Buffalo Wings

The Buffalo wing may just about be the pinnacle of snack foods. There is nothing better with a good beer than a few dozen hot wings. Whether it’s the big game, poker night, or you’re just hungry, buffalo wings are the perfect choice.

History

The exact history of the Buffalo wing is uncertain. The most popular story originates at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York. The legend is that the bar received a shipment of chicken wings by mistake, and Teressa Bellisimo (the cook) developed them one night as a way to serve the chicken wings. The Anchor Bar is still there, and many claim they still serve the best wings anywhere.

Cooking

There are dozens of recipes, sauces, and spice mixes for Buffalo wings out there. You won’t need them. First, the only proper way to prepare wings is to deep-fry them. If you’re some new-age health nut can’t stand the thought of eating deep-fried food, then you’re probably reading the wrong website. Baking, marinating and grilling may all make some good chicken, but it won’t make Buffalo wings.

The basic method is this: deep fry chicken wings for 10 minutes at 350 degrees, or until cooked through. Unlike beef, eating rare chicken is not a good idea. Drain off the grease, toss the wings in your favorite sauce, and serve with bleu cheese dressing and celery. The “official” recipe is here.

The only other recipe we use at Manlyweb is one that creates a crispy coating on the wings. This accomplished by rolling the wings in a batter before frying. It’s similar to the wings you get at Hooters. To do this, combine one cup of milk with an egg in a shallow bowl. In another bowl, mix one cup of flour with some salt, black pepper, red pepper, and paprika. Coat the wings in the egg-milk mixture and roll in the flour. Deep fry as noted above.

For sauce, you can order the “Original Wing Sauce” from the Anchor Bar, you can buy something in your local supermarket, or just make your own. To make your own, combine a bottle of Louisiana hot sauce with melted butter. The ratio of hot sauce to butter determines how hot your wings will be. A good start is two tablespoons of butter to one-quarter cup of hot sauce.

Wing Joints

Where do you go when you’re out looking for good wings?

Wingsmap.com – This site features a online rating system for wing joints around the world.

Anchor Bar – Located in Buffalo, New York, the Anchor Bar claims to be the original home of Buffalo wings. All kinds of celebrities have been known to stop by for a few.

Buffalo Wild Wings – This national chain boasts twelve kinds of sauce, from sweet BBQ to Blazin. Be warned, the hot ones are really hot (and their site is kind of annoyingly loud).

Hooters – While some people claim that the food isn’t the main attraction of Hooters, we still think their wings are decent.