It’s Football season again and that means a steady Sunday diet of wings and chili. This Sunday we decided to host a ‘Wing-Off’ in order taste test several new wing sauces. So how is this guide on how to make Buffalo wings going to be any different then the previous how to make hot wings post? Breading. Traditional Buffalo wings go sans breading whereas the popularized ‘hot wings’ (Hooters) variety needs that extra padding. So essentially, Buffalo wings are that much easier to make since there’s one less step.
Step 1: Cut Up Your Wings
Sure, you can buy pre-cut hot wings – but why would you want to? By cutting your own you can ensure that you have equal amounts of wings and drumettes, plus it’s simply cheaper. Cut your wings at the two joints and discard the tips.
Look ma! No breading!
Step 2: Deep Fry
Deep fry wings 10-12 minutes in hot Canola or Peanut Oil – until golden brown.
Drain wings after removing from oil. Fry wings in batches so you don’t over crowd the oil.
Step 3: Sauce Time
Once your wings have drained, toss in your favorite wing sauce (or 7). “True” Buffalo wings are made with equal parts Frank’s Red Hot Sauce and melted butter.
For the second annual ‘Wing-Off’ the following sauces were chosen:
From left to right –
Frank’s Original Red Hot Sauce (mixed with melted butter) – Had to go traditional on this one to appease the Buffalo wing fanatics out there.
Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce – Could Frank’s Buffalo wing sauce be better then the original sauce?
Rizzotti’s Gourmet Wing Sauce – A ‘gourmet’ wing sauce featuring garlic and parmesan.
Defcon 3 – The one that started it all…
Defcon 2 – Recently received a 2006 First Place Scovie for Best Wing Sauce
Defcon 1 – Made with extract, this bugger is the hottest of the Defcon line.
Marinade Bay Not Just for Buffalo Wings Sauce – I picked this up in Whole Foods on a whim.
Step 4: Eat!
Here we have it, 7 different types of Buffalo Wings – Defcon 1 Wings were too hot to put on the plate amongst the other wings.
Mmmmm fresh Buffalo wings…
2nd Annual ‘Wing-Off’ Results:
Frank’s Original Red Hot Sauce (mixed with melted butter) – Great buttery flavor with a strong vinegar cayenne bite. Not hot enough for even the ladies in the group. 4 out of 5 Stars
Frank’s Red Hot Buffalo Wing Sauce – At $2.79 a bottle, it’s cheaper to buy this then to mix the original Red Hot with butter, but cheaper is definitely not better. However, for a $3 bottle of wing sauce this can’t be beat. 3 out of 5 Stars
Rizzotti’s Gourmet Wing Sauce – One would not expect this kind of flavor to come out of such an unassuming bottle. Definately not for those that don’t love garlic. The parmesan is a wonderful addition for your tastebuds and thickens the sauce so it sticks nicely to the wings. 4 out of 5 Stars
Defcon 3 – Deemed ‘perfect’ by the newb chilehead of the group, everyone else found it a bit lacking. Fortunately, this sauce is great on more then just wings. 3 out of 5 Stars
Defcon 2 – Winner of the 2006 Scovie for Best Wing Sauce – Amen to that. This Defcon creation was the hands down winner of the 2nd Annual ‘Wing-Off’. Great flavor and heat balance in a sauce that sticks perfectly to the wings. 5 out of 5 Stars
Defcon 1 – Only the true chileheads in the group sampled these killer wings. Same body as Defcon 2 but with extreme heat. Watch out for the capsaicin, it’ll bring tears to your eyes. 3 out of 5 Stars
Marinade Bay Not Just for Buffalo Wings Sauce – Ever taste something and immediately wonder if the people that make it honestly think it’s good? Marinade Bay employs a combination of liquid margarine & canola oil in this ‘Not Just FOR Buffalo Wings’ disaster. 0 out of 5 Stars
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