Nashville Hot Honey Wings

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Large Dutch oven or deep heavy-bottomed pot (at least 5-quart)
• •Instant-read thermometer
• •Wire cooling rack set over a sheet pan
• •Spider strainer or slotted spoon
• •Pastry brush

Instructions

1. 1

   Soak wings in buttermilk

   Place your separated wing pieces in a large bowl and pour the buttermilk over them. Make sure every piece is submerged. Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours, or overnight if you've got the time. The buttermilk tenderizes the meat and helps the dredge stick like it means it. This is not optional. Skipping this step gives you wings that shed their coating in the oil.

   Overnight is better. The acid in buttermilk breaks down proteins and gives you more tender, more flavorful meat.
2. 2

   Build your seasoned dredge

   Whisk together the flour, salt, black pepper, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and half teaspoon of cayenne in a large shallow dish. Get your nose in there. It should smell warm and inviting, with just a whisper of heat. This is your first layer of seasoning, so don't be shy. Mix it thoroughly so every spoonful tastes the same.

3. 3

   Heat your frying oil

   Pour oil into a large Dutch oven or deep heavy-bottomed pot to a depth of about three inches. Set it over medium-high heat and bring it to 350 degrees. Use a thermometer. Guessing gets you greasy wings or burned ones. The oil should shimmer and a pinch of flour should sizzle immediately when dropped in.

   Peanut oil handles high heat beautifully and gives a clean flavor. Vegetable oil works fine if that's what you have.
4. 4

   Dredge the wings

   Pull wings from the buttermilk one at a time, letting excess drip off for a few seconds. Drop into the seasoned flour and press the coating on firmly. Flip and press again. Shake off excess flour and place on a wire rack. Work through all your wings before you start frying. The coating needs a few minutes to set up, which helps it stay put in the hot oil.

5. 5

   Fry until golden and crisp

   Working in batches of six to eight pieces (crowding drops the oil temperature and steams instead of fries), carefully lower wings into the hot oil. Fry for ten to twelve minutes, turning once halfway through, until they're deep golden brown and cooked through. The internal temperature should hit 165 degrees. When they're done, they'll float higher and the bubbling will calm down. Transfer to a clean wire rack set over a sheet pan.

   Let the oil come back to 350 degrees between batches. Patience here is the difference between crispy and soggy.
6. 6

   Make the Nashville hot butter

   While wings fry, melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Remove from heat and whisk in the three tablespoons of cayenne, brown sugar, smoked paprika, garlic powder, and salt. The mixture will turn a deep, angry red. It should smell like pure heat with a hint of sweetness underneath. Taste carefully (just a tiny bit on your fingertip) and adjust the cayenne if you want more or less fire. This is your main flavor punch.

7. 7

   Make the hot honey

   In a small saucepan over low heat, warm the honey just until it flows easily, about two minutes. Stir in the hot sauce and quarter teaspoon of cayenne. You're looking for a drizzleable consistency with a kick that sneaks up behind the sweetness. Taste it. The honey should hit first, then the heat should bloom on your tongue. Keep it warm while you finish the wings.

8. 8

   Coat wings in hot butter

   Working quickly while wings are still hot, use a pastry brush to paint each piece generously with the cayenne butter. Get into every crevice. Or, if you want maximum coverage, toss the wings in a large bowl with the hot butter until every surface is coated and glistening that angry red-orange color. The residual heat from the wings helps the spiced butter penetrate the crust.

9. 9

   Finish and serve

   Pile your hot-buttered wings on a platter lined with slices of white bread (Nashville tradition, and the bread soaks up the drippings like a gift). Drizzle the hot honey over everything in lazy zigzags. Scatter dill pickle chips around and on top. The pickles are not garnish: they're essential. Their vinegar bite cuts through the richness and resets your palate for the next wing. Serve immediately and stand back.

Chef Tips

• •The three tablespoons of cayenne in the hot butter is authentic Nashville heat. For a milder version, start with one tablespoon and work your way up. You can always add more cayenne, but you can't take it away.
• •I keep a small bowl of pickle juice on the table alongside these wings. A sip between bites keeps your mouth from going numb and lets you taste all that flavor you worked to build.
• •Wings should be dry on the surface before they hit the buttermilk. Pat them down with paper towels if they're wet from the package. Moisture is the enemy of crispy skin.
• •Make extra hot honey. Store it in a jar at room temperature and drizzle it on biscuits, pizza, fried chicken sandwiches, or anything else that needs a little sweet heat.

Advance Preparation

• •Wings can soak in buttermilk overnight, which improves both flavor and tenderness.
• •The seasoned flour can be mixed up to a week ahead and stored in an airtight container.
• •Hot honey keeps at room temperature for up to a month. Rewarm gently before serving.
• •The cayenne butter can be made ahead and refrigerated for up to a week. Melt it gently before brushing on hot wings.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 215g)