Wings! Wings! Wings! (part 2)

Growth and popularity of Chicken Wings

The city of Buffalo officially declared July 29, 1977, to be Chicken Wing Day.

Buffalo wings have become a popular bar food and appetizer across the United States and Canada. Large franchises specializing in Buffalo wings have emerged, notably Buffalo Wild Wings founded in 1982. As the market got larger, restaurants began to use a variety of sauces in addition to buffalo sauce. These sauces generally take influences from Chinese, Japanese, Caribbean, and Indian cuisines. Because of the mess caused by eating Buffalo wings, it is now common for restaurants to offer boneless wings that can be eaten with a fork. These are essentially chicken nuggets coated or spun in sauce. Many American-style restaurants in other countries will offer Buffalo chicken wings on their menus, especially if they also function as a bar.

Buffalo wings are used in competitive eating events, such as Philadelphia's Wing Bowl and at the National Buffalo Wing Festival. It has also become commonplace for restaurants to offer a contest featuring a customer eating a certain number of wings, coated in their hottest sauce. Many bars and restaurants intentionally create an extra-hot sauce for this purpose, and customers are usually rewarded with a picture on the wall or free meal.

On television

The first mention of Buffalo wings on national television may have been on NBC's Today show in the 1980s. The dish gained prominence nationally after the Buffalo Bills' four consecutive appearances in the Super Bowl from 1991-1994 focused considerable media attention to the area for an extended period of time, giving Buffalo cuisine significant nationwide exposure. Clips showing cooks preparing the dish continues to be featured on nationally televised sporting events involving the Buffalo Bills and to a lesser extent the Buffalo Sabres. The Toronto performer MC Abdominal recently composed a ballad to the history of the chicken wing.

Variations

The appellation "Buffalo" is also now commonly applied to foods other than wings, including chicken fingers, chicken fries, chicken nuggets, popcorn chicken, shrimp, and pizza that are seasoned with the Buffalo-style sauce or variations of it.

The flavor of Buffalo wings is replicated by a number of dishes. A common variation on the "buffalo" sauce flavor is found in potato chips produced by a number of different companies. Many of these "Buffalo Chips" also incorporate a blue cheese flavoring to simulate the complete Buffalo wing experience.

Today, there are many flavors of prepared wings (wingettes and drumettes) available, besides the original hot Buffalo style. Flavors include barbecue, lemon pepper, pepper Parmesan, garlic, sweet-and-sour, and honey mustard. Since the first introduction, restaurants have introduced hundreds of different flavors of chicken wings.

More Wing Recipes

Honey Bbq Wings

       Sauce:
1 1/4 c ketchup
1/3 c white vinegar
1/4 c molasses
1/4 c honey
1 t liquid smoke flavoring
1/2 t salt
1/4 t onion powder
1/4 t chili powder
      other:
6 c vegetable oil,up to 8
20 chicken wing pieces
1 egg,beaten
1 c milk
2 c all-purpose flour
2 1/2 t salt
3/4 t pepper
3/4 t MSG

Combine the sauce ingredients in a small saucepan over medium heat. Stir until ingredients are well-combined and bring to a boil. Then reduce heat and simmer uncovered for 15-20 minutes.
As sauce is simmering, heat up 6 to 8 cups of oil in a deep fryer set to 350 degrees.

Combine the beaten egg with the milk in a small bowl.

In another small bowl, combine the flour, salt, pepper and MSG.

When oil is hot, dip each wing first in the flour mixture, then into the milk and egg mixture, and back into the flour. Arrange wings on a plate until each one is breaded.

Fry the wings in the oil for 9-12 minutes or until light, golden brown. If you have a small fryer, you may wish to fry 10 of the wings at a time. Drain on paper towels or a rack.

When the sauce is done, brush the entire surface of each wing with a light coating of sauce. Serve immediately. Makes 2-4 servings (20 wings).


