Buffalo Hot Wings

I wish there were adequate words to explain how so very seriously I take my hot wing indulgence.  And I have my mother to blame for this.  The day she began making hot wings for our family years ago was the day my obsession with the crispy, saucy, spicy guilty pleasure began.  Like a short-order cook, she achieved the perfect marriage of super crispy skin and the best buffalo sauce (translation: thick enough to coat the wing without separating into its respective hot sauce and butter parts, with a tangy kick to match.)

And so, from then until now, my quest for the perfect hot wing (besides my mama's) has always been about crispy skin and the perfect sauce.  And here enters my own fuss-free, scrumptious recipe that I began making a little while ago and can't rave about enough. 

First off, they're baked--not fried.  So for those who care, this is now a guilt-free indulgence! And the two ingredient sauce brings the tangy, vinegary, salty, spicy zip that all buffalo hot wings should be known for.  The perfect hot wing, in my kitchen, without the grease or the guilt, is euphoric.  It's the best winning combination I've come across in a while and when you make them, I'm sure you'll agree.

Happy Eating!

Buffalo Hot Wings
Ingredients:
2 lbs. chicken wings
Salt, pepper and garlic powder, to taste (or a poultry seasoning blend)
3/4 cup of hot sauce (recommended: Louisiana hot sauce)
1 tablespoon of butter
 
Method:
Preheat oven to 425 F.

Pat the skin of the wings dry with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture.  Inside a large baking dish, season wings liberally with salt, pepper and garlic powder (or desired seasoning blend).  Place dish in preheated oven and bake for 40-45 minutes, or until skin reaches desired level of crispness.  

Remove wings from oven and set aside.  Melt butter into hot sauce, stirring occasionally, and bring sauce to a brief boil.  Lower heat slightly and allow sauce to continue to simmer, while reducing and thickening, about 5 minutes longer.  (Cook's note: adjust ratio of sauce to butter, as desired.  You may also add a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to reduce the spiciness.)  

Dip each wing in buffalo sauce to coat. Serve and enjoy!