5 lb. chicken wings (about 20-24)
1 (32 oz.) bottle "Texas Pete hot sauce" (Franks Red Hot will work in a pinch)
1 cup (2 sticks) butter
2 tsp. white vinegar
Tabasco sauce (optional)
salt and pepper, to taste
vegetable oil, for frying

Combine hot sauce, butter, and vinegar in a 6-quart sauce pan heat on low until butter is melted, stirring occasionally. To increase range from hot to hotter, hottest or hotter than Hades, add Tabasco to taste. Leave sauce on low heat.

Remove tips, halve the wings, salt and pepper to taste.

Fry 8 to 10 pieces at a time in deep oil at 375°F (I use a wok for this on medium-high heat) for 10 to 12 minutes or until golden brown.

Remove chicken from wok and place into the sauce mix. Let them lightly simmer while next batch is frying, remove to keep warm in oven just before adding the now cooked second batch continue until done.

Serve immediately after last batch is simmered with carrot sticks celery sticks and blue cheese dressing.

HINTS: Try marinating the chicken prior to cooking 1 hour with some of the sauce mixture, although this tends to make the oil funky if cooking too many batches.

Submitted by: Bill Burke