Kicked Up Hawaiian Chicken Wings

my wife's family has a Hawaiian chicken recipe which we enjoyed, but decided to "Kick it up a bit" by adding some of Emeril's Essence. You can prepare it either way, but we prefer it spicy

• Ready In: 13 hrs 30 mins
• Serves: 2-4

Ingredients

• For the Brine

• 1⁄2 gallon  cold water
• 1⁄8 cup kosher salt
• 1⁄4 cup  Emeril's Original Essence (either bought in store or use one of the recipes posted on Recipezaar)
• 3  lbs chicken wings
• 1  tablespoon  chili pepper flakes
• 4  cloves garlic (any other spice which appeals to you) (optional)

• Sweet and Sour Sauce

• 1 (20 ounce) can  pineapple tidbits in juice
•  water
• 1  large green pepper (chopped)
• 2  tablespoons soy sauce
• 2  tablespoons cornstarch
• 1⁄4 cup brown sugar
• 1⁄2 cup onion (chopped)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon  garlic salt
• 1⁄2 teaspoon ginger
• 2  tablespoons white vinegar

Directions

1. Fill large Dutch Oven with the cold water Add Salt and the Essence™.
2. Stir to combine completely.
3. Add chicken wings and place in refrigerator for at least 12 hours.
4. Remove from brine, drain and place on rack in baking pan.
5. (optional: if you want this dish to be milder, rinse pepper flakes off of wings at this point) Cook chicken at 425 degree oven for 45 minutes on a rack in a large shallow pan.
6. Right before the chicken is done, prepare the Sweet and Sour Sauce by cutting the green pepper into thin strips, or small chunks, and thinly slice the onion.
7. Drain the pineapple and measure juice, adding enough water to make 1 ½ cup of fluid.
8. Combine the juice, pineapple, green pepper, soy sauce, cornstarch, vinegar, brown sugar, onion, garlic salt and ginger.
9. Cook until thick.
10. Spoon over the cooked chicken, return to a 300 degree oven and bake for an additional 20 minutes.
11. Serve Hot.
12. Also good reheated in a microwave NOTE: We baked the chicken in a pan and drained off juice before adding sauce, this came out ok also.