Kickin' Chicken Buffalo Wings

So here we are again, me promising to be a better blogger and update more frequently. As you can see by the time lapse since my last post (almost 2 months) I have failed miserably. This is why I don’t make resolutions, I can never keep them! First things first the boy and I have set a date! In about 8 months, 11/11/11 to be exact, we will return to the black sand beaches of Playa Hermosa, Costa Rica and become husband and wife. So while Dandy Dishes has taken a back seat to researching photographers, officiants, etc the good news is we have booked them all….so back to cooking!

Also during that time the boy’s beloved Green Bay Packers won the Super Bowl, and of course no Super Bowl party would have been complete without some amazing wings! The benefit of making wings at home is that you control the temperature you fry these babies at which results in a crispy wing, not a greasy one. These really couldn’t be any easier to make and as long as you don’t mind your house smelling like fry oil for a few hours (trust me it’s worth it) you definitely need to give this one a try…your man will love you for it!

Kickin’ Chicken Buffalo Wings
(Serves 4 as an appetizer or 2 really hungry wing lovers)

1 package chicken wings (tips removed and drums separated from wings)
1 – 2 cups buttermilk
½ cup all purpose flour
1 teaspoon garlic power
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon kosher salt
½ teaspoon fresh cracked black pepper
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup Crystal hot sauce
Peanut oil for frying

Remove chicken wings from packaging and cut the chicken at the joints, remove the wing tips and toss into a freezer bag to be used for stock at a later time. Place the drums and wings in a shallow bowl and cover with buttermilk. Cover with plastic wrap and transfer to the fridge, allow to sit for at least 20 minutes and up to 1 hour.

Preheat a large heavy bottomed pot, preferably cast iron, with 1 quart of peanut oil over medium high heat to 360º. Add flour, and spices to a large resealable plastic bag and combine well. Remove the wings from the fridge and add about 6 wings to the bag at a time, shake to coat. Remove from bag and place on a large plate.

Preheat your over to 200º. When your oil hits 360º fry in batches, about 5 – 6 pieces at a time. The amount of wings you add depends on the size of your pot, try not to overcrowd them. Fry for 7 minutes then transfer to a baking sheet lined with a paper bag. Transfer cooked wings to your preheated oven and repeat until all the wings have been cooked.

In a small sauce pan over medium low heat combine the butter and hot sauce. Simmer until the butter has melted entirely and the sauce is slightly reduced. This is your opportunity to make your sauce as hot as you like it! The boy prefers to add a few dashes of habanero hot sauce or crushed red pepper flakes for more heat while I prefer it just the way it is.

Remove the wings from the oven and place into a large bowl. Pour the sauce over the wings and toss to coat. The above measurements will give you enough sauce to coat your wings. If you prefer them extra ‘wet’, increase the hot sauce to ½ cup and add an additional tablespoon of butter.

Serve along side a big garden salad with celery and blue cheese for dipping ;)