Cauliflower "Buffalo Wings"--Cooking for my students

[mrteddyprincess]

Okay, I have three classes of high school chemistry students, and I'm planning to cook chicken thighs and homemade biscuits for them. I had them fill out a survey.

So far, I have three students who are vegetarians, and they checked the option to talk to me about vegan alternatives. My go-to would be using cauliflower to make veggie "Buffalo Wings."

My plan is to smoke the cauliflower on the Lang for a bit. Then I'm going to cut it up into chicken wing sized pieces, Kosher salt it, bread it, and then deep fry it in canola oil. Then I'm going to coat it with wing sauce.

I haven't done this. I'm open to the idea. I like cauliflower.

I'm asking for input from the pit to gain insights from other members who have actually tried this. I thank you for your suggestions in advance!

Brian

[barelfly]

The instagram cooks have done this before, I’ll see if I can find something on it for you. But I like your thought process here and think it will work. I’ve made some fun stuff with cauliflower and it works well!

[barelfly]

Here’s the America’s Test Kitchen video on it - these were what I was remembering.

[Michael_in_TX]

I wanna make those! Wow those look good.

[Troutman]

I like anything involved with cauliflower, from roasting or smoking it whole, to making a mash. This does look tempting, into Paprika it goes !!

[Carolyn]

That looks good. Also adding to Paprika. Thanks

[Oak Smoke]

I don’t know any of the particulars but one of the restaurants I used to take customers to had battered and deep fried cauliflower. They served it with a close to shrimp cocktail sauce, it was very good.

[jfmorris]

All I can advise is to not to smoke the cauliflower too long on the grill. I smoked cauliflower indirect and tried to give it a buffalo sauce treatment, and it was so smokey we couldn't hardly eat it. I feel like cauliflower is a sponge that sucks up the smoke a lot quicker than any meat.

I do agree that battered and fried and tossed in sauce will taste great. The question is.... how vegan are your vegans? I.e. can they tolerate butter or other ingredients involved in a typical wing sauce?

[bmillin]

Agree with this - but the cauliflower probably needs some pre-cooking before frying. I love grilled or roasted cauliflower!

[mrteddyprincess]

I don't think any of them are vegan, just vegetarian. I've asked if canola oil is okay and they all agreed it was. I am with you on the don't smoke it too long thing. I was thinking five to ten minutes on the Lang would be enough. I think I'm going to do a trial this weekend before I prepare it for students. Appreciate your thoughts!

[mrteddyprincess]

barelfly here's a pic without sauce. I'm letting students choose. I'm warming them up in a toaster oven. The student who ate them today absolutely loved them. Thanks again!

[texastweeter]

Give them an F.

[hoovarmin]

That's what I was thinking. But then Brian has to cook for them again next year. I would serve them rubber bands soaked in lacquer thinner.

[barelfly]

mrteddyprincess love it! Can’t wait to hear more!!! Those look so light and crispy…I hope you get to enjoy a bit of the food tonight as well

have fun and Happy Teacher Appreciation week to you! Thank you for what you do for the kiddos you teach past, present and future!

[hoovarmin]

I do love cauliflower. I will be following along to see what you end up doing.