Have you ever been munching on those delicious, sauce-covered chicken wings at a sports bar and wondered, “Why the heck are these called Buffalo wings when they’re clearly made from chicken?” Well, friend, you’re not alone! This culinary mystery has confused many wing enthusiasts over the years, and today we’re gonna dive deep into the saucy history of America’s favorite finger food.
The Name Has Nothing to Do With the Animal
Let’s clear up the biggest misconception right away Buffalo wings have absolutely ZERO connection to the buffalo animal Nope, not made from buffalo meat. Not invented by someone named Buffalo The name actually comes from the city of Buffalo in New York state, where this delicious dish was first created.
I know, I know. seems kinda obvious now, right? But trust me, plenty of folks have been confused by this naming convention over the years!
The Contested Origins: Who Really Invented Buffalo Wings?
Like many popular foods, the exact origin of Buffalo wings is hotly debated (almost as hot as the sauce itself!). There are several competing claims about who should get credit for this culinary masterpiece, but here are the main contenders:
The Anchor Bar Version
The most widely accepted story traces Buffalo wings back to the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York in 1964. The establishment was owned by Teressa and Frank Bellissimo, and there are a few different versions of how they came up with the dish:
Version 1: The Anchor Bar accidentally received a shipment of chicken wings instead of the backs and necks they had ordered for making spaghetti sauce. Not wanting to waste them, Teressa came up with the idea to deep-fry them and toss them in a spicy sauce.
Version 2: Dominic, the Bellissimos’ son, showed up late one night with some college friends who were hungry after a night of drinking. His mother Teressa whipped up fried chicken wings with a special sauce to feed them.
Version 3: Dominic himself told The New Yorker in 1980 that it was a Friday night, and his father wanted to do something special for the bar’s Catholic patrons at midnight when they could eat meat again. So Teressa took the available chicken wings, fried them, and covered them in that now-famous sauce.
John Young’s Claim
However, there’s another important claim that has often been overlooked in the Buffalo wing story. John Young, a Black chef also from Buffalo, had been cooking and serving breaded and fried chicken wings years before the Anchor Bar started serving theirs.
Young opened his restaurant, John Young’s Wings ‘n Things, in the early 1960s. His wings were served whole (not separated into flats and drumettes) and came with a special “mombo sauce” (sometimes spelled “mambo” or “mombo”).
Some accounts date Young’s wings back to 1960, when the Buffalo Bills were founded. Young’s family has maintained that the Bellissimos and other restaurant owners in the area had actually visited Young’s restaurant before launching their own wing offerings.
In 2013, Young’s contributions were finally acknowledged when he was inducted into the National Buffalo Wing Festival’s Hall of Flame.
What Makes a Buffalo Wing a Buffalo Wing?
So what exactly distinguishes a “Buffalo” wing from just any ol’ chicken wing? It’s all about the preparation and the sauce:
The Traditional Buffalo Wing Recipe:
- Unbreaded chicken wing sections (flats or drumettes)
- Deep-fried until crispy (no flour coating)
- Tossed in a sauce made from:
- Cayenne pepper hot sauce (classically Frank’s RedHot)
- Melted butter
- Vinegar
- Served with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing (though ranch dressing has become the most popular dipping sauce in the U.S.)
The wings are typically served hot and can range from mild to tongue-scorchingly spicy, depending on the sauce-to-butter ratio and additional spices added.
How Buffalo Wings Took Flight Across America
For more than a decade after their invention, Buffalo wings remained a local delicacy in upstate New York. But by the late 1970s and early 1980s, their popularity began to spread across the country.
Here’s how Buffalo wings went from local specialty to national obsession:
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1977: The city of Buffalo issued an official proclamation declaring July 29 as Chicken Wing Day.
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Early 1980s: Wings began appearing as popular bar snacks on menus nationwide. Restaurant chains specifically dedicated to wings started popping up, including Buffalo Wild Wings (1982) and Hooters (1983).
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1990: McDonald’s introduced “Mighty Wings” to their menu, bringing the Buffalo wing concept to the fast-food market.
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Early 1990s: The Buffalo Bills’ four consecutive Super Bowl appearances (1991-1994) helped propel Buffalo wings into the national spotlight.
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1994-1995: Major chains like Domino’s and Pizza Hut added Buffalo wings to their menus, further cementing their place in American food culture.
Today, Buffalo wings have become synonymous with sports watching, particularly during events like the Super Bowl. According to the National Chicken Council, Americans consume over 1.4 BILLION wings on Super Bowl Sunday alone. That’s a whole lotta chickens!
Beyond the Wing: The Buffalo Flavor Explosion
The popularity of Buffalo wings has led to a whole category of “Buffalo-flavored” foods. These days, the name “Buffalo” has become almost synonymous with the spicy, buttery cayenne pepper sauce rather than just the wings themselves.
Some popular Buffalo-style foods include:
- Boneless “wings” (actually pieces of chicken breast)
- Buffalo chicken dip
- Buffalo cauliflower (for the vegetarians!)
- Buffalo chicken pizza
- Buffalo chicken sandwiches
- Buffalo shrimp
- Buffalo chicken nuggets
- Buffalo popcorn chicken
Even potato chips, pretzels, and other snack foods have adopted the Buffalo flavor profile. It’s everywhere!
