Buffalo Wild Wings is famous for its wide variety of flavorful sauces, with many customers coming specifically for the unique combinations of heat and flavor. Whether you’re a fan of spicy or prefer a milder taste, their sauce menu has something for everyone. But what exactly makes their hot sauce special? And which hot sauce at Buffalo Wild Wings is known for being the spiciest?
In this article, we’ll take a deep dive into the hot sauce options at Buffalo Wild Wings, breaking down their heat levels, flavors, and ingredients. If you’ve ever wondered what makes their hot sauces stand out and which one might be best for your spice tolerance, this guide will provide the answers.
A Brief History of Buffalo Wild Wings Sauces
Buffalo Wild Wings first opened in 1982 in Columbus, Ohio, and quickly became a favorite spot for wing lovers. What set the restaurant apart from other wing joints wasn’t just the quality of their wings but the variety of sauces that customers could choose from. Over the years, Buffalo Wild Wings developed a wide range of sauces, from mild to scorching hot, allowing customers to enjoy wings exactly how they like them.
In the early days, Buffalo Wild Wings stuck to classic flavors like hot, medium, and mild sauces. These three options catered to the traditional wing eaters who loved the tangy heat associated with buffalo wings. However, as customer preferences evolved, so did the sauce menu. The restaurant introduced bolder, more adventurous flavors, including the infamous Blazin’ sauce, which is now one of the spiciest options on the menu.
As the restaurant chain expanded, so did its sauce offerings. Today, Buffalo Wild Wings boasts over 20 sauces and seasonings, giving customers a variety of choices to match their spice tolerance and flavor preferences. The evolution of their sauce menu reflects the growing demand for more complex flavors and varying levels of heat, making the restaurant a go-to spot for anyone craving wings with a kick.
What Are the Hot Sauce Options at Buffalo Wild Wings?
Buffalo Wild Wings offers a wide variety of hot sauces, each with its own unique flavor profile and heat level. Whether you prefer a mild kick or crave extreme heat, there’s a sauce for everyone. Let’s explore some of the most popular hot sauces available.
Mild Sauce
The Mild Sauce is perfect for those who enjoy a hint of heat without being overwhelmed. It delivers a subtle warmth while still allowing the flavor of the chicken to shine through. The tanginess from the hot sauce is balanced by a creamy texture, making it a great choice for anyone new to spicy food.
Medium Sauce
The Medium Sauce brings a little more heat. It’s spicier than the mild option but still manageable for most people. Medium Sauce is a classic buffalo wing sauce with a balance of vinegar, cayenne, and buttery richness. It’s one of the most popular choices for customers who enjoy a moderate amount of heat without losing flavor.
Hot Sauce
For those looking for more spice, the Hot Sauce kicks it up a notch. It’s significantly spicier than the medium sauce and delivers a bolder flavor. The heat from the cayenne peppers is more prominent, but the buttery base helps balance the burn. It’s perfect for those who want a traditional buffalo wing experience with a fiery touch.
Blazin’ Sauce
The hottest sauce on the Buffalo Wild Wings menu is Blazin’ Sauce. Made with Carolina Reaper peppers, it’s not for the faint of heart. The Carolina Reaper is one of the hottest peppers in the world, and this sauce reflects that. Blazin’ sauce is fiery, intense, and delivers an immediate burn. It’s a challenge even for seasoned spice lovers.
Each of these sauces offers a different level of heat, from mild to extreme, allowing customers to pick their perfect match. If you’re curious about heat levels and want to explore sauces similar to these, check out this Reddit thread.
What Ingredients Make Buffalo Wild Wings’ Hot Sauce Spicy?
The spiciness of Buffalo Wild Wings’ hot sauce comes from a few key ingredients, starting with the hot sauce base itself. The most common ingredient across their spicy sauces is cayenne pepper, which provides a sharp, tangy heat.
Cayenne Pepper
Cayenne pepper is the foundation for most of Buffalo Wild Wings’ hot sauces. It’s known for its moderate heat level and bright, peppery flavor. Cayenne contains capsaicin, the compound that triggers the sensation of heat when you eat spicy food. The higher the capsaicin content, the spicier the sauce. In buffalo sauce, cayenne peppers typically fall between 30,000 and 50,000 Scoville Heat Units (SHU), which offers a noticeable but not unbearable level of heat.
Carolina Reaper Pepper
For the Blazin’ Sauce, Buffalo Wild Wings uses the Carolina Reaper, which is one of the hottest peppers in the world. This pepper can reach over 2 million SHU on the Scoville scale. The intense heat of the Carolina Reaper gives Blazin’ sauce its reputation as one of the spiciest wing sauces available. Just a small amount of this pepper can cause a burning sensation that lingers long after the wings are gone.
Vinegar and Butter
In addition to the peppers, Buffalo Wild Wings’ hot sauces also contain vinegar and butter. The vinegar provides acidity, which enhances the spiciness of the peppers. Butter, on the other hand, helps to balance the heat by adding richness and a smooth texture. This combination of ingredients creates the perfect balance of heat, tang, and creaminess, making Buffalo Wild Wings’ hot sauce so addictive.
Understanding these ingredients can help you appreciate the layers of flavor and spice in each sauce. If you want to dive deeper into how capsaicin works and how peppers are ranked, this Wikipedia article offers more information on the science behind the heat.
