I’ve said it before. If you’re standing in the wing sauce section of the grocery store, trying to decide on the next sauce you’re going to grab for a great batch of wings, do not hesitate to try the store brand. I was at Kroger, and I couldn’t help myself. I grabbed one each of every one of their sauces, including the Kroger Medium Buffalo wing sauce. The sauce turned out to be perfect! A decent hint of heat and the perfect consistency. This is a mighty fine wing sauce, and boy, the price was right!
The Perfect Party Wing Sauce
If you by chance end up with any leftover Kroger’s medium Buffalo wing sauce, toss it in the fridge. Make sure you warm it a bit (at least to room temperature) before using it on your next batch of wings. Nothing makes hot wings sad faster than tossing them in cold wing sauce!
If you’ve got friends that can’t handle the heat from spicy foods, then Texas Pete’s Extra Mild Buffalo wing sauce is exactly what you are looking for. It has that great Buffalo flavor but without so much of the kick. Now, there’s a bit, but it’s not going to upset anyone, even the most heat-sensitive.
Nicely Mellow with Great Taste
This sauce is a thinner sauce, as many Buffalo-style wing sauces are. If you put it directly on super-hot right-off-the-grill or fresh-out-of-the-fryer wings you’re going to end up with some sauce at the bottom of your plate. Let the wings rest a few minutes first before saucing them. But don’t wait too long, you don’t want your wings to get cold!
Remember that if you have to refrigerate your open bottle of wing sauce to let it sit out on the counter for at least 30 minutes before using. You don’t want to ‘shock’ hot, just-cooked wings with a cold sauce.
I’ve always been a fan of Buffalo wings so I’m always up for trying an already-made Buffalo wing sauce, especially since there are so many different ones. I picked up a bottle of TGI Fridays Buffalo wing sauce and quickly got to making a batch of wings. This is not a thick Buffalo wing sauce, but instead it’s quite thin. A bottle goes a long, long way. It’s a mild sauce so you get great Buffalo-style flavors but without a lot of spiciness. I would say it’s a good standard Buffalo wing sauce, perfect for a crowd since you don’t have to worry about it being too hot.
A Real Crowd Pleaser
TGI Friday’s Buffalo wing sauce isn’t just great on wings, either. It makes for a perfect dipping sauce for chicken fingers or nuggets. If the sauce is too thin just warm it in a sauce pan. Then whisk in just a bit of flour. Not much, but just enough to thicken it up.
I’d never heard of the Spicy Shark when I came across this sauce in the store. But I knew I had to grab a bottle or ten. The sauce looked good, really good. I saw natural stuff in there, tasty stuff. And hey, the label is cool too, so why not load up and get on home and make some wings! I was definitely not disappointed, either, let me tell you. If you’re looking for a really great, spicy wing sauce that brings something a little different, not the usual Buffalo wing flavor, then the Spicy Shark original recipe wing sauce is definitely for you.
Lots of Ingredients, Lots of Flavor
The Spicy Shark wing sauce contains so many natural ingredients it’ll make your head spin. Things you might not think would be in a wing sauce. But boy did they figure out the right combination. It’s spicy, but not overly spicy. You can still taste the sauce, and I love that. I am not a fan of sauces that are so hot my taste buds short circuit and I get nothing but heat. I wouldn’t hesitate to buy this sauce again (and I really want to try it slathered on grilled chicken!).
I’ve been contemplating how I would start this post for two days now. Not because I was searching for what to write, but because any time I started thinking about these Torchbearer Chipotle wings I got hungry and had to go make something to eat.
We were in Gatlinburg, TN, not too long ago. I stopped in to All Sauced Up, a little gourmet grocery store (full of nice folk) on main (Parkway) street in downtown Gatlinburg. So I grabbed two bottles of wing sauce from Torchbearer Sauces, one spicy chipotle and one Buffalo wing. For one thing, I noticed was that both sauces were made from stuff I wouldn’t expect in a wing sauce, like mandarin oranges. Say what?
Well, say hello to absolutely unbelievably good. I coated these wings with Torchbearer chipotle wings sauce. Yep, it’s spicy. All in all, it’s got some of the best heat I’ve had. Not in-your-face-crying-tears-of-sadness heat, but good heat with fantastic flavor. The sauce comes out thick and sticks to your wings. Nope, it doesn’t roll off and create a sauce lake in your plate (or basket). It’s just spot-on great sauce.
