Buffalo Wings

Method

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1. Pat the wings extremely dry with kitchen paper — this takes longer than you think and matters more than anything else.

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2. Toss them with the baking powder, salt, garlic powder and pepper until evenly and lightly coated.

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3. Arrange on a rack set over a foil-lined tray, skin side up, with space between each piece. Refrigerate uncovered for at least 4 hours, or overnight, to dry the skin further.

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4. Bake at 120°C / 250°F on a low shelf for 30 minutes. This renders the fat without colouring.

   Mark done Start 30 min timer

5. Move to the upper shelf, raise the heat to 220°C / 430°F, and bake a further 40 to 45 minutes, turning once, until deep golden and blistered.

   Mark done Start 40 min timer

6. Meanwhile, warm the hot sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire and garlic powder in a pan. Take off the heat and whisk in the cold butter a cube at a time to make a glossy, emulsified sauce.

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7. Tip the hot wings into a large bowl, pour over the sauce, and toss for 30 seconds until every piece is coated.

   Mark done Start 30 sec timer

8. Serve immediately with blue cheese dressing and celery and carrot sticks.

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Chef’s Tips

• Use aluminium-free baking powder. The regular kind leaves a metallic aftertaste.
• Never add cold sauce to hot wings without emulsifying the butter first, or it will split into an oily mess.
• The overnight fridge dry is the single biggest upgrade to the texture.

Pairing Suggestions

• A cold lager, ideally something light and fizzy
• Serve with celery, blue cheese and plenty of napkins
• Finish with brownies

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerate 3 days undressed. Re-crisp at 200°C / 390°F for 10 minutes and sauce fresh — sauced wings go soft within an hour.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.