doing it half ass but yes I agree. Tonight I made some simple thin crust, pepperoni with olives and jalapenos. I didn't have any anchovies, but then again Pizza Hut never does either.

My daughters and I have been celebrating their summer vacation by watching Star Wars every night, and eating pizza. So I've probably made a dozen pizzas at home the past couple of weeks, including a Chicago Stuffie. I have a sour dough starter going that we'll use in a few more days for dad's favorite pizza; pineapple, jalapenos, Italian sausage and anchovies.

 

[Pkrd]

Next time you're eating wings rate each one of them. You'll find that the first wing and the last wing are orders of magnitude more appealing than the oh look its just another wing I have plenty of these middle ones. So you really only need two wings per session. Pies are the same. First bite and last bite are magical. Rest is just filler.

But I always skip the sides because if I was that hungry surely I'd just order another pizza? When you have a personal pizza it's only one pizza so the whole entire pizza is like the very first wing. You never forget your first wing.

 

[Brooothru]

Tonight is Pizza Night with the 'grands'. Firing up the Oonie, and everyone gets to build their own pie.

Despite what the naysayers deride, I'm building one with fresh pesto as the base sauce, topped with fresh mozz' from the Italian deli, copious amount of Canadian bacon and PINEAPPLE, under a dusting of the finest Parm I can find.

 

[balrog]

Whole wheat crust, super cracker extra crunchy thin, olive oil, salt, Parm Regg, basil, onion all over, pepperoni half, gruyere/jack/chedd/moz cheese mix, more parm regg.

 

[deuc224]

Wings are like 9 dollars a pack. do the leg work and cut them up yourself and use a buffalo sauce and bread them. As far as pizza, i jumped into the deep end and got a blackstone pizza oven conversion kit for a 22 inch griddle and will be making some dough today and letting it proof overnight. i have no idea what im doing with pizza lol