The modern Buffalo wing is believed to have been first served at the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, NY back in 1964. It's basically a deep-fried chicken wing that's been doused in wing sauce. Since then, it's become a mainstay of kitchens, bars and restaurants all over the world. There are practically thousands of recipes for Buffalo wings that range from the traditional “hot” wings to the sweet and savory wings. How do you temper the difference? Wing sauce folks!

But seriously, wing sauces are not just for chicken wing dishes. These highly addictive sauces are extremely versatile and can be added to just about anything. Some people apply wing sauce on their fries, hamburgers, corn-on-the-cob and even pasta. Others like to brush their wing sauces over a meal of fish sticks once they're taken out of the oven.

Mad About Wing Sauce

Chicken wings are not the only meat that works with wing sauces. There are lots of other dishes where wing sauce can be a prime ingredient. Here are some of them.

For shrimp

You'll need a tablespoon of butter, 3 tablespoons of wing sauce, one bell pepper, a pound of cleaned shrimp, a chopped onion, half a tablespoon of olive oil and 6 ounces of sliced mushrooms. Sauté veggies in oil and butter. When nearly cooked, toss in shrimp, cooking till pink. Put shrimp and vegetables in a bowl and add in the wing sauce. Serve with rice.

For meatloaf

Mix one chopped onion, an egg, one chopped carrot, a chopped celery stalk, one teaspoon thyme, some salt and pepper, one tablespoon Worcestershire sauce, 1/3 cup of bread crumbs, a pound of ground turkey, one tablespoon of wing sauce and some salt and pepper. Shape it into a loaf pan and bake in a 350-degree oven for one and a half hours.

For raw and steamed clams

Steam clams till they open. Serve with bowls of melted butter that's been mixed in with a teaspoon of wing sauce.

Searching for a Wing Sauce Winner

Buffalo wings were born when co-owner of the now famous Anchor Bar Restaurant Teressa Belissimo decided to fry up a batch of chicken wings, mix them with a secret wing sauce and serve them to her son Dominic and his friends. The dish was an instant hit and soon formed part of the bar's regular menu. Ideally, chicken wings are crispy on the outside, moist on the inside and coated in a rich wing sauce and served with celery sticks and bleu cheese dressing.

When you want chicken that's loaded with flavor, the wing parts are your best bet. The chicken skin might not be a heart surgeon's idea of the perfect health food since it's got a lot of fat, but when it comes to great taste, you can't go wrong with chicken wings dipped in a great wing sauce. It's especially yummy when grilled to a crisp crackling bronze.

Wing Sauce – Mild or Wild?

With the large skin surface of the chicken wing, it's able to thoroughly take on the character of any sauce or marinade used on it. Several pounds of wings can soak up a variety of flavors and aromas while grilling at the same time. This is what makes wings so highly addictive.

Wing sauces come in a wide array of flavors, ranging from the mild to the wild. Some people like their chicken wings sweet while others go for the extra spicy.