Fermented Buffalo Sauce Wings with Blue Cheese Ranch

American football season is here—and when it’s game time, it’s really snack time. Whether you’re watching your favorite team battle it out on the field or just there for the commercials, nothing says game day food quite like a platter of sizzling hot Buffalo wings. These crispy, saucy bites are the ultimate crowd-pleaser: bold, spicy, and impossible to eat just one. There’s nothing like watching your favorite high-paid hunks run at each other in colorful tights and tackle each other into the turf. I need something in my mouth!

This recipe takes the classic Buffalo wing to the next level, combining a tangy, 3-day fermented chili garlic sauce with oven-baked wings that are just as shatteringly crisp as the deep-fried original.

A Quick History of Buffalo Wings

Buffalo wings were born in Buffalo, New York, in the 1960s. Teressa Bellissimo, co-owner of the Anchor Bar, is credited with creating the first batch in 1964. Legend has it she fried up leftover chicken wings—then considered soup stock scraps—and tossed them in a simple mix of melted butter and hot sauce for a late-night snack. Paired with celery sticks and blue cheese dressing, her creation became an instant hit and quickly spread to sports bars nationwide. By the 1980s, Buffalo wings were a game day staple and remain one of America’s most beloved comfort foods.

Why Lactofermentation Elevates the Sauce

Instead of a typical vinegar-based hot sauce, this recipe starts with a lacto-fermented chili garlic paste. During lactofermentation, natural Lactobacillus bacteria convert the sugars in fresh chilies into lactic acid, adding a tangy depth and complex umami that you just can’t get from bottled hot sauce. The gentle sourness balances the peppers’ heat, while the lactic acid acts as a natural preservative, keeping your homemade sauce vibrant and flavorful. After three days, simply blend the paste with melted butter to create a Buffalo-style sauce that’s spicy, garlicky, and delightfully tangy.

How to Get Crispy Oven-Baked Wings

Skip the fryer and keep cleanup easy—baking powder is the secret weapon. Sprinkling baking powder on the wings raises the pH of the skin, breaking down proteins and drawing moisture to the surface. As the wings roast, that moisture evaporates and forms tiny air pockets, resulting in a golden, ultra-crispy finish that rivals any deep-fried wing. Double-baking or air-frying works too, but baking powder guarantees that coveted crunch with less mess.

Blue Cheese or Ranch? Why Not Both!

No Buffalo wing feast is complete without a creamy dip. Whether you’re Team Blue Cheese or Team Ranch, this recipe lets you have it both ways. Swirl tangy blue cheese dressing into herb-packed ranch for a cool, flavorful dip that pairs perfectly with the spicy, fermented sauce.

The Ultimate Game Day Wings

Put it all together and you have game day wings fit for the king of Buffalo, Josh Allen, himself. Crispy-baked chicken, a bold fermented chili garlic sauce, and a creamy double-dip dressing will make you the hero of any football party. This one is for you, Joshy!

Keywords: game day wings recipe, fermented chili garlic sauce, crispy baked Buffalo wings, football party snacks, easy Buffalo wing recipe.

Fermented Buffalo Sauce Wings with Blue Cheese Ranch

Buffalo wings are a classic game day staple, but what if we could make them better? Homemade fermented chilis create a tangy and spicy sauce dressed over ultra crispy oven-baked wings, and a dip in herbaceous blue cheese ranch. MPV status!

Recipe and Photography by Sam Burgess

Forge To Table Knives

Prep Time: 1 hour + 3 days for fermentation

Cook Time: 50 minutes

Servings: 4-8

Ingredients:

Fermented Buffalo Sauce 

• 975 grams Fresno chili peppers

• 25 grams fresh garlic cloves

• 20 grams kosher salt (2% by weight), plus more, to taste

• 50 grams brown sugar

• 50 grams white vinegar

• 113 grams unsalted butter (1 stick), cut into pieces

Crispy Oven Wings

• 3 pounds fresh chicken wings, divided into segments, wing tips removed

• 2 tablespoons baking powder

• 2 teaspoons kosher salt

• 2 teaspoons garlic powder

• ½ teaspoon white pepper

• 1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Blue Cheese Ranch

• 1 cup high-quality or homemade mayonnaise 

• ½ cup full-fat Greek yogurt

• 4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled

• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice

• 2 tablespoons fresh dill, chopped

• 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped 

• Kosher salt, to taste

• Freshly cracked black pepper, to taste

• Sliced vegetables, like carrots, celery, cucumber, and radish, for serving

Directions:

1. CHILI PASTE. Wash the fresno chilis thoroughly and remove the green stems. Use your Forge To Table 8” Gyuto Chef Knife to roughly chop and place into the bowl of a food processor or blender. Pulse to chop and reduce their size, if necessary. Add garlic, salt, and brown sugar, and blend well until it becomes a paste (it will be blended again, so it doesn’t have to be super smooth). 

2. FERMENT. Place the chili paste in a large jar. Place a piece of cheesecloth between the jar and the lid and screw on lightly to prevent a full seal (so that gas can escape during the fermentation process). Place on a plate and leave on the counter away from direct sunlight for about 3 days to ferment. 

3. BLEND. Once the fermentation process is complete, place the pepper mixture and any liquid into a small pot. Add white vinegar and heat over medium until it comes to a boil. Remove from heat and let cool about 5 minutes. Blend until it’s a smooth sauce, adding small amounts of water, if necessary, to thin out to a desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside. 

4. PREHEAT. Preheat oven to 450°F degrees. Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and place a wire rack on top. 

5. SEASON. Use your Forge To Table 6” Honesuki Knife to separate the wing drums from the wing flats and the wing tips. Set wing tips aside. Use paper towels to pat the wings very dry and place them in a large bowl. Combine the baking powder, kosher salt, garlic powder, white pepper, and vegetable oil in a small bowl. Pour the seasoning mixture over the wings, tossing and massaging to coat evenly.

6. ROAST. Arrange the wings, skin side up, in a single layer, ensuring they are not touching, onto the prepared wire rack. Place in the preheated oven and roast for 25 minutes. Turn them all over and roast until wings are crispy and browned, about another 25-30 minutes.

7. RANCH. While the wings are cooking, prepare the Blue cheese ranch. In a medium bowl, combine the high-quality or homemade mayonnaise, full-fat Greek yogurt, crumbled blue cheese, freshly squeezed lemon juice, chopped fresh dill, and chopped fresh parsley. Mix well and season to taste with salt and black pepper. Set aside. (This can be made ahead of time for better results.)

8. BUFFALO SAUCE. To make the buffalo sauce, heat 1-½ cups of the prepared fermented chili sauce in a pan over medium-low heat. Once it's simmering, remove from the heat and add 113 grams (1 stick) of diced butter. Swirl in the pan until it emulsifies into a buffalo sauce. Set aside. 

9. WINGS. Remove wings from the oven and let stand for 5 minutes. Transfer wings to a bowl and spoon over buffalo sauce, tossing to coat. 

10. SERVE. Serve the sauced wings with a side of the blue cheese ranch and sliced vegetables like cucumber, carrot, radish, and celery. Enjoy!

Chef’s Notes:

• If applicable, save the wing tips to make a rich chicken stock. 

• The blue cheese ranch is best prepared a day ahead, but is also delicious if it’s made the day of. 

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