Introduction
Welcome to Jessica Gavin’s Buffalo Sauce Recipe! This recipe is a classic, easy-to-make sauce that is perfect for adding a kick of flavor to your favorite dishes. It’s made with just a few simple ingredients, and it’s sure to become a staple in your kitchen. Whether you’re looking for a spicy dip for your wings or a flavorful addition to your favorite sandwich, this sauce is sure to hit the spot. So let’s get started and whip up a batch of this delicious sauce!
Buffalo Sauce Recipe – Jessica Gavin
This classic Buffalo sauce recipe from Jessica Gavin is the perfect way to add a kick of flavor to your favorite dishes. Made with just a few simple ingredients, this spicy sauce is sure to become a staple in your kitchen!
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup hot sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot)
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/4 teaspoon onion powder
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
- In a small saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat.
- Add the hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, paprika, and black pepper. Stir to combine.
- Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Remove from heat and let cool before using.
This Buffalo sauce is perfect for adding a kick of flavor to your favorite dishes. Try it on chicken wings, tacos, sandwiches, and more!
This homemade buffalo sauce recipe delivers bold flavors and a kick of heat! It has just the right balance of spice and tanginess, perfect for slathering on buffalo wings or using it as a dipping sauce.
Table of Contents
It’s shocking how easy it is to make buffalo sauce at home. Choose your favorite hot sauce, a little bit of Worcestershire sauce, plus butter, and you’re ready to take a plate of crispy chicken wings to the next level. Making sure the proper ratios of heat-to-fat is essential to control the capsaicin.
Try this recipe for a quick dipping sauce, coating, or marinade for meats and vegetables, and ditch the store-bought stuff. I use this flavor enhancer to douse on my baked buffalo wings and in my cheesy buffalo chicken dip. Both are a massive hit on game day!
Who invented buffalo sauce?
No, there are no actual buffalos used in the sauce. According to Time Magazine, it’s where Teressa Bellissimo brought this popular appetizer to fruition. Buffalo wings originated in 1964 at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York. Die-hard fans can celebrate Chicken Wing Day on July 29th.
What is buffalo sauce?
The base is traditionally hot sauce, vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, butter, and seasonings. It’s a spicy condiment that’s thick enough to cling to food. I love using it as a peppery coating, seasoning, or dip for chicken, vegetables, crunchy nachos, sandwiches, pizza, and even macaroni and cheese.
Hot sauce selection
This is an important decision as the base pepper flavor determines the level of heat and tanginess. Frank’s RedHot sauce is typically used because it was the secret ingredient in the original recipe. It uses aged cayenne pepper, distilled vinegar, a variety of seasonings, and xantham gum for thickening.
I’ve also tested Crystal from Louisiana. It’s spicier because it uses whole dried peppers and seeds, followed by vinegar and salt. No added thickener is used, which gives it a thinner consistency. You can choose any type of hot sauce, as each company uses a different ratio of chilies, types of dried chile peppers, amount of vinegar, seasonings, and thickening agents.
Make the sauce tangy
The acids naturally occurring in vinegar add a sharp tanginess to the buffalo sauce and also brighten the taste of the roasted hot peppers. I use red wine vinegar for a more complex, fermented taste from the grapes. However, you can use white wine vinegar or distilled vinegar for a more intense flavor.
To add depth and savory notes, add Worcestershire sauce. In addition to vinegar, it has molasses and sugar for a hint of sweetness and alliums like onion and garlic. It also has tamarind extract for a sour fruit taste, in addition to chili pepper and anchovies to elevate the umami flavor. For extra seasoning and to balance the taste, use a little kosher salt and garlic powder.
Add some fat
Butter helps tame the spice level slightly, so the bite is not so sharp. The fat coats the capsaicin molecules and your tastebuds, so the heat experience isn’t so intense. The milk solids add a nice creamy flavor with a hint of sweetness.
