It seems a guy named John Young moved from Stockton, Alabama (of all places!) to Buffalo, New York in 1948 when he was a teenager. Beginning in 1961, Young popularized the chicken wing in his Buffalo, NY restaurant, John Young’s Wings ‘n Things. He patterned his menu after a restaurant in Washington D.C. that was selling chicken wings like gangbusters. Young served his wings fried and doused with his own Mumbo sauce–a condiment a little like BBQ sauce, but thinner, more vinegary, and spicier. Sound familiar? The Anchor Bar put Buffalo wings on their menu in 1974.
When I lived in Birmingham, Alabama, I learned all about Buffalo wings. The best Buffalo wings were served at Wanda June’s in English Village. There was no heavy breading, the wings were crisp on the outside, tender on the inside, and the sauce was perfect. I had Buffalo wings at the actual Anchor Bar in Buffalo several years later, and they didn’t hold a candle to the wings at Wanda June’s. You’ll be relieved to hear I have Wanda June’s recipe.
I follow Wanda June’s sauce recipe faithfully, but rather than pan-frying the wings, I make them the same way I make Roast Chicken with Salt and Vinegar. The wings come out crispy and tender, and the sauce clings beautifully.
The simple sauce recipe calls for a 12 oz. bottle of Crystal Hot Sauce. I never substitute–no need to play fast and loose with perfection. It also calls for a teaspoon of Tabasco. I have no idea why, but I always add it. Does that teaspoon really matter? I don’t know, and I will never find out. The only other ingredients are Worcestershire sauce and butter. Done.
At Wanda June’s the Buffalo wings came with celery sticks, carrot sticks, and house-made blue cheese dressing. I always added a side of their deviled eggs because they tasted exactly like the ones I grew up on. Now I wouldn’t dream of serving homemade Buffalo wings without homemade Deviled Eggs, and neither should you.
Obviously, a plate of Buffalo wings with Perfect Blue Cheese Dressing, celery, carrots, and deviled eggs is fine dining any day of the week, but it’s superior SEC football Saturday food.
YUM! (And Roll Tide!)
Buffalo Wings
Ingredients
- 4 lbs. chicken wings
- apple cider vinegar
- kosher salt
- 2 T. butter
- 1 12 oz. bottle Crystal hot sauce
- 1 t. Tabasco
- 1 T. Worcestershire sauce
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350°. Cover a sheet pan with parchment or foil.
- Separate the wings into drumettes and flats. Save the wing tips for stock. Put the drumettes and flats in a bowl and toss with a splash of vinegar. Sprinkle generously with kosher salt. Toss again. Spread the wings out on the sheet pan. Bake for one hour.
- To make the Buffalo sauce, add the butter, both hot sauces, and Worcestershire to a skillet or Dutch oven. Turn the heat to low to melt the butter and warm the sauce. Stir well. Toss the cooked wings in sauce and remove to a platter. Serve with celery and carrot sticks, blue cheese dressing, and any remaining Buffalo sauce.
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