This one’s for Cian.

This is probably a very popular/common way to do Buffalo Wings, a firm favourite, dead easy and low prep requirement!

There are probably plenty of variations on this too, but I’ve gone with the bare minimum, and you can choose to add bits as you need/want.

Now I usually cook the wings on the braai, but the oven will do just as well. For the braai method, you want to offset your coals and cook the wings indirect with the braai covered, you will need high heat for this one to get the wings crispy. Shuffle the wings halfway so they dont stick, there shouldnt be a need to turn if the braai is hot enough, but turn if needed, same method as the oven, to get that all round cook/colour to them. You just dont want to keep opening the lid too often or you will lose the heat and miss the crisp.

Ingredients

For Crispy Wings

  • 1.5 kg Chicken wings
  • 1 tbsp Smoked paprika
  • 2 tsp Onion powder
  • 2 tsp Garlic powder
  • 2 tsp Baking powder (NOT Baking Soda)
  • 1/2 tsp Salt
  • 1/2 tsp Pepper

Buffalo Wing Sauce

Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce

  • 4 tbsp Mayo
  • 2 tbsp Sour cream
  • 1 tbsp Buttermilk
  • 1/4 tsp English mustard powder
  • 60 gr Blue cheese
  • 1 Crushed/finely grated garlic clove

Steps

Prepare the wings

  1. Pat down the wings with some paper towel to remove excess moisture.
  2. Toss the wings in a large bowl with the baking power, paprika, onion/garlic powder, salt and pepper. Ensure an even coating on all the wings.
  3. Lay out the wings on a baking tray, skin side up, touching is fine but you want to spread them out for even cooks.
  4. Allow wings to cool in the fridge for as long as possible. An hour or two if possible.
  5. While the wings are cooling, pre-heat the oven* to 180-200 C.
  6. Once you are are ready to start cooking, pop the wings into the oven, bottom shelf for around 20mins. Turning them halfway.
  7. After 20mins on the bottom, raise them up to the top shelf and turn up the oven to around 220 C. Turn the wings back to skin side up.
  8. Cook till golden and crispy, around 10mins.

Prepare the buffalo wing sauce

You can make the sauce while the wings are cooling or cooking and reheat when the chicken is ready.

Optional: I like to add an extra kick to mine so I get a fresh Scotch Bonnet (or just half, or less), finely chopped and add to the melted butter, cook for 1 min before adding Frank’s.

  1. Melt the butter in a sauce pan.
  2. Once melted add in the Frank’s Red Hot Sauce and bring up to temp, not boiling.
  3. Stirring well to combine the butter into the sauce.
  4. Add the honey as you stir.
  5. Taste, and adjust for more honey or Frank’s as required. Should be tangy and sweet.
  6. Keep the sauce warm for the tossing.

Prepare the blue cheese dipping sauce

You don’t have to make the dipping sauce, but it does go well with the wings!

  1. Add all the ingredients into a mixing bowl.
  2. Stir up the mix, ensuring you break up the cheese.
  3. Season to taste with a bit of salt, if needed.
  4. Store in the fridge till the wings are ready to serve.

Toss and serve

  1. Once the wings are done, after about 30mins in the oven, toss the wings in a large mixing bowl together with the buffalo sauce.
  2. Service it up with the blue cheese dipping sauce.

image

On the braai: image

From the oven (Ready to toss) image