Fried Buffalo Wings with Spicy, Sweet, and Umami Sauce

The secret to creating great fried chicken at home is par-boiling the meat before frying. Believe it or not, this actually produces a incredibly crunchy piece of chicken while keeping the meat tender and juicy. Using wings gives you a ton of surface area for more crunch and more of the special sauce. The sauce in this recipe is a twist on the traditional Buffalo wing sauce with the addition of molasses and Worcestershire sauce for a slightly sweet and 'umami' flavor. Frying with lard adds flavor and extra crunch.

• Preparation Time: 30 mins
• Cooking Time: 30 mins
• Total Time: 60 mins
• Calories: 519 Calories

Ingredients

• ½ cup butter
• ¾ cup all-purpose flour
• ⅓ cup molasses
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• salt and ground black pepper to taste
• 1 tablespoon garlic powder
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
• 1 gallon water
• 2 tablespoons chicken bouillon granules
• salt
• 2 tablespoons crushed red pepper flakes
• ½ cup hot pepper sauce
• 2 cups canola oil for frying
• 2 pounds chicken wings, cut apart at joints, wing tips discarded
• ½ cup masa harina flour (Mexican corn masa mix)
• 3 tablespoons ground cayenne pepper
• 2 cups lard for frying

Recipe Instructions

Step 1

Pour the water into a large stock pot and stir in the salt, red pepper flakes, and chicken bouillon granules. Bring the mixture to a boil.

Step 2

Cook the chicken wings to the boiling water until no longer pink inside and the juices run clear, about 10 minutes.

Step 3

Drain the wings and set aside to cool until easy to handle, about 15 minutes.

Step 4

Whisk the flour, masa harina, paprika, 1 tablespoon of garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl. Press chicken wings into the seasoned flour until lightly coated; tap off excess flour.

Step 5

Heat canola oil and lard in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).

Step 6

Working in batches of about 6 wings at a time, deep-fry the wings until deep golden brown, 10 to 15 minutes. Set the wings aside to drain on paper towels.

Step 7

Melt the butter in a large saucepan over low heat, and whisk in the hot pepper sauce, molasses, Worcestershire sauce, and 1 teaspoon of garlic powder. Remove sauce from the heat.

Step 8

To serve, stir the wings into the sauce, working in batches, until coated. Transfer wings to a serving dish to serve.