This Buffalo Wing Sauce Recipe is simple, containing only two ingredients. It’s a nod to the original Buffalo wing sauce recipe from Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York. This homemade Buffalo Wing Sauce has a little bit of a spicy kick. Though we qualify this as a mild Buffalo wing sauce recipe, it can be made spicy with a simple added ingredient.
You cannot talk about a true Buffalo wing sauce recipe without a nod to the original, Anchor Bar (OK and Duffs). And for it to be authentic to the original recipe you need to use Frank’s RedHot hot sauce. Not the wing sauce version, the original hot sauce. This is hands down our favorite sauce to make with any chicken wing dish.
Ingredients for Buffalo Wing Sauce
- Hot Sauce – Did we mention you need Frank’s RedHot? PS for those other recipe creators, please be sure you spell it correctly. It’s not Frank’s Red Hot sauce, or Frank’s sauce. It’s Frank’s RedHot hot sauce. You’re welcome. You can find this at any grocery store in the nation. Pro-Tip – If you want to scale up then go to your local restaurant supply store for the 1-liter version of the sauce. It lasts for a while.
- Butter – Unsalted butter is preferred given the flavor of the hot sauce.
- Chicken Wings – Obviously you want sauce with wings.
Note: We don’t add Worcestershire sauce, we don’t add Tabasco, we don’t add anything else. No garlic powder, no lemon juice, no salt, no brown sugar. It’s just Frank’s RedHot and butter. The secret ingredient is the hot sauce. If you want to make it spicier, then go ahead and give it a touch of cayenne pepper. That’s it. This is coming from an upstate NY native.
Preparation
There isn’t much prep. You simply want a medium saucepan. And pre-measure out your hot sauce and your butter. For portioning, you want one serving of this sauce for every two pounds of wings.
How To Make Buffalo Wing Sauce
The goal is a buttery hot sauce flavor but not so much butter that it mellows the flavor.
- In the medium saucepan over medium heat combine Frank’s RedHot and the melted butter. As the pan warms, stir the butter to incorporate. When the butter is completely melted the sauce should barely be at a simmer. Do NOT let it come to a boil!
- Remove from heat and then use to flavor your wings.
- If making classic Buffalo hot wings take half of the sauce and toss with the finished chicken wings in a large bowl. Reserve the other half for dipping.
Be sure you are serving with a side of carrot and celery sticks, and of course ranch and creamy blue cheese dip (which are the only official dipping sauce options depending on which coast you live on).
Expert Tip
You do not want your sauce to come to a boil or the sauce will break and separate. Be sure you are monitoring and adjusting the heat as appropriate.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
This sauce is a medium-style wing sauce with a slightly spicy finish if compared to what you would find at a wing restaurant scale. If you want it spicier then you can add a pinch of cayenne, a little bit at a time, until you get to your preferred heat level.
If you are sensitive to heat then the best way to make this milder is to use equal amounts of butter and hot sauce.
The butter adds a creamier texture and also offsets the vinegar flavor for a balanced bite.
Be sure that you put the sauce on after the wings are done cooking in your preferred style.
Make Ahead and Storage
This is perfect to make in advance and store in an airtight container for up to 30 days. The white vinegar base of the sauce will hold it in the refrigerator. You can allow to come to room temperature when you want to use it. It will warm up as soon as you mix it with hot wings.
What To Serve With Buffalo Wing Sauce
The options are endless. Our favorites include:
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Mary (a certified sommelier and recipe developer) and Sean (backyard pitmaster) are co-authors of the critically acclaimed cookbook, Fire + Wine, and have been creating content for the IACP nominated website Vindulge since 2009. They live in Oregon on a farm just outside Portland.