How Spicy Is the Blazin’ Sauce?
Blazin’ Sauce is the hottest sauce on the Buffalo Wild Wings menu. It’s known for its intense heat and fiery kick. But just how spicy is it?
Scoville Heat Units (SHU)
Blazin’ Sauce is made with Carolina Reaper peppers, which rank extremely high on the Scoville Heat Unit (SHU) scale. These peppers can reach up to 2.2 million SHU, making them some of the hottest in the world. For comparison, jalapeños usually rank around 2,500 to 8,000 SHU, which means Blazin’ Sauce is hundreds of times spicier.
Heat Profile
Blazin’ Sauce delivers a sharp, immediate burn that lingers. It’s not just a mild warmth like other hot sauces—it’s a full-on heat blast. This sauce can cause a burning sensation that lasts well after your meal is done. The Carolina Reaper peppers in the sauce are notorious for their intense heat, and many customers describe it as a challenge to eat more than a few wings with this sauce.
Blazin’ Challenge
Buffalo Wild Wings even created the Blazin’ Challenge, where customers try to eat 10 wings coated in Blazin’ Sauce in under five minutes. This challenge is not for the faint-hearted and proves just how spicy Blazin’ Sauce truly is.
For those who love extreme heat, Blazin’ Sauce is the ultimate test of spice tolerance. However, if you’re not accustomed to very spicy food, it’s best to approach this sauce with caution. If you’re curious about other sauces that compare to Blazin’ in terms of heat, this guide provides more information on similar fiery sauces.
How to Choose the Right Hot Sauce for Your Heat Tolerance
With so many hot sauce options at Buffalo Wild Wings, how do you choose the right one for your heat tolerance? It’s all about understanding the different levels of spice and knowing your personal limits.
Mild Tolerance
If you have a low spice tolerance, stick with the Mild Sauce. It has a light heat, just enough to tingle your taste buds without being overwhelming. The butter and vinegar balance out the spice, making it easy to enjoy.
Moderate Tolerance
If you enjoy some heat but don’t want to go overboard, the Medium Sauce or Hot Sauce will likely be your go-to options. These sauces have a noticeable kick but aren’t too intense. You’ll still taste the tanginess and buttery richness that Buffalo Wild Wings sauces are known for, with a moderate level of spice.
High Tolerance
For those who love a good burn, Blazin’ Sauce or the Hot Sauce will be perfect. These sauces are for experienced spice lovers who can handle intense heat. The Carolina Reaper in Blazin’ Sauce brings the heat in full force, while the Hot Sauce offers a traditional spicy wing experience.
When choosing your sauce, it’s important to consider how the spice will interact with the rest of your meal. Spicier sauces pair well with rich foods like wings or burgers, while milder sauces are great for lighter meals like wraps or salads. You can always start with a milder sauce and work your way up to hotter options as your tolerance increases. If you’re new to spicy foods, this Reddit thread shares tips on how to build your spice tolerance over time.
Popular Dishes to Pair with Hot Sauce at Buffalo Wild Wings
Buffalo Wild Wings offers a variety of dishes that are perfect for pairing with their hot sauces. From traditional wings to creative new options, there’s a way to enjoy each sauce depending on your taste preferences and heat tolerance.
Buffalo Wings
The most iconic dish to pair with any hot sauce is, of course, the classic Buffalo wings. Whether you like them mild or extra hot, wings are the ideal vehicle for sauces like Medium, Hot, or even the blazing Blazin’ Sauce. The crispy skin and juicy meat of the wings absorb the sauce, making every bite a flavorful explosion. For those who love a milder heat, the Mild and Medium sauces provide that classic buffalo flavor without overwhelming spiciness.
Boneless Wings
For a twist on traditional wings, boneless wings are a popular alternative. These breaded, bite-sized pieces of chicken are perfect for soaking up the sauce. Boneless wings pair especially well with Hot Sauce or Medium Sauce, as their crispy coating contrasts with the tangy heat of the sauce.
Buffalo Chicken Sandwich
Another great way to enjoy Buffalo Wild Wings’ sauces is with their Buffalo Chicken Sandwich. The spicy chicken breast is slathered in your choice of hot sauce and served on a soft bun. This is a great option for those who want the flavor of buffalo sauce in a sandwich format.
Other Dishes
While wings and sandwiches are the most popular pairings, don’t overlook dishes like buffalo chicken wraps, buffalo chicken salads, or even nachos topped with buffalo sauce. You can customize each dish with your favorite sauce, making it easy to find the right level of heat to match your meal.
Conclusion
Buffalo Wild Wings offers a wide variety of hot sauces, catering to every level of spice tolerance. From the Mild Sauce to the fiery Blazin’ Sauce, their sauces deliver a flavorful punch, allowing you to tailor the heat to your preference. The spiciness in these sauces comes primarily from cayenne pepper and, in the case of the Blazin’ Sauce, Carolina Reaper peppers, which make it one of the hottest sauces around.
Whether you’re a fan of traditional buffalo wings or prefer boneless wings, sandwiches, or wraps, there’s a hot sauce at Buffalo Wild Wings that’s perfect for you. Next time you visit, consider trying a different heat level to find the one that best suits your taste. If you’re looking to learn more about Buffalo Wild Wings’ hot sauce lineup, this Wikipedia page provides more details on their sauce varieties and history.