Spicy Garlic Buffalo Sauce (Buffalo Wild Wings Copycat)

by jimbles in Cooking > Snacks & Appetizers

11093 Views, 16 Favorites, 0 Comments

Spicy Garlic Buffalo Sauce (Buffalo Wild Wings Copycat)

20200509_161832.jpg

I love buffalo sauce, and the spicy garlic sauce from Buffalo Wild Wings is one of my favorites. Unfortunately, there isn't one close by, and I was desperate to make my own. All I knew about making buffalo sauce was what everyone seems to know; it's just hot sauce and butter. And you know what? I never got it to come out anything like Buffalo Wild Wings (or any other restaurant buffalo sauce I had). After a lot of internet digging, I finally found the secret. Egg yolk! In fact, this recipe doesn't even use butter (although you could). This took about 20 minutes to make, and it comes out so close to the real thing I can't tell the difference!

What You'll Need

You probably have most of this already in your house, but I linked to Amazon if you don't have a local grocer.

Mix Ingredients

20200509_143312.jpg
20200509_143640.jpg
20200509_143755.jpg
20200509_144026.jpg
20200509_143922.jpg
20200509_144130.jpg
20200509_144337.jpg
20200509_144430.jpg
20200509_144440.jpg

Mix the following in a pot:

  1. 1 cup of Frank's Red Hot
  2. 1/2 cup of vegetable oil (I can't believe it's not butter!)
  3. 1 Tablespoon of Garlic Powder
  4. 1 Teaspoon of Sugar
  5. 1/2 Teaspoon of Cayenne Pepper
  6. 1/2 Teaspoon of Black Pepper
  7. 1/2 Teaspoon of Worcestershire Sauce

My guess is they substitute butter for vegetable oil because it's easier to store and keep, but you can use butter if you'd like.

Bring mixture to a boil, then simmer while you prepare the next step.

Step 2: Whisk Egg Yolk and Flour

20200509_144839.jpg
20200509_145105.jpg
20200509_145224.jpg
20200509_145335.jpg

This is the secret ingredient. If you've ever tried making buffalo sauce the traditional way, you've probably noticed the oil separates. The egg yolk serves as an emulsifier.

I recommend using one large egg, or two small eggs. If at the end you notice the oil separating, you can always add more egg, but not too much. The more egg yolk you use, the thicker the sauce will become.

Start by separating the yolk from the whites (which you won't need) and add two teaspoons of water. Whisk for two minutes until you notice the color turns a pale yellow.

Next whisk in two teaspoons of flour or corn starch.

Add Sauce to Egg Mixture

20200509_145346.jpg
20200509_145719.jpg
20200509_145740.jpg

Remove the sauce from the burner and stir. You'll notice the oil has likely already separated.

Next, slowly add it to the egg yolk mixture while stirring. It will start turn into that familiar delicious orange.

Step 4: Bottle the Sauce

20200509_150226.jpg
20200509_150323.jpg
20200509_155129.jpg

I had already dipped into the Frank's earlier, so when I made this batch it finished off the bottle. I ended up just reusing the bottle, but a mason jar would also work. I also used a funnel from my homebrewing setup, which made pouring the sauce much easier.

Step 5: Devour!

20200509_161732.jpg

This did not last the afternoon. It came out perfect, medium heat and tangy, and the garlic is wonderfully balanced. I love the consistency and thickness, tastes just like the real thing!

Thanks for reading!