A couple of months ago, Team AlbuKirky attended the inaugural Annual Albuquerque Wing and Beer Fest. We’ve been anxious to do more cooking events so the idea of frying up a few thousand wings peaked our interest. Also, this was a charity event to benefit a couple of terrific local organizations, NM Fisher House and Joy Junction, so how could we say no.

The Origin of the Anchonero Hot Wings

We decided this would be the perfect venue to showcase our two newest products, AlbuKirky Seasonings Anchonero Hot BBQ Rub and Anchonero Hot BBQ Sauce. We knew this spicy duo was going to be a dynamite combo on some wings, but it needed a finishing touch so we amped up the flavor with a drizzle of homemade blue cheese dressing. The tang of the blue cheese and buttermilk in this tasty drizzle served to cool down the heat of the ancho and habanero chiles in the sauce and rub. Plus, the tanginess gave the tastebuds a nice cleansing sweep of the palate before the heat of the sauce and rub settled in to leave behind a pleasantly subtle burn on the tongue.

To make sure this dish was fit to serve at Wing Fest we had to do some intense R & D in the AlbuKirky Seasoning’s outdoor test kitchen and basically eat some wings. Of course, any excuse to eat wings is a good excuse.

AlbuKirky Seasonings Anchonero Hot Wings

• 2 lbs Chicken Wings
• AlbuKirky Seasonings Anchonero Hot Rub
• AlbuKirky Seasonings Anchonero Hot BBQ Sauce
• Oil for frying
• Blue Cheese Dressing (see below)

Directions

1. Season chicken wings with AlbuKirky Seasonings Anchonero Hot Rub.
2. Heat oil (about 3 inches) in a deep, heavy-bottomed pot to 350º-375º.
3. Drop wings into hot oil working in small batches. Fry to an internal temperature of 165º. Remove wings from oil and drain on a paper towel.
4. Toss cooked wings in a bowl with AlbuKirky Seasonings Anchonero Hot BBQ Sauce until covered.
5. Serve with Blue Cheese Dressing.

Blue Cheese Dressing

• 1 1/2 cups Buttermilk
• 1 cup Mayonnaise
• 1 tablespoon White Vinegar
• 1/4 t. Worcestershire Sauce
• 3 or 4 dashes Hot Sauce (such as Tabasco)
• 1/4 t. Garlic Powder
• 1/4 t. Onion Powder
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• 5 oz. Crumbled Blue Cheese

Directions

1. In a bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and mayonnaise until smooth.
2. Add the vinegar, worcestershire and hot sauce. Whisk in the powdered seasonings and add salt and pepper to taste.
3. Stir in the crumbled blue cheese.
4. If you prefer a smoother dressing, use an immersion hand blender to blend all of the ingredients together.

We served up some tasty wings at Wing Fest and came in third overall. First Place went to a local restaurant previously featured on Food Network and Second Place went to a restaurant that specializes in wings, so we feel pretty good about our outcome. Not too shabby,  considering we’re NOT a restaurant. It actually makes us want to cook more at these types of events, so who knows, you might see us serving up some dishes in the future when we’re out and about.

The event itself could use a bit of tweaking. Folks were not happy with the long lines, the lack of tables and shade, and the vendors were spread out too much making it a trek to get around. I’m sure the promoters will take these issues into consideration when planning next year’s event.

Though there is room for improvement, NM Fisher House and Joy Junction received a portion of the ticket sales which will help their organizations continue to provide services to New Mexico residents in need. And that is a pretty great thing.