Fun Facts About Buffalo Wings
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Chicken wings were once considered undesirable and were typically thrown away or used only for making stock or soup before Buffalo wings became popular.
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The proper name is just “wings” or “chicken wings” if you’re in Buffalo, not “Buffalo wings.” That’s what the rest of us call them!
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Buffalo, NY hosts the National Buffalo Wing Festival every year, drawing thousands of wing enthusiasts.
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Many restaurants have wing-eating contests where diners can attempt to consume extremely spicy wings for prizes like a free meal or their picture on the wall of fame.
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Ranch dressing is now the most popular wing dipping sauce in America, though traditionalists in Buffalo might consider that sacrilege, as blue cheese is the original accompaniment.
How to Make Authentic Buffalo Wings at Home
Wanna try making authentic Buffalo wings in your own kitchen? Here’s a simple recipe:
Ingredients:
- 2 pounds chicken wings, separated at joints (discard tips or save for stock)
- Oil for frying
- 1/2 cup hot sauce (Frank’s RedHot is traditional)
- 1/3 cup unsalted butter, melted
- 1 tablespoon white vinegar
- Celery sticks and blue cheese or ranch dressing for serving
Instructions:
- Pat the wings dry with paper towels (this helps them get crispier)
- Heat oil to 375°F in a deep fryer or large pot
- Fry wings in batches for 10-12 minutes until golden brown and cooked through
- While wings are cooking, whisk together hot sauce, melted butter, and vinegar
- Drain cooked wings and place in a large bowl
- Pour sauce over wings and toss until completely coated
- Serve immediately with celery sticks and dipping sauce
So there ya have it! Buffalo wings are called that because they originated in Buffalo, New York – not because they’re made from buffalo meat or have any relation to the animal. Whether you credit the Anchor Bar’s Teressa Bellissimo or John Young’s earlier contributions, there’s no denying that this humble chicken part has transformed into one of America’s most beloved foods.
Next time you’re enjoying a plate of these spicy delights at your local sports bar or making them at home for game day, you’ll have a little extra knowledge to share with your friends between bites!
And remember – napkins are your friends when eating Buffalo wings. Lots and lots of napkins. Trust me on this one.
Do you have a favorite Buffalo wing spot or sauce? I’d love to hear about it in the comments below!
Once Upon A Time in Buffalo, New Yorkâ¦
In 1964, the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York was faced with a problem. The family-owned and operated business had a surplus of chicken wings in their kitchen, and they werenât quite sure what to do with them. Bar owner Teresa Bellissimo had an idea: What if she deep-fried the wings, covered them with hot sauce, and served them with blue cheese dressing? This impromptu recipe would form the foundation of buffalo wings as we know them today, and they quickly exploded in popularity after their inception. Bellissimoâs recipe would soon be called âBuffalo Chicken Wingsâ after the city from which they originated: Buffalo, New York.
How Buffalo Wings Spread Beyond Buffalo
For the next few years, buffalo wings would largely remain a regional dish that could only be found in the state of New York. After all, what better way to spend the cold winter months than by feasting on some hot and spicy wings? However, like many delicious food items, the recipe for buffalo wings was taken abroad, and restaurants all along the East Coast began serving their own hot wings. By the 1990s, wing restaurants could be found all over the country, and several new wing flavors were developed to accommodate the different tastes of each region. Sure, you could still get classic Buffalo wings, but new flavors such as BBQ, teriyaki, and garlic parmesan allowed customers to mix and match their favorites.Â
Who Really Created the Buffalo Chicken Wing?
FAQ
Why do we call chicken wings buffalo wings?
Buffalo wings are named after Buffalo, New York, the city where they were invented and became popular. The dish was created in the 1960s, often attributed to Teresa Bellissimo at the Anchor Bar, who deep-fried chicken wings and tossed them in a hot sauce mixture. The name “Buffalo” distinguished them as “Buffalo-style” wings, differentiating them from other types of chicken wings.
Were buffalo wings actually invented in Buffalo?
Most people believe that Teressa Bellissimo, co-owner of Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, created the original buffalo wings. The story goes that late one Friday night in 1964, Teressa’s son Dominic brought a group of hungry friends to the bar and asked his mom to make them something to eat.
Are buffalo wings from buffaloes?
1 – Buffalo wings aren’t made from Buffalo, they’re made of Chicken. It turns out that Buffaloes can’t even fly. 2 – They were only invented in 1964. Until then we were all apparently quite happy using chicken wings for stocks or soups, nobody thought to deep-fry them and drench them in hot sauce.
What’s the difference between hot wings and buffalo wings?
“Hot wings” refers to any chicken wings coated in a spicy sauce, while “Buffalo wings” are a specific type of hot wing from Buffalo, NY, featuring a unique sauce of cayenne pepper hot sauce, butter, and vinegar. Key distinctions include the sauce ingredients, where Buffalo wings use a cayenne-based hot sauce mixed with butter, and hot wings can have various chili pepper-based sauces, glazes, or dry rubs. Buffalo wings are also traditionally served with celery and blue cheese, unlike most hot wings.