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Bama Wings with White Sauce

Source of Recipe

From "Southern Snacks" by Perre Coleman Magness


Recipe Introduction

"This sauce is called by some white barbecue sauce, a specialty of Alabama. But being a loyal Memphian of long standing, I find it hard to call anything but the barbecue sauce of my birthplace by that name. Nonetheless, it is a delicious accompaniment to chicken."

List of Ingredients

For the sauce:
â—¦ 1 cup mayonnaise, preferably Duke's
â—¦ ½ cup apple cider vinegar
â—¦ 1 ½ tablespoons freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
â—¦ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
â—¦ ½ teaspoon hot sauce (such as Crystal)

For the wings:
â—¦ 24 chicken wings
â—¦ 3 cups whole buttermilk
â—¦ 1 tablespoon hot sauce (such as Crystal)
â—¦ 1 teaspoon kosher salt
â—¦ ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ ½ teaspoon smoked paprika


Recipe

For the white sauce, whisk all the ingredients together in a small bowl until thoroughly combined. Cover and refrigerate for several hours, up to 24, to allow the flavors to blend.

For the wings, place the wings in a large bowl or zip-top plastic bag and pour over the buttermilk and hot sauce. Stir to combine, making sure the wings are covered with buttermilk. Leave in the fridge to marinate for at least 6 hours, but overnight is fine.

When ready to cook, preheat the oven to 400° F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil, then place a wire rack on it. Spray with cooking spray. Remove the wings from the marinade and shake to remove any excess buttermilk. Place the wings on the prepared rack.

Mix the salt, pepper, and smoked paprika together in a small bowl. Sprinkle the spice mixture evenly over the wings. Bake the wings for 30 to 40 minutes. Pour about ½ cup of the white sauce into a small bowl, and brush a light coat over the wings and finish cooking until the internal temperature reaches 165° F, about 10 more minutes. I like to set a probe thermometer for 150°, then brush the wings and continue cooking until I hit 165° F. To avoid contamination, do not dip the basting brush into the white sauce that you will use as a dip—keep them separate!

Serve the wings hot with the remaining white sauce on the side for dipping.

Makes 24 wings
(and about 1 ½ cups sauce)