Outback Kookaburra wings are chicken wings coated in Southern style poultry seasoning and seasoned flour, fried in lard at 375F for 8 to 10 minutes, then tossed in melted butter and Tabasco. Twenty minutes start to finish, serves 4.
Southern style poultry seasoning is the ingredient that makes these taste like Outback and not like regular fried wings. Regular poultry seasoning does not give the same result, and the author is specific about this. Badia Southern Blend Poultry Seasoning is the brand, and it is available in most grocery stores and on Amazon in a larger bottle.
The wings get coated in the seasoning alone first, then dredged in a flour mixture that also has seasoning in it. That double hit of spice is why the flavour sits deep inside the crust rather than just on the surface. Lard is what the recipe calls for and the author says not to substitute it, though she used half lard and half canola oil and said they still came out well.
Outback Kookaburra Wings
Course: AppetizersCuisine: AmericanDifficulty: Easy4
servings10
minutes10
minutes710
kcalChicken wings double coated in Southern style poultry seasoning and flour, deep fried in lard until golden, then tossed in a melted butter and Tabasco sauce. The seasoning brand is the whole trick.
Ingredients
2 lbs chicken wings
Approx 1 1/2 cups Southern Blend Poultry Seasoning (Badia brand recommended)
2 cups all-purpose flour
Salt and pepper, to taste
Lard or oil, enough to cover the wings when frying
- For the sauce:
1/2 stick butter, melted
1/4 cup Tabasco, more or less to taste
Directions
- Heat the oil:Fill a Dutch oven with enough lard or oil to cover the wings. Heat to 375F.
- Coat in seasoning:Pat the wings dry with paper towels. Place about 1 cup of poultry seasoning in a bowl and toss the wings in it until fully coated.
- Dredge in flour:In a separate bowl, mix the flour, salt, pepper and about 1/2 cup of poultry seasoning. Dredge each coated wing in the flour mixture.
- Fry until golden:Fry in batches for 8 to 10 minutes until golden brown and cooked through. Drain on paper towels.
- Toss and serve:Stir together the melted butter and Tabasco. Toss the fried wings in the sauce and serve immediately.
FAQs
What is Southern style poultry seasoning?
It is a spice blend with sage, thyme, rosemary, marjoram, black pepper and celery salt, but with added garlic, onion and paprika that standard poultry seasoning does not have. Badia is the brand the recipe calls for. Regular poultry seasoning will not give the same result.
Do you really need lard?
The author says lard is the secret and not to substitute. She used half lard and half canola oil and said they still turned out well. Peanut oil or vegetable oil will fry the wings fine, but the flavour will be different. Lard gives a richer, slightly savoury taste to the crust.
Can you use Crystal hot sauce instead of Tabasco?
A commenter asked the same question, noting that the restaurant reportedly uses Crystal. The author said either works, and that the hot sauce is less important than the poultry seasoning. Crystal is milder and more vinegar forward, Tabasco is sharper. Use whichever you prefer.
How much poultry seasoning do you actually need?
About 1 1/2 cups total: 1 cup for the initial coating and 1/2 cup mixed into the flour. If you can only find the small 5.5 oz bottles, buy two. Amazon sells the 22 oz bottle which covers one batch comfortably.
How do you store leftover wings?
Fridge for 2 days in a sealed container. Reheat in a 375F oven for 10 minutes or air fry at 375F for 8 minutes. The butter Tabasco sauce will have soaked into the coating overnight, so you may want to toss them in a fresh batch of sauce after reheating.
