Buffalo Wings

Football (American) championship season. Sports bars, beer, and spicy things that make you want to drink more beer. Darts, pool, loud conversation, an either ill-spent or well-spent youth, depending on your perspective.

Once in my early twenties I happened to be in Buffalo, New York for a wedding of a dear friend. On our site-seeing day the gang of us revelers happened to drive right by the Anchor Bar, home of the “Original Buffalo Chicken Wings”.

Did you know that Buffalo wings are so called because they were first invented in Buffalo, NY? I didn’t, and it had always been one of those oddities that gnawed at the back of my brain during these beer filled nights. In San Francisco we had Tommy’s Buffalo Burgers made with real buffalo meat. But buffalo wings? Hah! Mystery solved.

Buffalo wings are traditionally deep fried. But I prefer this oven version. The wings are broiled after they’ve been marinating in a spicy sauce. Less mess, easy clean-up.

Recipe has been updated. First published 2006.

Buffalo Wings Recipe

Ingredients

Wings

• 2 lbs chicken wings (about 12 wings)
• 3 Tbsp butter, melted
• 4 Tbsp bottled hot pepper sauce (like Crystal or Frank's Original)
• 1 Tbsp paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper

• Celery sticks (optional)

Blue cheese dip

• 1/2 cup sour cream
• 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
• 1/2 cup mayonnaise
• 1 Tbsp white wine vinegar or white vinegar
• 1 clove garlic, minced

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