drummettes
See also: chicken wings
The meatier, wing-shaped upper section of a chicken wing, resembling a small drumstick, with a single bone running through it. Usually separated from the flat and cooked skin-on -- fried, baked, or grilled -- since the bone and skin keep it juicy and forgiving of high heat.
Buying guidance
Choose packages that are cold, tightly sealed, and free of excess pooled liquid or a sour smell. Because drummettes are small, they cook noticeably faster than whole wings or larger bone-in pieces, so check for doneness earlier than timing meant for full wings would suggest.
Substitutions
- Whole chicken wings, split at the joint -- yields a drummette and a flat together; the flat needs slightly longer to cook through.
- Small chicken drumsticks -- a similar handheld shape but larger; allow noticeably more cooking time.
- Boneless chicken thigh, cut into chunks -- no bone means faster, less forgiving cooking, so check doneness early.
Tips & common mistakes
Meat right next to the bone can look pink or reddish even when the piece is fully cooked -- that's pigment from the bone marrow, not a doneness problem -- so check for doneness with a thermometer or by how easily the meat pulls from the bone rather than judging by color near it.
Storage
With more bone and skin surface relative to meat than a boneless cut, drummettes can dry out faster if left uncovered in the fridge -- keep them in a sealed container or tightly wrapped rather than on an open tray.