I prefer butter, but you can use other solidified fats like margarine or coconut oil. Gradually whisk in slices of butter after cooking the sauce mixture, and as it cools down, it will thicken.
How to make buffalo sauce
It starts with briefly simmering the hot sauce, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper. This process helps to evaporate some volatile acids, so it’s not so spicy when smelled and eaten.
The heat helps dissolve the salts and meld the flavor of the peppers and seasonings together. Whisk in the butter off the burner to give a smooth and rich texture.
To make it healthier
For a healthier buffalo sauce, use cornstarch as a thickening agent to reduce the amount of butter needed in the recipe. Using 1 1/2 teaspoons cornstarch plus 1 tablespoon of butter provides a nice texture but significantly cuts the fat by 88%.
Adding just a tiny amount of fat helps to mellow the spiciness. Alternatively, coconut oil or olive oil would also work. You can also use arrowroot powder instead of cornstarch for those on a Whole30 or Paleo diet.
Ways to use the sauce
FAQ
If you want to add more heat, gradually add cayenne pepper to increase the spice load, but be careful. A little goes a long way!
Buffalo sauce uses hot sauce as its base plus other ingredients to add more flavor and thickness. Butter adds richness and texture, plus additional vinegar and seasonings to make the sauce more pungent, savory, and spicy.
Hot sauce is typically dried peppers, vinegar, and seasonings. It serves as the main ingredient in buffalo sauce. Butter is added, so the consistency is thick enough to coat the food you pair it with. Additional flavoring agents are used to customize the taste.
How do you thicken buffalo sauce?
The milk fat and solids in butter help create an emulsion that clings to foods. Just gradually whisk it in piece by piece after simmering the hot sauce mixture. This process ensures that the fat incorporates correctly into the liquid, so the oil doesn’t separate, leaving a greasy unappealing sauce. The emulsion will break if melted butter is used, creating an oily and thin consistency.
Pin this recipe to save for later
Pin This
-
Cook the Sauce – In a medium skillet or saucepan, add hot sauce, red wine vinegar, Worcestershire sauce, salt, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper (if using). Whisk to combine.Bring sauce to a simmer over medium heat until mixture is hot and begins to bubble, about 3 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat.
-
Thicken the Consistency – Whisk in 1 piece of butter at a time until a smooth and thickened sauce forms. Taste and adjust vinegar and seasonings as desired. The buffalo sauce will thicken as it cools down.
-
Serve – Place in a bowl and serve on the side of appetizers to dip or toss with chicken wings.
- Recipe Yield: About 1 cup
- Serving Size: 1 tablespoon
- Adjust the Heat Level: To make it extra spicy, gradually add in more ground cayenne pepper.
- Vinegar Substitution: White wine vinegar or distilled vinegar can be substituted for red wine vinegar.
- Storing: Cool completely, then store in an airtight container or jar in the refrigerator for up to 1 week. Reheat sauce over low heat until warm.
- Make it WHOLE30: Substitute Worcestershire sauce with coconut aminos, ghee for butter, red wine vinegar for distilled vinegar, and sea salt for kosher salt.
- Make it Vegan: Substitute butter with vegan butter or margarine and Worcestershire sauce with coconut aminos.
- Make it Vegetarian: Substitute Worcestershire sauce with coconut aminos, soy sauce, or tamari.
Want to save this recipe?
Create an account easily save your favorite content, so you never forget a recipe again.
Register now
Nutrition Facts
Buffalo Sauce
Amount Per Serving
Calories 53
Calories from Fat 54
% Daily Value*
Fat 6g9%
Saturated Fat 4g20%
Trans Fat 1g
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g
Monounsaturated Fat 1g
Cholesterol 15mg5%
Sodium 342mg14%
Potassium 20mg1%
Carbohydrates 1g0%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 1g1%
Protein 1g2%
Vitamin A 200IU4%
Vitamin C 8mg10%
Calcium 3mg0%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Tried this recipe?
Tag @jessica_gavin on Instagram. I’d love to see how it turns out!