Do You Put Hot Sauce on Wings Before or After You Cook Them?
Hot wings have almost a cult-like following. Hot wings have turned a less-favored piece of chicken, the wing, into an American favorite, found in many restaurants from coast to coast. The original buffalo wing is made by frying the wing and then coating it with a hot sauce.
Hot wings have almost a cult-like following. Hot wings have turned a less-favored piece of chicken, the wing, into an American favorite, found in many restaurants from coast to coast. The original buffalo wing is made by frying the wing and then coating it with a hot sauce. But some cooks slather sauce on wings then bake them. It just depends on your preferences and the tools you have available.
Origins
The most widely accepted fact is that buffalo wings originated in 1964, at the Anchor bar in Buffalo New York. It was a family-owned establishment, and that family has three stories of its own, according to John Harmon, author of "Atlas of Popular Culture in the Northeastern United States" on the Central Connecticut State University website. One is that hot wings were created by Theresa Bellisimo when she tried to feed her son late one night. Theresa's son, Dominic, says that wings were created by his mom to feed several Catholic patrons who were ready to eat meat after a fast. Her husband, Frank, says they were created by Theresa when they were given a large order of raw wings in error and they needed a way to sell them.
Preparing and Cooking
The first step in hot wing preparation begins with removing the tips of the wings and then separating them at the joint using kitchen shears. This process gives the wing its drumstick shape. You can either bake these wings in a hot oven until crisp and fully cooked, or deep-fry them as they were originally done at the Anchor Bar. Once they have a crisp exterior, drop them into a bowl of sauce and toss to coat them thoroughly.
Making Sauce
Hot wing sauce can be simple, with only few ingredients, or very elaborate. For an easy recipe, simply melt 3 oz. of butter and one minced garlic in a microwave. Pour the butter mix into a large bowl and add 1/4 cup of hot sauce and 1/2 tsp. of salt. Mix this sauce thoroughly. You also can easily dip the wings into any other type of sauce.
Serving and Eating
Hot wings are a finger food traditionally served with a side of celery and blue cheese dressing. It is believed that Theresa Bellisimo served her wings with celery and blue cheese dressing because that is what she had on hand. This tradition is carried on in most establishments that serve hot wings.