The "Upstate" Frank's & Ghee Buffalo Sauce
MEAL PREP
A battered bottle of Frank's RedHot sits beside a puddle of melted ghee on Tuesday at 6 p.m.—it is Day 12, your jaw is tired from chewing almonds, and if you have to look at one more piece of plain grilled chicken, you might actually scream. But this fierce, fatty sauce is built on a sharp emulsion of aged cayenne peppers, vinegar, and rich fat; you pull it off by swapping traditional butter for ghee and utilizing a rapid-fire coconut aminos hack in place of sugary Worcestershire directly inside a glass mason jar. Screw the lid on tight and shake until the liquid sloshes, yielding a thick, glossy sauce.
Ingredients
- ghee1/2 cup
- Frank's RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce2/3 cup
- apple cider vinegar1 tbsp
- coconut aminos1 tsp
- Whole30-compliant fish sauce1/4 tsp
- garlic powder1/2 tsp
- cayenne pepper1/4 tsp
Method
- 01
Melt the fat.
Place a small saucepan over medium-low heat and add the ghee, letting it warm until completely melted and gently bubbling.
- 02
Build the emulsion.
Turn the heat down to low, then pour in the Frank's RedHot, apple cider vinegar, coconut aminos, fish sauce, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
- 03
Whisk to gloss.
Whisk vigorously and continuously for about 2 to 3 minutes, taking care not to let the sauce boil, until it changes from a separated oily liquid into a smooth, glossy, bright-orange velvet.
- 04
Store and deploy.
Remove from heat and use immediately over crispy chicken wings or roasted potatoes. To store, let it cool completely and transfer to a mason jar where it will keep in the fridge for up to two weeks.
Notes
Why this swap? Ghee instead of butter.
Authentic upstate wing sauce relies heavily on butter to cut the sharp heat of the cayenne. To stay strictly compliant with the Whole30 dairy elimination rule, we use ghee. Because ghee has the milk solids completely removed, it provides that identical rich mouthfeel without triggering dairy sensitivities.
Why this swap? Coconut aminos and fish sauce instead of Worcestershire.
Traditional Buffalo recipes call for a dash of Worcestershire sauce for savory depth, but almost all commercial brands contain molasses and sugar. A combination of coconut aminos and a tiny drop of fish sauce perfectly mimics that deep, fermented umami flavor without requiring you to spend an hour making a compliant version from scratch.
Hidden-Sugar Label Check: Hot Sauce.
You must buy Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce. Do not buy the pre-mixed 'Buffalo Wings Sauce' which contains canola oil and non-compliant natural butter-type flavorings.
Hidden-Sugar Label Check: Fish Sauce.
Check your fish sauce label to ensure it contains only anchovies and salt. Red Boat is a reliable compliant brand, while some lower-tier brands sneak added sugar into the bottle.
From Whole30 10 Minute Meals.