Best Wings in Buffalo?

[inkman]

3 minutes ago, steveoath said:

For us non wny-ers. What make a good wing? In scotland we get "buffalo wings" as a generic item from fast food places and these are essentially wings then doused in Frank's sauce. I assume that's not right! 

 

Also if anyone wants to share recipes for doing them at home please do ?

I've been grilling or air frying wings for a while now.  Usually my sauces are just a mixture of premade stuff from the store.  Wegmans Buffalo sauce, boss sauce, Sal's birdland sauce, Wegmans BBQ sauces, Cayenne pepper, Siracha, Frank's wing sauce, the list goes on and on.  If you need something from scratch, start with Frank's, add butter or BBQ and go from there. 

[Indabuff]

12 minutes ago, steveoath said:

Also if anyone wants to share recipes for doing them at home please do ?

I have a decent fryer at home.  I go with 375°F and use peanut oil.  For me the higher temp helps with getting a crispy exterior and moist interior.

I only buy fresh wings (available at nearly any grocery store) that I split myself.

I have an entire fridge door shelf devoted to hot sauces (and then some scattered around).   

One of my go to favorites is using Frank's as a base (as Inkman wisely stated Franks's as a base is a good start) along with honey and celery seed.  Kind of a unique taste that's mild enough for the fam and easy to throw together.  I'll sometimes swap out the celery seed with Grill Mates Montreal Chicken seasoning.

 

[LGR4GM]

1 hour ago, steveoath said:

For us non wny-ers. What make a good wing? In scotland we get "buffalo wings" as a generic item from fast food places and these are essentially wings then doused in Frank's sauce. I assume that's not right! 

 

Also if anyone wants to share recipes for doing them at home please do ?

You need large or extra large size wings, split and separated into just the drum and the flat. Take that and fry it in your favorite frying oil for 10 minutes at 375-400 degree (internal temp should be at least 165f) you can go 12 minutes if you want "extra crisp" (you can also take them out of the fryer (10min) and put them in a preheated oven at 425 for 2-4 minutes after the fryer to get some extra crisp). You sauce them immediately after you finish cooking, to sauce you can do 1 of 2 methods. A) You get a mixing bowling with your fav sauce, toss the wings in it, pick them out with tongs and serve. B) Get a basting brush, hand paint each wing (Bar-Bill does this) and then serve. Always serve with blue cheese and celery, a good blue cheese is also essential. Wings don't travel well so don't box them, serve them fresh from the fryer for best crisp and taste. 

Wing sauces can impact overall product but Frank's Wing Sauce is a pretty solid start or just get Frank's and mix it with some butter to desired flavor. 

(ps grilling and smoking wings is awesome as well but I was just giving the traditional Buffalo level of wing)

Edited July 30, 2020 by LGR4GM

[LGR4GM]

For the record, anyone putting a recipe out there that says to coat the wings in any sort of flour mixture... WTF? I googled to make sure I had the internal temp right and found a few recipes that claimed to be "Buffalo style wings" that involved coating the wings in a batter. No. 

Edited July 30, 2020 by LGR4GM

[Marvin]

I really miss Rooties.  They won the first 2 years at WingFest until they closed from the indoor smoking ban -- business went down 15%.

In NT, try Dome Stadium.

[In The Buff]

8 minutes ago, Marvin, Sabres Fan said:

I really miss Rooties.  They won the first 2 years at WingFest until they closed from the indoor smoking ban -- business went down 15%.

In NT, try Dome Stadium.

I still buy the Rooties Blue Cheese tho ?

[Andrew Amerk]

2 hours ago, inkman said:

Any Rochester peeps want to chime in about our wings?  Not sure if I have a personal fav but I enjoy wings from all these places:

Jeremiah's

Distillery

Fairport Village Inn

Pontillo's

Mark's

 

Someone on Twitter mentioned TK's wings in Fairport.  Their pizza is other worldly but the wings might be the worst I've ever had.  It's like 2 cups of butter with a splash of red hot.  The wings just sit in a pool of butter.  Whenever I order them (which is rare) I throw them in the air fryer and sauce them myself.  Nasty. 

Windjammers is the best. 
 

Also, Carbones is excellent. 
 

I agree with Jeremiahs, and would add The Retreat and Romigs. 
 

When I was a kid, there was a restaurant called Bosdyks that had the BEST wings I’ve ever had. I can still remember them to this day. 

