Travis Jackson's
Windian Records puts out garage, punk, and ROCK N ROLL from DC and beyond (by the way - the annual Windian
Pow-Wow Party is April 6 + 7; MARK YR CALENDARS). Beyond the realm of 7-12" records, Travis is a die-hard Bills fan and BUFFALO WING AFFICIONADO. In anticipation of this weekend's sports SPECTACULAR, Travis (and photographer Floyd York) (and a bunch of our friends) came over this past weekend to pre-pre-pre-Superbowl party on his favorite, CLASSIC Wings recipe. TAKE IT, TRAVIS:
The Buffalo Wing has been a tradition in my family since the early 90s - the Buffalo Bills were playing pretty well and making the playoffs year after year, so we celebrated the post-season with family parties. Main dish: BUFFALO WINGS. It wasn't til the Bills made the Superbowl[TM] 4 years straight - with national press coming to Buffalo and giving their food a lot of exposure - that the wings caught on. Now it's not a Superbowl[TM] party without them.
The best part about making wings is how simple it is. I stick to the basic Anchor Bar version. The Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY invented this chicken wing variation in the mid-80s. It's when people try to modify with flour, vinegar, or baking the wings (and claiming to be the original) that you get rather bland, impostor Buffalo Wings. A Google search for "Buffalo Wing Sauce" will bring you recipes from the top websites, but they're poor, wrong recipes. Everyone has a flavor, but the undisputed best way to make a Buffalo Wing Sauce is just good old butter, and Frank's Red Hot. You cannot go wrong, and it's a crowd-pleaser.
INGREDIENTS: 24 WHOLE CHICKEN WINGS (CUT INTO 2), 6 TBSP UNSALTED BUTTER, 1 CUP FRANK'S RED HOT, 1 TBSP SALT, 1 GALLON VEGETABLE OIL, 1 BUNCH CELERY, COLD BEER!
1. Cut whole chicken wings in two, at the center of the joints, through the cartilage. You'll come away with the "FLAT," "DRUM," and "TIP." Avoid cutting through bone. Discard the wing tip, and lay out pieces on a cooking sheet.
2. Pour oil in a rather large stock pot (this helps keep from spilling and splatter of oil), and heat to 380degrees.
3. Take 12-16 wings and place them in the pot - do not crowd. This takes about 9-12 minutes, but you can eye them. When they start to float, they're done. I usually keep them in about two minutes longer to get them a little crispy on the outside.
4. While the wings are frying, drop the butter and Frank's Red Hot into in a small saucepan. Heat to melt and dash with salt.
5. Cut celery into thin strips, about 4 inches long. With some Blue Cheese dip, this is a great pairing to cool the heat a bit.
6. Remove the wings from the pot, place in a large METAL bowl, and add sauce. You won't need all the sauce - just eye it - and save the rest for the next batch or as a side dip for the hardcore heat fans.
7. Toss the wings until they're all coated, and place on a tray for immediate serving.
8. Repeat with the next batch, just make sure the oil reheats to 380.
For a Blue Cheese dip, I usually buy a nice dip from the market, like T.Marzetti Chunky Blue Cheese, but it's also really easy to make your own! Snag some quality Blue Cheese and crumble into pieces. Mix 1 cup Blue Cheese, 1 cup mayonnaise, and 1 cup Sour Cream in a medium bowl. Add garlic salt and pepper to taste, and sprinkle with 2 TBSP parsley. Cover and refrigerate for 30-60 minutes.
When everything's ready to eat, grab an ice cold beer (preferably LaBatt Blue) and plenty of napkins.
