Buffalo Wild Wings is a popular restaurant chain known for its wings coated in a variety of bold, spicy sauces. One of their most popular sauces is the medium sauce, which provides a nice balance of heat and flavor. For wing lovers who want to know exactly what goes into this tasty sauce, this article will break it down and list all the ingredients.
Background on Buffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings was founded in 1982 and is headquartered in Minneapolis, Minnesota. The founders came up with the idea after moving from Buffalo, New York, where spicy chicken wings are popular, to a town where they couldn’t find good wings. So they decided to open their own restaurant focused on Buffalo-style chicken wings cooked in a variety of signature sauces.
The chain has grown exponentially over the years. Today there are over 1,200 Buffalo Wild Wings locations across the United States, Canada, Mexico, the Philippines, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and Panama. They serve a variety of chicken wings and tenders with over 20 sauces and seasonings, as well as burgers, sandwiches, wraps, salads, and more.
Nutritional Information
Before diving into the ingredients, let’s take a look at the nutrition facts for Buffalo Wild Wings medium sauce:
| Serving Size | 2 tbsp (30g) |
|---|---|
| Calories | 60 |
| Total Fat | 0g |
| Sodium | 470mg |
| Total Carbs | 12g |
| Protein | 1g |
As you can see, while the medium Buffalo sauce does contain a good amount of sodium, it is relatively low in calories, fat, and carbs compared to some other creamy restaurant sauces. The sodium content comes from the various spices and ingredients used to give the sauce its signature flavor.
Complete List of Ingredients
Now let’s get into the complete list of ingredients that go into Buffalo Wild Wings medium Buffalo sauce:
- Soybean oil
- Distilled vinegar
- Aged cayenne red peppers
- Water
- Egg yolks
- Salt
- Contains less than 2% of garlic powder, onion powder, dried garlic, natural butter type flavor, lemon juice concentrate, vinegar solids, xanthan gum, dried onions, dried red bell peppers, potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate as preservatives, propylene glycol alginate, spice extractives, polysorbate 60, calcium disodium EDTA added to protect flavor, beta carotene added for color.
Let’s break down some of the key ingredients:
Soybean Oil
The main oil used in the sauce, soybean oil contributes some of the fat and richness.
Distilled White Vinegar
Vinegar adds tanginess and brightness. Distilled white vinegar has a clean, crisp flavor.
Aged Cayenne Red Peppers
This is likely one of the main ingredients that gives Buffalo Wild Wings medium sauce its spicy kick. The cayenne peppers are aged to mellow out some of the heat.
Water
Water helps thin out the sauce so it coats the wings evenly.
Egg Yolks
Egg yolks help emulsify the ingredients to create a smooth, creamy sauce. They also contribute to the richness.
Salt
Salt enhances overall flavor. The sodium content comes mainly from the salt.
Garlic Powder
Garlic powder provides the sauce with aromatic garlic flavor without the bitterness of fresh garlic.
Onion Powder
Similarly, onion powder adds onion taste without the sharpness of fresh onion.
Butter Flavor
To give the sauce a buttery flavor without actual butter, natural butter type flavor is added.
Lemon Juice Concentrate
The tartness of lemon helps balance out the other flavors.
Xanthan Gum
This ingredient is likely used as a thickener to give the sauce a creamy texture.
Preservatives
Potassium sorbate and sodium benzoate prevent mold and bacteria growth to preserve freshness.
Extractives and Spices
Proprietary blends of extracts and spices give Buffalo Wild Wings sauce its signature flavor profile.
How the Sauce is Made
Buffalo Wild Wings doesn’t share their exact method for making their medium sauce, but based on the ingredients list, we can make some educated guesses:
First, the soybean oil, vinegar, egg yolks, and water are likely combined and whisked together to form an emulsion. The xanthan gum helps thicken the mixture slightly.
Next, the aged cayenne peppers and other dried spices like garlic and onion powder are added and blended in. These provide the sauce’s key spicy and aromatic flavors.
The salt, lemon juice, and butter flavor balance and enhance the overall profile. Extractives and natural spice flavors are also mixed in to provide even more complex notes.
The sauce is then cooked briefly to allow the flavors to meld and thicken slightly. Preservatives are added at the end to maintain freshness and shelf stability.
Finally, the sauce’s vibrant reddish-orange color likely comes from the addition of beta carotene. This natural carotenoid pigment is found in many red-orange foods like carrots.
How to Make a Copycat Recipe
For wing lovers wanting to recreate Buffalo Wild Wings medium sauce at home, this copycat recipe gets pretty close:
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup soybean oil
- 1/4 cup distilled white vinegar
- 2 tbsp hot sauce (such as Frank’s RedHot)
- 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1 1/2 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/4 tsp Worcestershire sauce
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 tbsp water
- 1/2 tsp xanthan gum
- 1/4 tsp butter flavoring
Instructions:
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the oil, vinegar, hot sauce, brown sugar, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, Worcestershire, egg yolk, and water until smooth.
- In a small bowl, whisk the xanthan gum into the 2 tbsp water. Let sit for 5 minutes to thicken.
- Whisk the xanthan gum slurry into the sauce mixture until evenly incorporated.
- Whisk in the butter flavoring.
- For best results, transfer to an airtight container and refrigerate overnight before using to allow flavors to blend. Shake or stir before tossing with wings.
The hot sauce provides a vinegar tang and background heat. The egg yolk and xanthan gum give the sauce a creamy, clingy texture similar to the original. Feel free to tweak the amounts of cayenne pepper and hot sauce to achieve your desired spice level.
Conclusion
Buffalo Wild Wings medium Buffalo sauce has the perfect balance of buttery richness, spicy kick, and tangy zip. With simple ingredients like soybean oil, vinegar, aged cayenne peppers, garlic, onion, and special spice blends, they created an iconic sauce that makes their wings so craveable. The exact formula may be secret, but hopefully this breakdown of the ingredients list provides insight into how this popular sauce is made. Next wing night, be sure to order some crispy wings tossed in this medium Buffalo perfection.