Quentin—s Peach-Bourbon Wings — The Summer the House Smelled Like Louisiana

Week 377. Year 8. Tommy is 41. Deep summer. The business thriving. Luc (17) at LSU studying engineering. The heat index above 100 and the AC straining and the only relief is the cold beer and the screened porch and the sound of the fan turning and the knowledge that fall is coming and the gumbo is waiting.

Made fried catfish this week — the kind of food that fills the house with the smell of Louisiana and the knowledge that whoever walks through the door is walking into a home where the stove is on and the food is ready and the welcome is unconditional. The meal was the day. The day was the meal. Both were good. The bayou runs on.

Fried catfish was the meal that started the week, but the summer kept going — and when it did, these peach-bourbon wings showed up the same way good food always does around here: with no apology and a whole lot of flavor. There’s something about the combination of sweet peach and deep bourbon that feels exactly like a Louisiana July — hot, a little reckless, and better than it has any right to be. If the catfish was the welcome, these wings are the reason people stay.

Quentin’s Peach-Bourbon Wings

Prep Time: 15 min | Cook Time: 45 min | Total Time: 1 hr | Servings: 4–6

Ingredients

• 3 lbs chicken wings, split at joints, tips removed
• 1 tsp kosher salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 1 tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp smoked paprika
• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 cup peach preserves
• 1/4 cup bourbon
• 2 tbsp hot sauce (Crystal or Tabasco)
• 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
• Sliced green onions and fresh peach slices, for garnish

Instructions

1. Preheat and prep. Preheat oven to 425°F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil and place a wire rack on top. Pat wings completely dry with paper towels — this is what gets you crispy skin.
2. Season the wings. In a large bowl, toss wings with vegetable oil, salt, pepper, garlic powder, and smoked paprika until evenly coated. Arrange in a single layer on the wire rack.
3. Bake. Roast for 40–45 minutes, flipping once at the 25-minute mark, until the skin is golden, crackled, and cooked through to an internal temperature of 165°F.
4. Make the peach-bourbon glaze. While wings bake, combine peach preserves, bourbon, hot sauce, butter, apple cider vinegar, and red pepper flakes in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir and simmer for 6–8 minutes until slightly thickened and glossy. Taste and adjust heat with more hot sauce if desired.
5. Glaze and finish. Transfer baked wings to a large bowl. Pour two-thirds of the glaze over the wings and toss well to coat. Return wings to the rack and broil for 3–4 minutes until the glaze caramelizes and begins to char at the edges. Watch closely.
6. Serve. Pile wings on a platter, drizzle with remaining glaze, and garnish with sliced green onions and fresh peach slices. Serve immediately.

Nutrition (per serving)

Calories: 510 | Protein: 31g | Fat: 27g | Carbs: 26g | Fiber: 0g | Sodium: 490mg