How to Make Ultra-Crispy Buffalo Wings with Buffalo 2.0 Sauce

Preparing the Chicken Wings

• 🍗 Start with good quality chicken wings, preferably air-chilled with tight skin and minimal retained water.
• 🔪 Break down whole wings into drumettes, flats, and tips, saving the tips for stock.
• 💧 Score the wings to allow the dry brine to penetrate faster and more consistently.
• 🧂 Use a dry brine of salt and sugar (1-2 tablespoons per pound) to enhance moisture and flavor.
• 💡 For extra crispiness at home, add a little baking powder to the dry brine.
• ❄️ Dry brine the wings for at least 45-60 minutes, or ideally overnight in the fridge.

The Double-Fry Method

• ♨️ Par-cook the wings by frying them once at a lower temperature (300-325°F) until they reach an internal temperature of 165°F.
• 🧊 Chill the par-cooked wings to allow the skin to crisp up and prevent overcooking during the second fry.
• 🔥 For the second fry, increase the oil temperature to at least 350°F (or up to 370°F if using high smoke point oil like beef tallow).
• 🌟 Fry until the wings are golden brown and crispy, resembling chicharrones.

Crafting Buffalo 2.0 Sauce

• 🧈 Brown the butter to unlock nuttiness and add depth of flavor.
• 🐔 Incorporate chicken powder into the browned butter and hot sauce for an extra layer of savory flavor.
• 🌶️ Use a high-quality hot sauce like Crystal, known for its depth beyond just spice and vinegar.
• 🧀 Elevate the sauce by adding blue cheese, Grana Padano cheese, and lemon juice for a complex flavor profile.
• 🔵 The blue cheese is incorporated to create a creamy texture with some chunks for texture.

Final Assembly and Plating

• 🌡️ Ensure the sauce is hot before tossing the freshly fried wings into it.
• 🥣 Toss the hot wings in the hot sauce immediately after frying to help the sauce adhere better.
• ✨ Optionally, toss the sauced wings with a bit more blue cheese and Grana Padano mixture and fresh parsley for garnish.
• 🥣 Serve the wings in a way that embraces the messy, experiential nature of eating buffalo wings.