Have you ever had Maryland Hot Wings? That infamous sauce they’re covered with is actually made with Old Bay Sauce.
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With the perfect amount of heat and savory tang of Old Bay Seasoning, it’s hard to find someone that doesn’t enjoy these delicious wings. In this recipe, I’ll teach you exactly how to make my homemade Old Bay sauce for some great Maryland Wings.
The Story of Old Bay Hot Sauce
Did you get caught up in the Old Bay Hot Sauce craze? McCormick released a limited batch of sauce that sold out in about two hours. Its become such a cult item that you can buy it on eBay for $14. I just can’t justify forking over $14 for something that costs $4.
What makes Old Bay hot sauce so good? In my opinion, it’s the nostalgic taste of Old Bay Seasoning. Old Bay seasoning is a classic seasoning used on seafood, bloody marys, and more. Its tangy flavor is recognizable, and across the US it’s almost in every grocery.
All these reasons pushed me into trying to make my own version of this sauce, and it’s probably better than what they sell in the bottle. 🙂
Where my Old Bay Hot Sauce recipe Came From
Luckily, there are a lot of blogs, articles, and YouTube videos discussing what the hot sauce tastes like. It is described as not too hot, vinegar forward with lots of Old Bay flavor.
I started experimenting with the hot sauce recipe. My first batch was thick and way too salty. An addition of some white vinegar and water thinned it out and made it much better.
If you can find the lower sodium Old Bay, definitely give it a try. For me, it was perfect – not too salty and yet the hot sauce had tons of flavor.
COPYCAT OLD BAY HOT SAUCE RECIPE & MARYLAND HOT WINGS
- Total Time: 1 hour, 30 minutes
- Yield: Serves 6 - 8 1x
Description
Hot wings made with an Old Bay Seasoning? Yes, please! These baked Maryland Style Hot Wings are just the right blend of hot and spicy with the delicious tang of Old Bay Seasoning. Serve with your favorite dipping sauce.
Ingredients
For the OLD BAY Hot Sauce
- 1 cup hot sauce (I like using Frank’s)
- ¼ cup Old Bay seasoning
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon celery seed
For the Maryland Hot Wings
- 4 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning
- ¼ cup flour
- 3 teaspoons baking powder
- 3 pounds chicken wing drummettes, dried very well
- ¼ cup butter, melted
- ¼ cup Old Bay Hot Sauce
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire Sauce
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Line a large baking sheet with foil and place a wire cooling rack on the pan. Spray the rack with cooking spray and set aside.
Make the Old Bay Hot Sauce.
In a small mixing bowl, whisk together the hot sauce, Old Bay Seasoning, vinegar, and celery seed until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
In a large ziplock bag, add the Old Bay Seasoning, four and baking powder. Shake vigorously to mix.
Add the chicken to the bag. Close tightly and shake to coat all the drummettes with the coating mix.
Arrange the wings in a single layer on the rack.
Bake the wings for 30 minutes. Turn the chicken and continue baking for 25 to 30 minutes longer until the chicken is baked through and the skin is crispy.
Meanwhile, in a large mixing bowl, combine the melted butter, ½ cup of the Old Bay hot sauce, and Worcestershire sauce.
Add the hot wings and toss to coat with the sauce.
Serve hot with blue cheese or ranch dressing and celery sticks.
- Prep Time: 30 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Category: Main Dish
- Method: Bake
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: Maryland hot wings, Old Bay Seasoning, Old Bay Hot Sauce, chicken wings, comfort food, Game day food, baked wings
HOW DO I MAKE OLD BAY SAUCE?
It’s pretty easy to make Old Bay sauce. Just combine the following ingredients together in a bowl and let sit.
- 1 cup hot sauce (I like using Frank’s)
- ¼ cup Old Bay seasoning
- ¼ cup white vinegar
- ¼ teaspoon celery seed
HOW DO I MAKE MARYLAND HOT WINGS?
I like baking the drummettes, yet want the crispy skin. This actually accomplishes this goal.
- First, dry the drummettes very well on paper towels.
- In a ziplock bag, add the Old Bay Seasoning, flour, and baking powder. The flour will create the coating and the baking powder will help make the coating crisp.
- Then add the chicken and shake to coat.
- Bake the chicken on a wire rack over a baking sheet.
- Mix the hot sauce, butter, and Worcestershire Sauce in a bowl.
- Toss the wings in the sauce to coat.
Pretty easy, right?
EQUIPMENT USED IN THIS RECIPE
- Pyrex 4 Measuring Cup, Clear with Red Graphics – This is a kitchen staple.
- Stainless Steel Measuring Spoons-6 Piece – I love the long, rectangle design. They even fit into small spice jars.
- Anchor Hocking Glass Bowl Set – 10 pcs – These wonderful bowls go in the microwave and the dishwasher. Plus, they stack to save space!
- OXO Good Grips 12-Inch Tongs With Nylon Heads
- Tebery 4 Pack Cooling Racks Baking Rack – 16″ x 10″ – I use these for cooling baked goods and also use them to ‘oven-fry’ frozen french fries, frozen wings. You get the idea
- Checkered Chef Half Sheet Aluminum Rimmed Baking Sheets (set of 2) – I own 6 of these and love them.
I like to serve these Maryland Hot Wings with a Creamy Cilantro Jalapeno Sauce for dipping, a side of Southern Style Coleslaw, and some Cheesy Baked Zucchini Fries. This is one of my favorite comfort meals.
