Buffalo Wings (Cooks Illustrated)

Frank's Louisiana Hot Sauce is not terribly spicy. We like to combine it with a more potent hot sauce, such as Tabasco, to bring up the heat. You will need to double the ingredients in the blue cheese dressing.

Sauce
4	tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2	cup hot sauce , preferably Frank's Louisiana Hot Sauce
2	tablespoons Tabasco sauce or other hot sauce, plus more to taste
1	tablespoon dark brown sugar
2	teaspoons cider vinegar
Wings
1 - 2	quarts peanut oil (or vegetable oil) for frying
1	teaspoon cayenne pepper
1	teaspoon ground black pepper
1	teaspoon table salt
3	tablespoons cornstarch
3	pounds chicken wings (18 wings), cut up (see illustrations below)
Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing and Vegetables
2 1/2	ounces blue cheese , crumbled (about 1/2 cup)
3	tablespoons buttermilk
3	tablespoons sour cream
2	tablespoons mayonnaise
2	teaspoons white wine vinegar
4	stalks celery , cut into thin sticks
2	medium carrots , peeled and cut into thin slices

1. For the Sauce: Melt butter in small saucepan over low heat. Whisk in hot sauces, brown sugar, and vinegar until combined. Remove from heat and set aside.

2. For the Wings: Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Line baking sheet with paper towels. Heat 2 1/2 inches of oil in large Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 360 degrees. While oil heats, mix together cayenne, black pepper, salt, and cornstarch in small bowl. Dry chicken with paper towels and place pieces in large mixing bowl. Sprinkle spice mixture over wings and toss with rubber spatula until evenly coated. Fry half of chicken wings until golden and crisp, 10 to 15 minutes. With slotted spoon, transfer fried chicken wings to baking sheet. Keep first batch of chicken warm in oven while frying remaining wings.

3. For the Creamy Blue Cheese Dressing and Vegetables: Mash blue cheese and buttermilk in small bowl with fork until mixture resembles cottage cheese with small curds. Stir in remaining ingredients (up to carrot and celery sticks). Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Can be covered and refrigerated up to 4 days.4. To Serve: Pour sauce mixture into large bowl, add chicken wings, and toss until wings are uniformly coated. Serve immediately with the carrot and celery sticks and blue cheese dressing on side.5. To Make Ahead: The fried, unsauced wings can be kept warm in the oven for up to 1 1/2 hours. Toss them with the sauce just before serving.