Instant Pot Naked Buffalo Hot Wings

Start to finish cook time: 40-45 minutes (15 pressurize + 5 cook + 5 depressurizing + 15-20 oven) *Be sure to marinate in rub for 4 hours prior to cooking though*
Effort Level: Low   
Yields: 40 - 50 wings

I would've never attempted wings on my own prior to purchasing the Instant Pot, but the IP means I have a better shot of trying things outside my comfort zone. I cooked these for the Super Bowl this year and they did not disappoint! Sinful and by no means healthy, but for naked (not breaded) wings these turned out great and a tad healthier than deep fried.

Chef's biggest recommendations with this recipe is the importance of the long sitting season rub and using real butter for the sauce (I wanted to use Smart butter and he said oh hell no for this one). He might just be right, there are certain things that aren't meant to be super healthy and that is the way they should stay. My wings were all eaten by the end of the event, so it was a job well done. Because these are naked, you are going to have left over sauce when you go to plate (they won't fully absorb the way deep fried ones do). I really liked to pour this in a bowl and drizzle over the wings or mix with ranch.

Funny story, do remember to cut your wings! You need to cut them into drum and wing strip (instead of one giant wing). I failed to do this one of the times I made this, which you can totally do at the end. I texted my husband like "did I buy the wrong thing" and he just laughed, "you have to cut them".

If you want to jump straight to the recipe, no need to keep scrolling it's right below. If you want step-by-step pictures though, I've included those below the recipe. And as my Chef husband says, "Food is love". Enjoy!

Source: Adapted by https://thisoldgal.com/pressure-cooker-buffalo-hot-wings/.

Ingredients 

Rub Ingredients

• 2 tbsp Tony Chachere's® Original Creole Seasoning 
• 2 tbsp onion powder
• 2 tbsp garlic powder
• 4 tbsp regular salt

Wing/Sauce Ingredients

• 4-5 pounds chicken wings, fresh
• 1/2 cup Franks Buffalo Sauce ®(Original)
• 1 stick butter (8 tbsp or 1/2 cup)
• 1/2 tsp sea salt 
• 1/2 tsp brown sugar
• 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce
• 3/4 cup of water

Dippers

• Head celery, washed and sliced into 3 inch long strips
• 1/2 bag baby carrots
• Hidden Valley Ranch

Instructions

1. Wings will come as one full wing, but you will need to cut them to look like they do at restaurants. Cut the tip off and separate the drum from the wing strip (each wing should result in one strip and one drum). If you forget to do this, you can always do at the very end. 
2. Mix in a small bowl all the "Rub Ingredients" listed above (2 tbsp creole, 2 tbsp onion powder, 2 tbsp garlic powder, 4 tsp regular salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper). 
3. Cover both sides of wings with seasoning mix you have made. Load rubbed wings into ziploc gallon bag (you may need more than 1). Let wings sit in this rub for 4 hours in the fridge prior to proceeding with next steps.
4. After it's been at least 4 hours of marinating in rub, pour 3/4 cup water into your instant pot. Put metal trivet in pot (water should sit below trivet). Load wings onto trivet and seal. 
5. Pressure cook on high pressure for 5 minutes, it will take 15 minute to pressurize.  Make sure the steam vent is in the sealed position. Allow for 5 minutes of natural pressure release.
6. While wings are cooking, prepare sauce. In a bowl combine 1/2 cup Franks Buffalo Sauce ®(Original), 1 stick of butter, 1/2 tsp brown sugar, 1 tbsp Worcestershire sauce, and 1/2 tsp salt together. Melt in microwave for 4 minutes, until sauce is cohesively mixed and butter has fully melted.Prepare a baking sheet by covering it with foil and setting aside. Turn on your broiler, when your wings are close to being done. Slice your celery into strips and set aside.
7. Once wings have finished 5 minutes natural pressure release, release any remaining pressure. You will need to take tongs and carefully line onto a baking sheet that has been covered with tinfoil. The wings are going to be tender, so move them with tongs carefully and gently.
8. Cover wings with most of your sauce and broil for 15-20 minutes. Half way through, you will want to flip the wings. Watch it closely as broilers cook times can vary greatly per device and can burn easily. You are wanting to add crispiness, but not any burning or singeing. If you don't care about crispiness, you could do 10 minutes instead of the full 20 and probably happy (we like more crisp so we do the full 20).
9. Once at it's desired finishing texture, remove wings from broiler. Serve wings on platter with carrots, celery, ranch. Spoon remaining sauce on top of wings and or serve extra sauce on the side.

Mix rub seasoning into a small bowl. Cut wings, so that there
is a wing strip and drum. (I forgot to cut until the end)

Cover wings with seasoning. 

Marinate wings covered in seasoning and pot in gallon ziplocs.
Allow 4 hours sitting in seasoning.

Add 3/4 cup of water to the pot, place trivet in pot.

Place seasoned wings on trivet. Set to 5 minutes high pressure,
allow for 15 minutes to pressurize, and 5 minutes natural
pressure release.

Melt butter, franks sauce, brown sugar, salt,garlic powder,
onion powder, and black pepper. Cook 4 minutes in microwave
until butter is fully melted.

Slice celery into strips.

After finishing 5 minute natural pressure release,
carefully remove wings using tongs.

Place wings on tin foiled covered baking sheet.

Cover wings in sauce.

Cook in broiler for 15-20 minutes, flipping wings half way through.

What it looks like if you do the full 20 minutes in broiler for crispiness. 

Serve wings with celery, carrots, and ranch.