New Mexican Three-Chile Wings of Fire
In 1977, the chicken wing gained national fame when Buffalo, NY Mayor Stan Makowski proclaimed July 29 as National Chicken Wing Day. Thousands of pounds of chicken wings are consumed each week in Buffalo and around the world. These wings are not a traditional New Mexican dish, nor are they genuine “Buffalo wings,” but since it’s one of our favorites, and we serve it in New Mexico, we wanted to share it with you in honor of National Chicken Wing Day. Because of the high sugar content in the sauce, use it toward the end of grilling so it doesn’t burn.
Three-Chile Wings of Fire Sauce
3 chipotle chiles, stems removed
2 dried red New Mexican chiles, stems and seeds removed
1 onion, chopped
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
2 cloves garlic, minced
4 chiltepins, crushed (or substitute 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne chile)
1/3 cup catsup
3 tablespoons vinegar
2 tablespoons brown sugar
1 teaspoon dry mustard
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
2 cups water
Salt to taste
The Wings
2 pounds chicken wings
Cover the chipotles and New Mexican chiles with hot water in a bowl and allow to steep for 20 minutes to soften. Drain.
Saute the onion in the oil in a saucepan until soft. Add the garlic and saute for another 2 to 3 minutes. Add the remaining ingredients, including the softened chiles, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 30 minutes to thicken. Remove from the heat, place in a blender and food processor and puree until smooth. Strain if desired.
Grill the wings over a medium fire, turning often, for 10 minutes. Baste with the sauce frequently during the final 10 minutes of cooking, taking care not to burn the wings. Serve with an additional side of the sauce if you can handle the heat!
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Heat Scale: Hot
You can watch a video about making the more traditional version of spicy wings on the Fiery Foods & BBQ SuperSite here!
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