Edited July 30, 2020 by Andrew Amerk

[Tondas]

2 hours ago, inkman said:

Any Rochester peeps want to chime in about our wings?  Not sure if I have a personal fav but I enjoy wings from all these places:

Jeremiah's

Used to go there after Wednesday golf league .  Really, really good.  And they gave us the first pitcher for free.

[Ogelthorpe]

2 hours ago, inkman said:

I've been grilling or air frying wings for a while now.  Usually my sauces are just a mixture of premade stuff from the store.  Wegmans Buffalo sauce, boss sauce, Sal's birdland sauce, Wegmans BBQ sauces, Cayenne pepper, Siracha, Frank's wing sauce, the list goes on and on.  If you need something from scratch, start with Frank's, add butter or BBQ and go from there. 

Ink, how are they on air fryer?

Edited July 30, 2020 by Ogelthorpe

[LGR4GM]

11 minutes ago, Tondas said:

Used to go there after Wednesday golf league .  Really, really good.  And they gave us the first pitcher for free.

We used to go to Elmo's after our late class at UB. Was great, got pitcher and wings and talked about how much we hated this one class. Beers and Wings are some of the best times. 

[inkman]

35 minutes ago, Ogelthorpe said:

Ink, how are they on air fryer?

Great.  I max out the temp, I think mine is 400, pour a little vinegar and veg oil in the fryer.  15 minutes later, sauce em up and enjoy.  

[Indabuff]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

For the record, anyone putting a recipe out there that says to coat the wings in any sort of flour mixture... WTF? I googled to make sure I had the internal temp right and found a few recipes that claimed to be "Buffalo style wings" that involved coating the wings in a batter. No. 

I think the whole "Buffalo wing" concept has been beaten to death.  You could probably find "Buffalo wings" in Burkina Faso.

The wings in a batter are actually pretty good.  The sports bar Vinny's on the Cheektowaga/W Seneca border used to do that.  Also Hooter's does it as well.  You can purchase the flour mix they use.  Whenever I prepare wings that way I go with a very thin coating.  Going too heavy on the batter runs the risk of having those hair-like filaments left after cooking.  I lose my appetite when I see those goddam things right before taking a bite.

[Indabuff]

Also I stumbled on this recently:

https://buffalonews.com/news/john-young-stakes-his-claim-to-the-chicken-wing/article_9176e467-670b-5043-ac70-494ee56915af.html

Anyone try this legendary Mambo Sauce?

[Drag0nDan]

4 hours ago, Taro T said:

Bar-Bill is the best restaurant for wings, if you can actually get in the door.  They have very good beef on weck too.

But haven't been there in several years because the wait for a table has been too long the couple of times we tried to go there.

Used to always be able to get in & then too many of us talked up (correctly) how good they are.  (Where's that Homer Simpson D'oh emoji when you need it?) 

The location in clarence does reservations, and takes credit cards.  

[Drag0nDan]

1 hour ago, LGR4GM said:

For the record, anyone putting a recipe out there that says to coat the wings in any sort of flour mixture... WTF? I googled to make sure I had the internal temp right and found a few recipes that claimed to be "Buffalo style wings" that involved coating the wings in a batter. No. 

I've read a little baking powder, then cooking them in the oven on a wire rack can get them similarly crispy.  

6 hours ago, tom webster said:

It seems more and more people putting Gabriel’s on the overrated sign of the ledger. I still like their wings but customer service sucks and it’s not a surprise because owner is a jerk.

And there isn't anywhere to park 

7 hours ago, Kr632 said:

This. It’s bar bill and it’s not even close. like you said they do everything right. There’s a bunch that could fight for distant second.
 

Nine -eleven is the absolute worst. 

bad experience?  I've been twice and i thought they were probably top dogs next to bar bill.  

I don't love the... cram in and wait 90 minutes for food though.  I can go to bar bill and just have a normal dinner.  nine-eleven is like a whole to-do.

[Wyldnwoody44]

Actually vinnys had some pretty solid wings, the Cajun, hot, BBQ and mix all 3 flavors into one wing. They used to have wing night on Mondays I think, but I'm sure those days of super cheap wings are long gone. 

[Indabuff]

18 minutes ago, Wyldnwoody44 said:

Actually vinnys had some pretty solid wings, the Cajun, hot, BBQ and mix all 3 flavors into one wing. They used to have wing night on Mondays I think, but I'm sure those days of super cheap wings are long gone. 

If I'm not mistaken word on the street was a former Miami Dolphin owned the joint.  Not sure how they pulled off the light batter (maybe refrigerated overnight?) but the wings (probably roaster) were fantastic.  I'm also almost positive they used peanut oil.  The smell is rather distinct.  I know the ownership of Vinny's purchased Rafferty's a while ago.  Not sure what the current situation is but it went downhill.

