Regional Food Specialties: Buffalo Wings

Wait a minute, since when do buffaloes have wings? Slow down there, Jessica Simpson - Buffalo wings don't come from buffaloes, they come from Buffalo! I was lucky enough to go to college just an hour outside of Buffalo, NY, where the world's greatest Buffalo wings are found. In case you never get to Buffalo to taste for yourself, here's a little history of one of my all-time favorite foods, plus a recipe that will please even the most discerning Buffalo wing eater.

As legend has it, the Buffalo wing was born at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY in 1964. Frank and Teressa Bellissimo owned the bar at that time, and supposedly Teressa was asked by her son to make some snacks for him and his friends on an evening when they were short on supplies in the kitchen. Teressa had to use what she had available, and whipped up a batch of deep fried chicken wings in hot sauce. They were an instant hit and now have a cult following throughout Buffalo and around the world.

I have had the pleasure of eating Buffalo wings at the Anchor Bar, and I can attest to their greatness. However, excellent renditions of the Buffalo wing can be found in restaurants all over upstate New York and beyond. The farther you get from Buffalo, though, the more likely you are to encounter soggy, breaded, over-sauced or BBQ flavored wings being passed off as Buffalo wings, which is sacrilege to a true Buffalo wing aficionado. Authentic Buffalo wings are NEVER breaded, and the sauce is NEVER sweet.

Here's a recipe I developed after moving away from the Buffalo area. While it's not the same as the Anchor Bar, it's very close, and my friends from college have all declared it to be the closest thing they've had to a real Buffalo wing since they graduated.

Wings
3-4 lbs chicken wings, tips removed, separated into wingette and drumette sections
Oil for frying

Sauce
1/2 c. butter
3/4 c. Frank's Red Hot Sauce (Original only! You could use another brand of vinegar based hot pepper sauce, but Frank's is the best)
1 t. Worcestershire sauce (or to taste)
1 t. garlic powder (or to taste)

Combine all sauce ingredients in a small saucepan and heat gently until butter is melted, stirring occasionally to emulsify. Do not boil or the sauce will separate. This can also be done in a microwave. Set aside and keep warm. Heat the oil to 375 degrees in a deep, heavy pan, leaving several inches of room for the oil level to rise. Fry the wings in small batches for 12-15 minutes depending on size or until deep golden brown, stirring occasionally. Be sure to bring the oil back up to 375 in between batches. Drain on paper towels.

Wings are best if sauced straight from the fryer, but since they must be done in small batches at home, I like to cook all of my wings, then refresh the early batches with a quick second dip in the hot oil once all of the wings are cooked. I then sauce the entire amount at one time. To sauce the wings, place them in a large bowl with a lid and pour the sauce over top. Secure the lid and shake the bowl vigorously to evenly distribute the sauce. Serve immediately.

If you prefer a spicier wing, simply add crushed red pepper and/or Tabasco sauce to taste to the recipe above. A milder flavor can be achieved by using more butter and less hot sauce, or by simply decreasing the amount of sauce on the wings, but this will affect the texture adversely. Properly sauced Buffalo wings will be thoroughly covered in sauce, but the skin will absorb most of the sauce while remaining crispy, with only a small amount of loose sauce remaining on the bottom of the bowl. This authentic Buffalo wing recipe is sure to please everyone's palate, particularly those who've experienced the real thing.