Sweet and Sour Wings

 12 chicken wings, tips removed
2/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon garlic salt
1/4 cup oil
1/4 cup ketchup
1/4 cup vinegar
1 egg, well beaten
3/4 cup sugar
Cut each chicken wing in half. In large sauce pan, place chicken wings; add water to cover. Cover, simmer 15 minutes. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup broth. In plastic bag, combine cornstarch and garlic salt. Dip chicken wings in egg; shake in bag to coat. In large skillet, brown coated chicken wings in oil; drain. In small bowl, combine sugar, reserved 1/2 cup chicken broth, ketchup and vinegar. Heat oven to 375o F. Place chicken wings in ungreased 13 x 9” pan; pour sauce over chicken. bake at 375o F. for 15 minutes or until thoroughly heated, basting once. Makes 24 chicken wings.

 . . . a pile of wings

   Whisk in a bowl:
11/2 cups vegetable oil
1 tbsp honey
1 tbsp mustard
2 tspn sambal oelek
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 cm piece fresh ginger, grated
juice of 2 lemons
1/2 cup kecap manis
30–40 chicken wings

Prepare by cutting off tips (and discarding) and then cutting in half at joint.Toss in marinade and refrigerate overnight, mixing a few times. Next day, cook on an oiled BBQ plate, brushing generously with marinade as you do so.

Kookaburra Wings

10 chicken wing drumettes,
48 oz Shortening,or 6-10 cups oil
   Wing coating:
2 T all-purpose flour
1 T kraft macaroni & cheese cheddar,cheese topping
  or 1 T molly mcbutter cheese
   sprinkles:
1 1/4 t salt
1 t chili powder
3/4 t black pepper,Ground
1/2 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t paprika
1/4 t onion powder
1/4 t garlic powder
1/8 t cumin,Ground
dash clove,Ground
2 T crystal louisiana hot sauce
1 t water
   On the side:
bleu cheese dressing
celery sticks

Preheat 48 ounces of shortening (1 large can), or 6 to 10 cups of vegetable oil (use the amount required by your fryer), to 350 degrees.

Make the spiced breading for your wings by combining the wing coating ingredients (flour through clove) in a medium bowl. Stir well.  Dip each wing, one at a time into the breading. Give each one a light coating of the stuff. Arrange the breaded wings on a plate and let them sit uncovered in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.  When the oil is hot, lower the wings into it. Fry for 7 to 10 minutes, or until the wings are brown. While the wings are frying, mix the hot sauce and water together in a small bowl.  When the wings are done, drain them for a moment on paper towels or a rack. Drop the hot wings into a large plastic container with a lid. Pour the sauce over the wings. Cover the container and shake it to coat the wings with sauce.  Use tongs to remove the wings from the container. Arrange them on a plate with bleu cheese dressing and celery sticks on the side.

Wings! Wings! Wings!

A Buffalo wing, Buffalo chicken wing, hot wing, or wing, in the cuisine of the United States, is a chicken wing section (wingette or drumette) that is generally deep-fried, unbreaded, and coated in vinegar-based cayenne pepper hot sauce and butter in the kitchen.

 

They are traditionally served hot, along with celery sticks and/or carrot sticks with blue cheese dressing for dipping.

Cayenne pepper hot sauce and melted butter or margarine are the basis of the sauce, which may be mild, medium, or hot. Typically, the wings are deep-fried in oil (although they are sometimes grilled or baked) until they are well browned. They are then drained, mixed with sauce, and shaken to coat the wings.

 

There are several different claims about how Buffalo wings were created.

One of the more prevalent claims is that Buffalo wings were first prepared at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, by Teressa Bellissimo. who owned the bar along with her husband Frank. Several versions of the story have been circulated by the Bellissimo family and others:

1. Upon the unannounced, late-night arrival of their son, Dominic, with several of his friends from college, Teressa needed a fast and easy snack to present to her hungry guests. It was then that she came up with the idea of deep frying chicken wings (normally thrown away or reserved for stock) and tossing them in cayenne hot sauce.
2. Dominic Bellissimo (Frank and Teressa's son) told The New Yorker reporter Calvin Trillin in 1980: "It was Friday night in the bar and since people were buying a lot of drinks he wanted to do something nice for them at midnight when the mostly Catholic patrons would be able to eat meat again." He stated that it was his mother, Teressa, who came up with the idea of chicken wings.
3. There was mis-delivery of wings instead of backs and necks for making the bar's spaghetti sauce. Faced with this unexpected resource, Frank Bellissimo says that he asked Teressa to do something with them.

