The Best Buffalo Wings You'll Ever Make (Restaurant-Quality) | Epicurious 101

Epicurious

Epicurious

5 min, 53 sec

Chef Frank Proto demonstrates his method for making perfect buffalo wings, emphasizing the need for dry, crispy wings and a balanced, flavorful sauce.

Summary

  • Chef Frank Proto outlines his approach to making perfect buffalo wings, which includes drying the wings for a day, creating a unique sauce, and frying the wings for optimal crispiness.
  • He stresses the importance of removing moisture to achieve crispiness and suggests saving chicken tips for stock while separating flats and drumettes for drying.
  • Frank's buffalo wing sauce includes butter, hot sauce, a touch of garlic, ketchup for sweetness and texture, and salt for seasoning.
  • He recommends frying wings at 375 degrees Fahrenheit and offers safety tips for frying at home to avoid splatters and spills.
  • After frying, he seasons the wings with salt and pepper, tosses them in the sauce, and serves them with blue cheese dip, carrots, and celery.

Chapter 1

Introduction to Buffalo Wings

0:00 - 9 sec

Chef Frank Proto introduces himself and sets the stage for his buffalo wings tutorial.

Chef Frank Proto introduces himself and sets the stage for his buffalo wings tutorial.

  • Frank Proto, a professional chef and culinary instructor, introduces himself.
  • He shares his excitement about teaching viewers how to make perfect buffalo wings.

Chapter 2

Criteria for Perfect Wings

0:14 - 10 sec

Chef Frank describes his idea of the ideal buffalo wing and emphasizes the importance of simple ingredients.

Chef Frank describes his idea of the ideal buffalo wing and emphasizes the importance of simple ingredients.

  • Frank believes the perfect wing should be crispy on the outside, moist but not dry on the inside, and saucy enough to get on your face and fingers.
  • He asserts that simplicity in the recipe equates to goodness.

Chapter 3

Preparing the Wings

0:28 - 1 min, 18 sec

Chef Frank explains the process of preparing wings, including drying and cutting them.

Chef Frank explains the process of preparing wings, including drying and cutting them.

  • Frank emphasizes the need to plan a day ahead for drying the wings to ensure crispiness by eliminating moisture.
  • He demonstrates how to separate the wings into drumettes and flats, suggesting the tips be saved for making stock.
  • The wings should be dried with paper towels and placed on a rack in the fridge overnight to further dry out.

Chapter 4

Making Buffalo Wing Sauce

1:52 - 47 sec

Chef Frank shares his personal twist on traditional buffalo wing sauce.

Chef Frank shares his personal twist on traditional buffalo wing sauce.

  • Frank's sauce includes butter, hot sauce, a smashed clove of garlic for subtle flavor, ketchup for sweetness and texture, and a pinch of salt.
  • He cautions against boiling the sauce to prevent separation and burning and aims for a melted butter consistency.

Chapter 5

Frying the Wings

2:41 - 1 min, 12 sec

Chef Frank details the frying process for achieving crispy buffalo wings.

Chef Frank details the frying process for achieving crispy buffalo wings.

  • Frank highlights the importance of the wings being dry to the touch after being refrigerated overnight.
  • He explains his preference for frying the wings to ensure even crispiness and sets the oil temperature to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Safety tips include not overfilling the pot with oil and gently placing the wings into the oil to avoid splatter.

Chapter 6

Seasoning and Saucing the Wings

3:54 - 50 sec

Chef Frank seasons the freshly fried wings and tosses them in buffalo sauce.

Chef Frank seasons the freshly fried wings and tosses them in buffalo sauce.

  • Upon removal from the oil, Frank seasons the wings with salt and pepper while they're still hot.
  • He then tosses the crispy wings in the buffalo sauce, ensuring they are well-coated but not drowning in it.

Chapter 7

Serving the Wings

4:52 - 56 sec

Chef Frank presents the final steps to serving the perfect buffalo wings.

Chef Frank presents the final steps to serving the perfect buffalo wings.

  • The wings are served with traditional sides of blue cheese dip, carrots, and celery.
  • Frank demonstrates how to eat a wing efficiently and enjoys the crispy, spicy, yet balanced taste of his buffalo wings.