Baked Buffalo Wings

, from Issue #45. August, 2015
Photography by Manja Wachsmuth.
Baked Buffalo Wings

Any marinade with honey is prone to catch and burn: to help prevent this I drizzle it over for the final 15 minutes of cooking. Make sure you have lots of napkins on hand when serving these fabulous finger-licking wings to guests.

INGREDIENTS

24 chicken wings*

Sauce
4 tablespoons hot pepper sauce**
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
1 tablespoon cider vinegar
½ teaspoon celery seed
2 tablespoons melted butter
1 teaspoon sea salt
2 tablespoons runny honey

Blue Cheese Dipping Sauce
½ cup thick plain yoghurt
4 tablespoons mayonnaise
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
100 grams soft blue cheese, crumbled
1 clove garlic, crushed
sea salt and freshly ground pepper

METHOD

Line a large shallow baking tray with baking paper.

Preheat the oven to 180˚C.

Make two deep slashes in the meaty side of each chicken wing.

Sauce: Whisk all the ingredients, except the honey, in a large bowl and add the chicken wings, turning to coat well. The wings can be marinated for up to 2 days, covered in the refrigerator.

Place the wings and the marinade, slashed side up, in a single layer on the baking tray.

Cook for 20 minutes then turnover and cook for another 15 minutes. Turn slashed side up and drizzle over the honey. Bake for another 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally until sticky and deeply golden. Serve with the blue cheese dipping sauce for dipping. Makes 24 wings

Dipping Sauce: Place all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. Makes 1 cup

*I used the mid joint of the wing for this recipe. Ask your butcher to remove the drumette and wing tip for this cut.

**I used a Mexican red capsicum sauce with chipotle – the hotter the sauce you use, the spicier the wings will be.