Superabundant recipe: Sticky cranberry-glazed wings and other ways to bring Oregon to the holiday table

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If you ever wanted to make Thanksgiving more local, Oregon is a pretty great place to be. From heritage poultry farms to the pinot noir for the pairing, you’re pretty much covered. Check the menu:

Mashed potatoes. Uh, the potato is Oregon’s official state vegetable. NEXT QUESTION.

Green bean casserole. Not only is Oregon the 4th largest producer of green beans in the U.S., but our state mushroom, the chanterelle, makes a major upgrade to canned cream of mushroom soup.

Dinner rolls. Watch Superabundant: Wheat

Pretty much any pie. We’ve got the wheat and butter for the crust, of course; you’ve got your pick of fruits (a persimmon chess pie is an unexpected and aesthetic treat), whether fresh apples or frozen berries. If you know where to look, you might even find local sugar for the filling — opt for store-brand sugar and there’s a good chance it came from eastern Oregon sugar beets.

Cranberry sauce. We already covered cranberries, but the cider in this glaze is also a local specialty. Oregon ciders consistently sweep brewing competitions, even on the international stage.

Wings are a classic sportsball food, but you can also use this glaze on your entire holiday bird (or birdless protein centerpiece — shout-out, Tofurky). Sweet and sour cranberry sauce happens to go beautifully with fatty, salty and earthy flavors, like roasted squash or even Oregon-born tater tots (try them with gravy). Serves 2-4

Ingredients

1 cup fresh or frozen cranberries

1 cup dry apple cider (or water)

1 cup sugar

½ cup honey

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon grated ginger

1 teaspoon black pepper

2 ½ pounds (2 packs) chicken wings

1 tablespoon coarse sea salt

1 teaspoon powdered dried sage

1 tablespoon sweet or hot paprika

1 large garlic clove, finely minced

2 tablespoons olive or vegetable oil

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven or air fryer to 425 F and line a baking sheet with foil. Place a rack on top of the baking sheet.
2. In a small pot over medium heat, bring the cranberries, cider, sugar, honey, soy sauce, ginger and half the pepper to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook until the cranberries have disintegrated and the sauce has thickened to a syrupy, brushable consistency, about 20-30 minutes. Add a splash of cider or water as needed to keep the sauce from getting too thick (the cranberries will gel up considerably). When it’s finished, run the mixture through a blender. Taste and adjust sugar as needed.
3. While the glaze is simmering, add the chicken wings, salt, remaining pepper, garlic, and oil to a large bowl and toss to coat. Arrange the wings evenly on the prepared baking sheet and bake or air fry until the wings are fully cooked (an instant-read thermometer should read 165 F) and the skin has browned evenly, about 20-25 minutes (flip the wings and rotate the pan halfway through cooking to ensure it all comes out evenly).
4. Return the wings to the bowl and pour on enough of the glaze to cover them, tossing to coat. Remove the rack from the baking sheet, drain off any of the chicken juices and fat, then return the sauced wings to the baking sheet. Roast or air fry until the glaze is sizzling and sticky (brushing on more glaze as you like), another 5-7 minutes or so. To make a good time an even better time, serve with tater tots and gravy.

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