Also by using a batter, the oil's life shortens significantly.

[Indabuff]

Maxwell's on Walden near the Cheektowaga/Buffalo line.  Roaster wings for 10 cents.  I'm sure everyone has their "10 cent" stories though.

[Indabuff]

1 hour ago, Drag0nDan said:

 

bad experience?  I've been twice and i thought they were probably top dogs next to bar bill.  

I don't love the... cram in and wait 90 minutes for food though.  I can go to bar bill and just have a normal dinner.  nine-eleven is like a whole to-do.

I've always liked Nine-Eleven for their consistency.  Didn't realize the same guy has allegedly made them for the last 30 years.  Crispy outside, tender inside.  Unique sauce, think they may use a grated cheese in it.  Maybe that's what might cause some people to get upset stomachs.  The key to that place is get there early.  Like when they open early.

[Weave]

4 hours ago, LGR4GM said:

You need large or extra large size wings, split and separated into just the drum and the flat. Take that and fry it in your favorite frying oil for 10 minutes at 375-400 degree (internal temp should be at least 165f) you can go 12 minutes if you want "extra crisp" (you can also take them out of the fryer (10min) and put them in a preheated oven at 425 for 2-4 minutes after the fryer to get some extra crisp). You sauce them immediately after you finish cooking, to sauce you can do 1 of 2 methods. A) You get a mixing bowling with your fav sauce, toss the wings in it, pick them out with tongs and serve. B) Get a basting brush, hand paint each wing (Bar-Bill does this) and then serve. Always serve with blue cheese and celery, a good blue cheese is also essential. Wings don't travel well so don't box them, serve them fresh from the fryer for best crisp and taste. 

Wing sauces can impact overall product but Frank's Wing Sauce is a pretty solid start or just get Frank's and mix it with some butter to desired flavor. 

(ps grilling and smoking wings is awesome as well but I was just giving the traditional Buffalo level of wing)

Extra large wings re often a bit more finicky to make well than 375-400 for 10-12 minutes.  Sometimes that can work out well, but those huge wings are tougher than smaller wings and usually benefit from a slow cook until nearly done and then a finish at hot temp to crisp up.  I've stopped buying jumbo wings because of the pain in the ass factor to make them consistently great.

[Andrew Amerk]

2 hours ago, Indabuff said:

I think the whole "Buffalo wing" concept has been beaten to death.  You could probably find "Buffalo wings" in Burkina Faso.

The wings in a batter are actually pretty good.  The sports bar Vinny's on the Cheektowaga/W Seneca border used to do that.  Also Hooter's does it as well.  You can purchase the flour mix they use.  Whenever I prepare wings that way I go with a very thin coating.  Going too heavy on the batter runs the risk of having those hair-like filaments left after cooking.  I lose my appetite when I see those goddam things right before taking a bite.

I will second that Hooters DOES have great wings. 
 

I was disappointed when the Rochester one closed. I don’t even know where the closest ones are now.

[Weave]

2 hours ago, Indabuff said:

I think the whole "Buffalo wing" concept has been beaten to death.  You could probably find "Buffalo wings" in Burkina Faso.

The wings in a batter are actually pretty good.  The sports bar Vinny's on the Cheektowaga/W Seneca border used to do that.  Also Hooter's does it as well.  You can purchase the flour mix they use.  Whenever I prepare wings that way I go with a very thin coating.  Going too heavy on the batter runs the risk of having those hair-like filaments left after cooking.  I lose my appetite when I see those goddam things right before taking a bite.

Tully's makes a respectable coated wing.  Tons of pepper in the coating.  It's a nice change of pace.

[Weave]

There is a place near me (sorry, no name.  I try not to be obvious about my locale) that makes hot garlic wings.  Deep fried of course.  Franks and butter in good proportion, followed by a heavy dose of minced fresh garlic and parmesan, and then they are put in the pizza oven until the garlic and parm get good and carmelized.  It crisps up the wings a little further too.  Really tasty spin on Buffalo wings.

Edited July 30, 2020 by Weave

[Tondas]

3 minutes ago, Andrew Amerk said:

I will second that Hooters DOES have great wings. 

When you say Hooters does have great wings, what exactly are you referring to?

[Weave]

1 minute ago, Tondas said:

When you say Hooters does have great wings, what exactly are you referring to?

Big, meaty things to put your mouth around.  What else would you think he meant?