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Buffalo Wings; All-Time Favorite Spicy Appetizer

© Judy Howle

An American favorite, Buffalo Wings originated at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY in the 1960's and their popularity has spread around the country. You can visit the official Buffalo Wings Anchor Bar web page at http://www.buffalowings.com They are served at many bars and restaurants and you can make them at home just as easily with the following recipes.

BUFFALO STYLE CHICKEN WINGS

24 wings
4 cups oil (peanut, corn, or other)
4T butter
2-5T (one 2.5 oz. bottle) Frank's Louisiana Hot Sauce
1T white vinegar
2-1/2C blue cheese dressing
salt and pepper
celery sticks

Discard small tip of each wing, split at large joint and sprinkle with salt and pepper. Heat oil in large casserole or fryer (until quite hot). Add half of wings and cook, stirring occasionally. When brown and crisp (15-20 min.), remove and drain well. Cook remaining wings. Melt butter in saucepan and add hot sauce and vinegar. Put wings on a warm platter and pour sauce over them (or put wings and sauce in a closed container and shake). Serve with celery sticks, blue cheese dressing (for dipping), and beer. The unfortunate part of the referenced recipe is that it is loaded with fat. For a low(er) fat variation that still tastes good, broil the wings instead of frying them, and then mix 1/2 cup hot sauce, 4 tbs honey, 2 tbs vinegar, 2 tbs lemon juice, 1 heaping tsp dry mustard, like Coleman's. Heat the sauce until it thickens, and then put the wings in, and then cook till it thickens even more, while stirring the wings around. Still taste good with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing.

Wings, being mostly chicken skin, have a large amount of fat in them, no matter what you do. You can help a little by broiling them so that some of the fat melts away, and not adding any more. I would recommend grilling the wings. That way, you lose the fat (a good thing) without losing the flavor (which would be a bad thing).

BLUE CHEESE DRESSING
1 c. mayonnaise
2 Tbsp. finely chopped onion
1 tsp. finely minced garlic
1/4 c. finely chopped parsley
1/2 c. sour cream
1 Tbsp. lemon juice
1 Tbsp. white vinegar
1/4 c. crumbled blue cheese
salt, pepper, cayenne to taste

Combine and chill for an hour or longer.

BUFFALO WINGS
Yield: 8 servings

Seasoning Mix (Makes 2 tablespoons plus 1 3/4 teaspoons)
2 teaspoons salt
2 teaspoons paprika (mild, or Hungarian hot paprika)
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper