Author Notes: This recipe was invented in a suburb of Buffalo, NY about 35 years ago, just before Anchor Bar chicken wings hit the national stage. One of my 16-year-old classmates had dated a nephew of Frank and Theresa, the inventor of spicy fried wings, and he let slip that the secret ingredient was cloves. My friend and I spent the rest of the summer of 1972 frying wings and experimenting with ketchup, tabasco, vinegar and cloves in her mother’s kitchen. These are a slightly more caramelized and vinegary version. —MarthaLynn
Makes: 20 wings
Ingredients
-
1
quart vegetable oil
-
2
pounds chicken wings
-
1/2
cup ketchup
-
3
tablespoons butter
-
1/2
cup white vinegar
-
2
tablespoons dark brown sugar
-
1/2
teaspoon ground cloves
-
2
dashes tabasco
Directions
- Wash chicken wings, cut in two pieces at drumette, and pat dry with paper towel.
- Heat vegetable oil in a heavy 8-quart pot or fryer until a bread cube dropped in the oil quickly browns.
- Carefully place the wings in the hot oil.
- While the wings are frying, melt butter in a large saucepan.
- Add the remaining ingredients and stir over low heat until blended. Add extra tabasco to taste.
- When the wings are thoroughly browned and appear crispy at the edges, lift them out of the oil with a slotted spoon, carefully strain the excess oil, and add the wings to the sauce.
- Turn up the heat on the sauce and stir the wings until they are coated.
- Immediately place on a platter and serve with blue cheese and crisp celery spears.