Gang, I'm out of ideas for a decent buffalo wing sauce recipe. Let's take a step back: In my book, real buffalo wings are deep fried, not breaded, and the sauce is a pungent Franks Red Hot/Tabasco/vinegar blend that pierces your nostrils and packs spice heat. Here in northern NJ, there are simply no good wing places. Buffalo wild Wings is a joke, a local bar offers 115 types of wings and 114 of them are mediocre, etc. Am I a wing snob? Probably. But no matter how many recipes are tried, I can't get a good sauce together. There are a million recipes of Frank's Red Hot, butter, garlic powder, worcesteshire and cayenne, but they ain't getting it done. With football season in full swing and the holidays approaching, wings are part of the four food groups (beer, coffee and pizza are the other three). Can anyone offer some ideas?
I'm not from Buffalo, so I might be talking out of my a$$ but I've been told "authentic" is butter and Franks and that's it.
I have always found the secret to great wings has more to do with process... I make a flavourful wing the way I like it-- for me it starts with heavy spicing of garlic, smoked paprika, pepper, onion, salt and whatever suits my fancy. Then I bread and either cook shake and bake style or pan fry (pan frying is better if you have the time). Then I sauce with whatever sauce I want-- usually spicy bbq, spicy asian, or "buffalo style." If I do buffalo style I use a hotsauce that suits my taste-- either tapatio or siracha-- and mix it 50/50 with real melted butter (the salted kind). Add a little garlic too. I keep saying garlic-- I like garlic granules, but garlic powder works too. Avoid garlic salt. Last step, but very important-- put the wings in the oven and bake the sauce on! This is where the magic happens.
Here's my favorite vinegar sauce. You might up the heat for your application, but it's a good starting point. 2 cups apple cider vinegar 1 cup light brown sugar 1 cup ketchup ½ cup water 2 Tablespoon yellow mustard 1.5 Tablespoon Kosher salt 1 Tablespoon paprika 1 Tablespoon lemon juice 1 tsp fine ground black pepper 1 ½ tsp ground nutmeg 1 tsp celery salt ½ tsp granulated garlic ½ tsp ground sage ½ tsp cumin Dash ground cayenne pepper
Yep, the old recipe is deep fried wings tossed in a mix of hot sauce and butter. First tried them in the late 80s. I've been ruined. I have a difficult time eating restaurant wings. I make mine with Louisiana Hot Sauce and butter. Melt the butter and add enough hot sauce to turn it a dark orange. I eyeball it. Got my ex hooked on them so bad that he bought a fryer. Everybody is different. Test out recipes to suit your personal taste. Have fun!
I have always used the simple Frank's recipe, but with margarine, not butter and a little bit of lemon. The other thing I started doing was to give the wings a short warmup in the microwave so that they don't cool the oil down as much. I think they cook better that way. It also helps a great deal if you are trying to make wings for a larger crowd with a smaller fat pit. Once crispy I put them in a pot, pour on some hot sauce, shake them up and serve.
I cut some Tabasco smoked chipotle sauce with regular Frank's and butter. If you like some more vinegar taste use a splash of brine from a jar of pickled hot peppers
I have a phenomenal wing recipe, I pretty much do it from my head every time I make them but it closely mimics a tavern on top of the mountain here where we live, best wings in the whole area HANDS DOWN. It's pretty much like the original wing recipe (hot sauce, butter, vinegar), then take some mustard and a dry pack of hidden valley ranch dressing, mix it in. Then ad fresh minced garlic to taste, and when the wings are served sprinkle some grated parmesian cheese on them. Best friggin wings I've ever had. We make wings on the fire pit quite often, that adds yet another dimension of flavor to them.
Don't forget the FRESH MINCED garlic.....that and the ranch combine to kick it up a notch. You can use powdered garlic or canned minced garlic, but it ain't even close to the same.....
Sacrilege!!!! Bleu Cheese is the only proper dressing for a "chicken wing"!! Franks Red Hot, butter, and a splash of vinegar is proper Buffalo style sauce. I like to add honey to mine. Another personal favorite, is "Char-B-Que". Fry the wings up as normal (extra crispy plz), toss them with some BBQ sauce (Sweet Baby Rays), and grill them for ~2 mins per side. You'll want to wipe down your grill grates with some oil first so they don't stick. Garlic parmesan, like Scotty mentioned, or honey garlic are awesome too.
I'm in agreement with Shawn on both counts!! My first exposure to wings was in Buffalo in the Anchor Bar back in the '70s. I really wasn't impressed with the entire scene of wings, celery sticks, and blue cheese dressing. That feeling didn't last long as I loved wings not long after that. I've had them grilled, baked at 435° in the oven, and deep-fried. I still like them deep fried the most but don't often make them that way. As far as blue cheese dressing, I have been making the dressing using a recipe I found on the web which I've been using quite often, for salads and dipping. Blue Cheese Dressing Mmmm wings.
Ah, now the discussion is starting to get some legs. I too have been to the Anchor Bar in Buffalo and was most unimpressed. The place was dark, weird and the wings weren't anything to write home about. I crave pungent, super spicy wings, cold beers, football....oh dear.....
I was introduced to them at parties back in the 80s but the two places I remember where the Casino in Bemus Point and Quaker Steak and Lube before it was a franchise in Sharon. Not sure if any of you NYers have been to Bemus.
....I like mine on the grill. Still trying to find the right sauce for me that really stands out as the best. I think my best has been Sweet Baby Rays and Franks Redhot Wing sauce (1/2 and 1/2) plus Butter and Honey. This ought to be awesome thread...
