Buffalo Wings

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Contributing Writer
Vicki McGraw

Well friends, Labor Day has come and gone, and now, so has my long awaited week at the beach! The summer (and my annual September pilgrimage to the beach) always seems to fly by as we try to cram as much as we can into it. Frequently, the most surprising part of all of this is the arrival of fall. The seasons change so smoothly, they sometimes creep right up on us. The subtle decrease in daylight and temperature, the presence of school buses on the roadways, and of course, high school, college and professional football!

As I have told you (many!) times before, football has always been a HUGE pastime in the McGraw household. Chances are, if there is a football game being televised it will be viewed in my household while munching wings. This year, as the schedule would have it, it offered Robert and me two opportunities to cheer for the Bills during our vacation. We enjoyed Virginia Beach’s version of Buffalo wings as we tried in vain to cheer our Bills on to victory (I guess they couldn’t hear our battle cry from this distance!). We did find a place whose wings came really close to what we are accustomed to. We generally try wings wherever we go, and while they are often good, they frequently are not what we really consider to be true Buffalo wings.

True “Buffalo wings” as we think of them, are “naked” (not breaded or battered), deep fried and shaken in a sauce usually consisting of butter and Frank’s Red Hot. I personally think they need to be sided with celery, carrots and blue cheese dressing- not ranch, but that is just my taste! Simple, tasty, and in my opinion, iconic! They have come a long way from their inception some 50 years ago. As the story goes, the first “Buffalo wings” were served late one night at Buffalo’s Anchor Bar. The owner’s son and a few buddies came into the bar late one night. They wanted a snack, but dinner service was over, so when her son asked her to whip something up, Mrs. Belisimo grabbed what was left over and destined for the soup pot the next day, the lowly leftover wings from a few chickens. She tossed them in the deep fryer, shook them in a little hot sauce she threw together, and Voila! An icon was born! Up until that time, chicken wings were considered a waste and more often used for stock or soups. Little did Mrs. Belisimo know of the masterpiece she had created.

Today you find chicken wings on most appetizer menus, in a plethora of varieties of flavors and cook styles. On any given Sunday, millions of wings are being served to hungry sports fans. And all of this because someone’s son wanted a snack! The next time one of your kids asks for a snack, maybe you will think a little outside of the box…you just might come up with the next big thing!!

Buffalo Wings

  • 3 lbs raw chicken wings
  • Deep fryer
  • 1 C Franks Red Hot
  • 4 T Butter (NOT margarine)
  • ¼ t celery salt

Carefully cut wing sections apart and discard tips.
Remove excess moisture by resting on paper towels (excess wetness will cause the fryer oil to boil hard and possibly overflow the fryer).

Heat fryer oil to 375*. Using caution, add wings to fryer (being sure to not overload the fryer- usually 8-12 wings per batch in most home fryers) and cook for about 15 minutes. Wings should be golden, crispy, and have an internal temp of 165*. Remove from fryer and place on paper towels to wick out excess grease.

While wings are cooking, combine sauce ingredients in a small sauce pan and bring to a simmer.

Gently toss cooked wings in sauce and serve with celery, carrots and bleu cheese dressing. Add an adult beverage if desired and root on your favorite team!

To read more of Vicki McGraw’s commentaries on good cooking, fine recipes and perfect party treats, visit www.jamestowngazette.com and click on Join Me in the Kitchen’s own page. The Jamestown Gazette is proud to present our county’s most creative and original writers for your enjoyment and enlightenment.