Spicy And Delicious
I could not get enough of these wings. Basically, I coated them first and then deep fried them. Tossed them in Torchbearer chipotle wing sauce and chowed down. So, go get you some of this sauce! You will not be sorry. At all. Oh, and the Torchbearer web site also recommends using this sauce on pork chops and in stir fry. Indeed, you don’t get that from any ole normal wing sauce.
Remember that if you have to refrigerate your open bottle of wing sauce to let it sit out on the counter for at least 30 minutes before using. You don’t want to ‘shock’ hot, just-cooked wings with a cold sauce.
Eating wings at the Anchor Bar is on my bucket list, and not near the bottom of the list either. Until I can get there to devour the original, I’ll have to ‘settle’ for my homemade wings tossed with the Anchor Bar Medium Buffalo wing sauce. I don’t consider it settling at all, because these wings were fantastic. Just the right amount of heat and absolutely great seasoning. I could’ve definitely had more of these Anchor Bar medium Buffalo wings. A lot more.
A Pantry Staple
I ordered Anchor Bar Medium Buffalo wing sauce online. I found the prices to be quite reasonable as was shipping. Don’t be shy, back up the truck and get as many sauces as you can fit into your pantry. They won’t last long. These Anchor Bar medium Buffalo wings are outstanding!
Remember that if you have to refrigerate your open bottle of wing sauce to let it sit out on the counter for at least 30 minutes before using. You don’t want to ‘shock’ hot, just-cooked wings with a cold sauce.
I started For the Wing because I love wings. The sauces, the spices, and the cooking techniques for wings are so varied that you can always enjoy something different. Or you can make a favorite over and over. Nothing makes me happier than a truly tasty, perfectly-cooked wing. And nothing makes me happier than the best smoked and fried wings I made the other day. These wings have everything I love. Super-crunchy and delicious skin and tender, juicy, flavorful meat make every bite truly enjoyable. Sauced or not, these wings are epic.
It’s Actually Easy
Making the best smoked and fried wings is actually pretty easy. It’s a two-step process. I did the two steps weeks apart, freezing the smoked wings in vacuum-packed bags for quick lunches at a later time. You can fry the wings soon after smoking them but I think having them freeze for a while first produces a better result. You don’t have to vacuum-pack them, you can just toss them in a resealable bag or container instead, especially if you don’t plan on freezing them very long.
Just Smoked
You can smoke wings over high heat and get (somewhat) crunchy skin and have a great treat. These wings are not smoked at a high temperature. You want to cook them until just done. You want to get them nice and smoky (how smoky is up to you) but you are not shooting for crisp skin. That comes later. So don’t expect the skin to come away golden brown crunchy delicious. Yet.
Flash-Fried For Crunchy Perfection
The last step in preparing these wings is a quick flash-fry in hot oil. If frozen, the wings have been defrosted. I toss them in a simple flour mixture. But I’m not looking for grandma’s fried chicken here. Just a light coating. Then into the oil for around 4 minutes. Remember, the wings are already cooked. The frying step is just to heat them up and give them color and the perfect skin. You don’t want to over-fry them.
Sauced. Dry. Or Just Plain.
What you do with your wings after they are flash-fried is up to you. Sometimes I toss them (gently) in a sauce. Or I’ll season them and have them dry. The wings are so great they are also a joy without either sauce or seasoning. You can always mix it up, do some wet, some dry, and some plain!
Fire up your smoker for 225 F. Use a fruit or light wood for a less smoky wing, or use a heavier wood, such as mesquite or oak, for a deeper smoke flavor.
While the smoker is coming up to temperature, toss the wings in seasoning.
Transfer the wings to the smoker when ready. Smoke until the wings hit 145 F. This normally takes 1-2 hours. It's ok if you go a little over 145 F.
Remove the wings and let cool slightly before placing into resealable bags or containers. Freeze overnight or until ready to use.
Frying
The day before you are ready to cook your wings remove from the freezer and let thaw in the fridge.
Combine the coating mixture in a bowl or baggie.
Heat 2"-3" of oil to 375 F.
Working in batches if needed, toss the wings in the coating mixture then transfer to the oil.