However, a long article about the Anchor Bar in a local newspaper in 1969 does not mention Buffalo wings.

Another claim is that a man named John Young served chicken wings in a special "mambo sauce" at his Buffalo restaurant in the mid-1960s. His wings were breaded. Young had registered the name of his restaurant, John Young's Wings 'n Things, at the county courthouse before leaving Buffalo in 1970.

Marketing materials for Frank's RedHot claim that it was the hot sauce used in the Bellissimos' original recipe.

 

 

Hot "Buffalo" Wings

Recipe #1

1/4 cup butter
1/4 cup Crystal Louisiana Hot Sauce
dash ground pepper
dash garlic powder
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 teas. paprika
1/4 teas. cayenne pepper
1/4 teas. salt
10 chicken wing pieces
vegetable oil for frying

 

Heat oil in a deep fryer to 375. You want just enough oil to cover the wings entirely; an inch or so deep at least.

Combine the butter, hot sauce, ground pepper, and garlic powder in a small saucepan over low heat. Heat until the butter is melted and the ingredients are well-blended.

Combine the flour, paprika, cayenne powder, and salt in a small bowl. If the wings are frozen, be sure to defrost and dry them. Put the wings in a large bowl and sprinkle the flour mixture over them, coating each wing evenly. Put the wings in the refrigerator 60-90 minutes. This will help the breading to stick to the wings when fried.

 

Put all the wings in the hot oil and fry 10 to 15 minutes or until some parts of the wings begin to turn dark brown. Remove from the oil to a paper towel to drain. Don't let them sit too long, because you want to serve them hot. Quickly put the wings in a large bowl. Add the hot sauce and stir, coating all of the wings evenly.

 

Recipe #2

1 c all-purpose flour
2 t salt
1/2 t black pepper
1/4 t cayenne pepper
1/4 t paprika
1 egg
1 c milk
2 chicken breast fillets
4 c vegetable oil,up to 6
1/4 c Crystal (or Frank's Louisiana) hot sauce
1 T margarine

Combine flour, salt, peppers and paprika in a medium bowl.

In another small bowl, whisk together egg and milk.

 

Slice each chicken breast into 6 pieces. Preheat 4-6 cups of vegetable oil in a deep fryer to 375 degrees.

 

One or two at a time, dip each piece of chicken into the egg mixture, then into the breading blend; then repeat the process so that each piece of chicken is double-coated.

 

When all chicken pieces have been breaded, arrange them on a plate and chill for 15 minutes.

 

When the chicken is done resting, drop each piece into the hot oil and fry for 5-6 minutes or until each piece is browned.

 

As chicken fries, combine the hot sauce and margarine in a small bowl. Microwave sauce for 20-30 seconds or just until the margarine is melted, then stir to combine. You can also use a small saucepan for this step. Just combine the hot sauce and margarine in the saucepan over low heat and stir until margarine is melted and ingredients are blended.

 

When chicken pieces are done frying, remove them to a plate lined with a couple paper towels.

 

Place the chicken pieces into a covered container such as a large jar with a lid. Pour the sauce over the chicken in the container, cover, and then shake gently until each piece of chicken is coated with sauce. Pour the chicken onto a plate and serve the dish with bleu cheese dressing and sliced celery on the side. Serves 2- 4 as an appetizer.

 

Recipe #3

2 lbs. chicken wings (disjointed - discard the tips)
1/4 Lb. Margarine (do not use butter!)
8 Oz. "Frank's" Hot Sauce (also labeled as
Durkee Hot Sauce. NO SUBSTITUTIONS!!!)
Oil for frying

Melt margarine in sauce pan until barely liquid. Add hot sauce, mix, and put aside.
Deep fry wings until brown and crispy. Remove and drain on paper towels.

Put wings in a large bowl that has a cover. Pour sauce over all, cover, and shake to coat the wings. Serve with celery sticks and Kraft Roka Blue Cheese Dressing. Adjust the amount of hot sauce to your desire.