Tabasco

Living in England it’s hard to squelch a craving for buffalo wings so I started making my own. My wings are not quite the same as the ones you get in restaurants, they are not fried but baked in the oven making them a little bit healthier (at least I tell myself that). Also, I use whole wings as opposed to breaking them into drumblets and discarding the tips. Why waste the best part?

  • 12 chicken wings
  • olive or vegetable oil
  • 2 tablespoons Tabasco sauce
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon sugar

Pat the wings dry with paper towels and arrange on a heavy baking tray. Rub a bit of oil over the wings so that they won’t stick to the tray and to help crisp the skins. Season with salt and pepper or chicken seasoning (I use Old Bay) and place in a hot 400F oven. Cook for 25-30 minutes.

When the first stage cooking time is nearly up melt the butter in a small sauce pan, stir in the Tabasco sauce, dissolve in the sugar and remove from heat. Using a pastry or basting brush paint half the sauce on the wings and return them to the oven to cook for 10 minutes. Baste the wings again with the remaining sauce and cook for 10 minutes more.

If the wings are not yet crispy, place them under the broiler for a couple of minutes to brown and crisp up some more. Make sure to keep an eye on them as they will burn easily.

Serve, of course, with carrot and celery sticks and a blue cheese dressing or dip (I make my own: crumbled blue cheese, mayo and Worcestershire sauce).