Buffalo Wings

Ingredients

• 2 lbs chicken wings, split into flats and drumettes, tips removed
• 6-8 cups vegetable or peanut oil, for frying
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter
• 1/2 cup cayenne pepper hot sauce (such as Frank's RedHot)
• 1 tbsp white vinegar
• 1/4 tsp garlic powder
• pinch of salt
• 8 celery stalks, cut into sticks
• 1/2 cup blue cheese dressing, for serving

Before you cook

• Pat the wing pieces completely dry with paper towels so they crisp instead of steam
• Cut celery stalks into sticks and set aside in a bowl of cold water
• Measure the hot sauce, vinegar, and garlic powder into a small bowl so the sauce comes together quickly later
• Set a wire rack over a baking sheet for draining the fried wings

Steps

1. Pour the oil into a deep, heavy pot and clip on a thermometer
2. Heat the oil until it reads 375°F
3. Lower a batch of wings into the hot oil, filling the pot no more than half full
4. Fry the wings for 10 to 12 minutes, turning them once, until deep golden and cooked through
5. Lift the wings out with a spider or slotted spoon and set them on the wire rack
6. Let the oil come back up to 375°F and fry the remaining wings in the same way
7. Melt the butter in a small saucepan over low heat
8. Whisk the hot sauce, vinegar, garlic powder, and a pinch of salt into the melted butter
9. Keep the sauce warm over the lowest heat so it doesn't separate
10. Tip the hot fried wings into a large bowl
11. Pour the warm sauce over the wings
12. Toss the wings with tongs or by shaking the bowl until every piece is coated
13. Pile the wings onto a platter
14. Serve immediately with the celery sticks and blue cheese dressing alongside