Hot wings are a popular appetizer or snack in many parts of the world. They consist of chicken wings that have been deep fried and coated in a spicy sauce, giving them a signature spicy and tangy flavor. But what exactly gives hot wings their heat and unique taste? The specific flavor profile of hot wings depends largely on the type of sauce used to coat them.
Hot Sauce
The sauce used on hot wings is typically some type of hot sauce or buffalo sauce. These sauces are often tomato-based and can contain a mix of spicy peppers and tangy, vinegary flavors. Some of the most common peppers used in hot wing sauce include:
- Cayenne peppers – Adds moderate heat and a slight fruity flavor
- Jalapeño peppers – Imparts more heat with grassy, green pepper notes
- Habanero peppers – Very hot with tropical, fruity flavors
- Ghost peppers – Extremely spicy with citrusy overtones
In addition to peppers, hot wing sauce often contains ingredients like garlic, onion, vinegar, butter, and Worcestershire sauce. The butter and oil help the sauce coat the wings, while the vinegar adds tanginess and helps cut through some of the heat. The Worcestershire sauce contributes an umami, fermented flavor. Different ratios of these ingredients can create hot sauces with different flavor profiles, such as more butter for a milder Buffalo style or more vinegar for a sharper pepper taste.
Traditional Buffalo Sauce
The classic hot wing sauce is the original Buffalo style developed in Buffalo, New York. This sauce typically contains a 2:1 ratio of butter or margarine to hot sauce. Frank’s RedHot is the most popular brand of hot sauce used for Buffalo wings. It is aged with garlic and vinegar, giving it a zesty, peppery flavor with moderate heat. When combined with butter, Frank’s RedHot makes a rich, buttery sauce with a balanced sweet and acidic taste.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Butter/margarine | 1 cup |
| Frank’s RedHot sauce | 1/2 cup |
This simple 2-ingredient Buffalo sauce complements the flavor of crispy fried chicken wings. It provides a mild to medium spicy kick along with buttery, tangy notes. Adjusting the hot sauce to butter ratio can make the sauce hotter or milder as desired.
Other Popular Hot Wing Sauces
While traditional Buffalo sauce is the most popular, there are many other flavors of hot wing sauce available:
Sweet BBQ Hot Wing Sauce
This style of sauce provides the flavors of classic barbecue with an extra dose of heat. It’s typically tomato-based like barbecue sauce but also contains hot chile peppers. You’ll taste sweet, smoky, tangy barbecue flavors upfront followed by spicy heat on the back end.
Garlic Parmesan Sauce
This white sauce is made with a blended base of mayonnaise, sour cream, or cream cheese. Tons of minced garlic and grated Parmesan cheese pack this sauce with savory, garlicky, and umami flavor. Cayenne pepper offers mild heat while herbs like parsley, dill, or chives add freshness.
Asian Chili Sauce
Asian hot wing sauces draw inspiration from flavors like sweet chili garlic, ginger sesame, or teriyaki. They often contain ingredients like rice vinegar, sesame oil, soy sauce, ginger, and spicy chile peppers. The result is a sticky, savory-sweet sauce with moderate heat.
Caribbean Jerk Sauce
Jerk wing sauce includes the warm spice blend commonly used in Carribean cuisine. It contains allspice berries, cinnamon, nutmeg, thyme, garlic, and habanero peppers for intense heat. Tangy ingredients like lime juice, brown sugar, and molasses provide sweet and sour notes.
Honey Siracha
This simple fusion sauce combines sweet honey with the bold heat of siracha hot chili sauce. The sticky honey balances out the vinegar tartness of the siracha. Other classic hot wing ingredients like butter and garlic can also be added.
Dry Rubs for Wings
While saucy wings are most common, dry spice rubs can also impart flavor and heat. Wings are coated in the spice blend before being fried to a crispy finish. Popular hot wing dry rubs include:
- Cajun seasoning – Contain cayenne pepper, paprika, garlic, onion, oregano, and thyme
- Jamaican jerk seasoning – Allspice, garlic, onion, thyme, brown sugar
- Pepper blends – Cayenne, chili powder, black pepper, garlic powder
- BBQ rub – Brown sugar, chili powder, smoked paprika, cumin, garlic
How Hot Are Hot Wings?
The spiciness of hot wings depends on the type and amount of peppers used in the sauce or rub. Scoville heat units (SHUs) measure the pungency and heat level of chili peppers and hot sauces. Here are some common hot wing pepper SHU levels:
| Pepper | Scoville Units | Heat Level |
|---|---|---|
| Jalapeño | 2,500 – 8,000 SHU | Mild |
| Cayenne | 30,000 – 50,000 SHU | Medium |
| Habanero | 100,000 – 350,000 SHU | Very Hot |
| Ghost Pepper | 855,000 – 1,041,427 SHU | Extremely Hot |
Many wing restaurants offer different heat levels from mild to extra spicy. The spiciest wings pack in extra peppers like habanero and Ghost pepper to deliver an intense burning heat.
Conclusion
Hot wings get their signature fiery flavor from hot sauces and spice rubs made with potent chili peppers. While the classic Buffalo style offers a balance of butter, vinegar, and moderate heat, there are many global flavor fusions to spice up your wings. Just keep in mind, the more peppers the sauce contains, the hotter your wings will be. Adjust the level of spiciness to your personal heat tolerance for the ultimate hot wing experience.