Fry 4-6 minutes or until the wings are golden brown and the skin is crunchy.
Remove to a paper towel-lined plate or wire rack to drain.
For a quick lunch, air fryer wings just can’t be beat. My extra-crispy version gets me nice crunchy wings in less than 30 minutes. So could I improve on such a great thing? Well, I can. And did. With duck fat spray. Making duck fat air fryer wings is just as easy as making wings using my regular approach. But they are so much crispier and have a wonderful flavor that is just amazing.
Duck Fat is a Game Changer
You can find duck fat spray in your grocers oil aisle, by the non-stick spray and olive oils and stuff like that. It ain’t cheap, but what it does for duck fat air fryer wings (and many other things) is well worth it. I would suggest you don’t go nuts with it the first time you use it. Try a few quick sprays and see if you want to add more.
I often find myself using a few variations on this approach. I’ll sometimes just spritz the wings, salt and pepper them, then cook them. After they are done I’ll sprinkle them with my favorite seasoning and serve them ‘dry’. I often use this approach if my seasoning is prone to charring during cooking. If I want them ‘wet’, then I’ll toss them in my favorite sauce.
Preheat your air fryer per manufacturer's recommendation.
Spray the wings with duck fat. Just a few squirts will do. I like to put the wings into a bowl, give them a quick spray, turn then, and give them another quick spray.
Sprinkle the wings with seasoning. Turn, and add a bit more seasoning. Alternatively, place the wings into a bag or resealable container and sprinkle with the seasoning. Close the container and toss gently to coat.
Add the wings to the basket (be careful it’s hot!). If you have trouble fitting them without overlapping, stand the drumettes along the sides of the basket.
Cook at 360 F for 12 minutes for large wings, 10 minutes for smaller ones.
Carefully flip the wings (rotate the drumettes if they are standing) and cook another 12 minutes again (10 minutes for smaller wings) at 375 F.
Flip the wings one last time. Increase the temperature to 390 F and cook another 6 minutes (4 minutes for smaller wings).
Remove and toss with your favorite wing sauce or sprinkle with more seasoning.
Oh my goodness do I ever love this tangy wing sauce. Simple, no-frills ingredients go together in no time. The result is a kicked-up Buffalo wing sauce. Just the right amount of kick. Not too much vinegar. And the perfect consistency. The sauce sticks to the wings without being gloppy. This sauce is different in a lot of good ways. Make a double batch, you’ll need it!
No Frills. But Oh What A Thrill!
If you want your tangy wing sauce to have a bit more kick you can add a few pinches of cayenne. Or a few good shakes of hot sauce. But don’t go crazy with the heat. This sauce is pretty perfect as it is. It already gets a bit of heat from the Buffalo sauce. You could of course just use a hotter Buffalo sauce if you want!
I store my leftover homemade sauces in squeeze bottles. If refrigerated, I set them out an hour before using so they come to room temperature. You don’t want to put cold sauce on hot wings!
I’ve been seriously addicted to making dry wings, like these smoky chipotle wings. My wife and I recently spent a few days in lovely Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania while attending a conference. I made sure I had my ‘to-eat’ list down before leaving, because one thing you can be sure of finding in Pittsburgh: good food. At the top of my list was dry chicken wings. No, not dry like ‘ewww, this meat is dry’. Dry as in the wings aren’t tossed in sauce after being cooked. Instead they are dusted with seasoning. The end result is almost like roasted chicken, but with much more pronounced flavors.
A Little Smoke. A Little Heat.
When you first taste the rub for these smoky chipotle wings you might think they’ll come out super spicy. Maybe too spicy for grandma. Well, no, actually. The heat mellows a bit while the wings cook. You’re left with a slightly smoky, slightly sweet, and a bit of heat flavor that is absolutely crazy good. Good enough for grandma, though you might want to run the idea by her first.
Smoky chipotle wings would be absolutely perfect served any time, but they’d really make a great appetizer for the big game. They’re easy to make and packed with flavor.
I like to make my spice, rub and seasoning mixes in big batches and keep them in large bottles with easy-to-pour shaker lids.
Combine all ingredients. Store leftover rub in an airtight container.
Notes
I prefer to season my wings immediately after cooking them. The seasoning will stick to the surface of the hot wings better than if you wait until they cool off.
