Have you ever gotten home from the grocery store ready to fry (or bake) yourself up some chicken wings only to realize you bought whole wings instead of the precut wings? Or maybe you bought them on purpose only to realize there's a little extra bit on a whole wing and you're not quite sure what to do with it.
No worries. Here is an easy step by step process to separating a whole chicken wing. You've got this.
Step One (Really just general advice)
Have a sharp knife. Exerting a lot of effort when you're cutting is a great story waiting to happen possibly involving blood and wasted food.
Step Two - Locate the Joint
A whole wing will have two joints. One between the drumstick and the flat and one between the flat and the tip of the wing.
Hold the wing in your hand. The joint should be where the wing bends and should be pointed upwards. Put a small slice to help you figure out where the bones of each section are located. This will help you figure out where to make the rest of the cut. The cut will be between the ends of the bones.
Step Three - Cut
Cut through the joint. You're actually cutting through cartilage and not bone. It should be a very smooth cut as you slice through the joint.
Tips
I like to work on the underside of the wing section so you can sort of see the joints.
Don't bother trying to fry or cook the tip. You won't get much meat out of that. However, you should put all the tips in a container and store them in the freezer. They are great for making homemade stock and bone broth.