Buffalo Chicken Wings! On the Grill or in the Oven!

A happy Father's Day to all the wonderful Fathers reading this! I hope you had a wonderful day. I grilled today; just some easy burgers, polish sausages and these delicious chicken wings. I don't crave wings like some do, but a couple of the guys in my family are crazy about them. So I looked for a recipe and this one was a huge hit. I had to get a photo quickly before they disappeared! The smoky, grilled flavor was an instant hit with my barbecue lovers, so I'll be making these again. I have to admit, I really enjoyed them too, even though I felt like a fire breathing dragon for a short time. These wings are spicy, but my oldest son said they actually could be hotter! I had left out the cayenne pepper from the sauce, so if you enjoy lots of fire, you might want to add it in. I cooked these wings on a charcoal grill, but I'll give you directions for the oven too. I hope you'll try these and let me know how you liked them. BUFFALO CHICKEN WINGS-On The Grill or in The Oven!
Adapted from this recipe at Serious Eats and Cook's Illustrated

3 pounds chicken wings, tips cut off and discarded, and cut in half at the joint
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1/2 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
Cut off the wing tips and discard, or freeze them to make broth. Cut through joints of wings with a sharp knife. Pat chicken dry with paper towels and season both sides with the salt, pepper and cayenne.

Wing Sauce:
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup hot sauce-I used Franks Original Hot Sauce
2 tablespoons brown sugar
2 teaspoons cider vinegar
2 tablespoons Tabasco Sauce-I omitted this, but if you like it hot, use it!
1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper- I omitted, but again use it if you want.
In a sauce pan, add all of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Remove from heat.


For the Grill: Set up the grill with coals on one side for indirect grilling. When fire is hot and ready, place wing portions on side not over the coals. I let them cook about 15 minutes this way with the lid down. The fire was hot and some of the fat was released from the wings. Then move the wings over the coals for another 15 minutes, or so until they are browned and crisp looking, but not burned. Cooking time will depend on how hot your fire is. Remember to turn them over while cooking. I had to move them once because my fire was a bit hot. When done, remove wings from grill and place in a non reactive pan or bowl. Pour the sauce over the wings and stir to completely coat them with the sauce. Serve while hot. Enjoy!

For the oven: Season the wings. Line a shallow baking sheet with aluminum foil and coat with cooking spray. Place wings on the pan and bake in a 425 degree oven, about 25-30 minutes, or longer until they are golden and the skin is crispy. Turn them over about halfway through cooking. You can even place them under the broiler for the last 5 minutes or so, but you must pour off any accumulated grease in the pan first. Remove wings from oven and place in a non reactive bowl with the sauce. Stir to coat, and serve immediately. Your taste buds will love these!