Chicken Wing Question

[ssandy_561]

What weight percentage of the whole chicken wing is the tip.

I’m needing to get about 25 lbs. of "Party Wings" and I am gonna call around and get prices for both party wings per pound and whole wings per pound and I want to figure out how much difference in price per pound for me to save enough money to spend the time to disjoint the wings myself.

Thanks for any info.

[mrteddyprincess]

I'm operating on the assumption that you've Googled this and that I would get similar results of no direct answer by Googling.

My estimate makes the assumption that the flat and the drummette are approximately the same weight. By looking at pictures of the parts of the wing I estimate that the tip is about 1/3 of the weight of either the flat or the drummette, making it approximately 1/7th of the weight of the wing, or about 14%.

I am eager to see if I have come anywhere close to the actual answer

[ssandy_561]

I came up with 12.5% after breaking down 40 lbs. of whole wings.

You were pretty much on the money.

[mrteddyprincess]

Cool! Thank you for the data!

[Jerod Broussard]

It ain't the weight of the tip, it's the cost of the company disjointing it and repacking it. I always buy whole wings. It takes FOREVER to pack wingettes and drumettes. If you can get them in bulk (IQF) it would be a little more feasible, but tray pack wingettes and drumettes, no thanks. My cleaver and I are good buddies.

[Troutman]

Is that Beaver or Wally?

[JoeSousa]

I prefer to cut my own wings too. They seem to be a more consistent size than the individually packed drumettes and flats.

But those big Costco packs in the meat department (not in the frozen food section) of pre-cut wing pieces sure can be convenient.

[Ahumadora]

I agree, only takes 15 mins to process 25lbs of wings with the cleaver. Kind of soothing hacking away wildly. You can't mess it up much unless your tag your finger.

[ssandy_561]

For a 35# box of wings cut into the drummets and flats without the tip I’ve been given a price of $3.19/lb. and for a 40# box of whole wings I’ve been given a price of $2.49/lb.

Both are from the same local chicken farm. Both are fresh never frozen.

[Jerod Broussard]

I'm going whole.

[MBMorgan]

Go whole ... and save the tips for making stock. That way nothing goes to waste.

[RonB]

I think you will just have to wing it...

[shify]

I’d be surprised if in a 40 lb box you’d even get to 5 lbs of wing tips. The 40 lb box seems like a better deal if you are up for splitting upward of 200 whole wings.

[mrteddyprincess]

Your estimate is right there with mine. I said 1/7th and you're 1/8th at 5 lbs out of 40 lbs. BBQ minds think alike.

[HouseHomey]

Go 40 lbs. also many of the frozen are at least 10% solution by weight.

[NapMaster]

Get the whole wings. Chop the little turds and provide us your results. Then we will all know. Personally, I'm not chopping wings for anyone. I like gnawing on the tips. Don't forget to subtract the weight of your fingers.

[Santamarina]

Anytime you do the work yourself it’s cheaper. The question is: is the price break worth your time and effort?