by Cheesemonger Carolyn
inspired by Deb Perelman’s “Baked Buffalo Wings," Smitten Kitchen
We’ve got one last snacktime recipe to get you through the depths of the winter blues…or shall I say winter BLEUS? Our tangy house-aged Buttermilk Blue cheese makes a dreamy dip perfect for pairing with spicy chicken wings. No take-out or deep-frying required! Instead, easily prep wings at home by sending them on two trips to the oven, first at a low temp to dry out the skin and then a high heat to get those crispy, craggy golden edges. A quick dip in a buttery hot sauce—tempered with just a touch of honey—and they’re good to go!
INGREDIENTS
For the wings:
3 lbs chicken wings, cut into flats and drumettes, tips removed (see Notes)
1 1/2 tbsp baking powder
3 tsp kosher salt
6 tbsp hot sauce, Frank’s Red Hot or similar
6 tbsp butter
2 tbsp honey
For the dip:
4 oz TCP House-Aged Buttermilk Blue, crumbled, at room temperature
1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
1/4 cup buttermilk
1/4 tsp onion powder
1/4 tsp garlic powder
2 tbsp fresh chives, minced
Kosher salt and black pepper, to taste.
To serve:
Carrots and/or celery, if desired
PROCEDURE
Preheat the oven to 250 F with racks arranged in the upper and lower thirds. Line a large baking sheet with foil and set an oven-safe wire rack on top.
Pat wings dry with a paper towel, then toss in a large bowl or baking dish with the baking powder and kosher salt until well-coated, working in batches if needed. Arrange on the wire rack and bake on the lower oven rack until beginning to dry out, about 30 minutes.
3. Move wings to the upper oven rack and increase the temperature to 450 degrees. Bake for 25 minutes, flip wings using tongs or a heatproof spatula, then bake for another 25 minutes, until well-browned and crisp.
4. Meanwhile, make the sauces! For the buffalo sauce: in a small saucepan, combine hot sauce, butter, and honey over low heat, whisking until melted and combined. Set aside.
5. For the buttermilk blue dip: combine blue cheese, mayo, sour cream, buttermilk, garlic powder, and onion powder in a bowl. Mash and stir with a fork until mostly smooth with some chunks of blue remaining. Season with salt and pepper to taste and stir in chives, set aside.
6. Once wings are done, roll in buffalo sauce. You can do this all at once in a large bowl if you like; I preferred to just dip them one at a time with the tongs. Serve with a healthy dollop of buttermilk blue dip, plus carrots and celery if desired!
NOTES
Sometimes grocery stores sell chicken wings already cut into sections, which is great for a recipe like this! But if you’re buying them whole, they’re easy to separate at home. Make the first cut in the little “v” between the wing tip and the flat (also known as the “wingette,” it’s the short, flat middle section), then the second cut at the joint between the drumette (named for its resemblance to a tiny drumstick) and flat. Discard the wing tips or save them for stock.
The original Smitten Kitchen recipe called for dry-brining the wings a day in advance, a step requiring a level of foresight I rarely have when it comes to any snack (much less something as craveable as hot wings!) But if you’re planning ahead, you can skip the first bake and instead stick the wings in the fridge to dry out overnight after you’ve tossed them in the baking powder and salt.
Feel free to customize the buffalo sauce as much as you want, using more or less butter and honey or a more intense hot sauce depending on your heat preferences!