Classic Buffalo Hot Wing Sauce

Method

1. Cut the butter into small, even chunks so it melts quickly and evenly rather than in one large slow-melting piece.
2. Combine the hot sauce, white vinegar, and Worcestershire sauce in a small saucepan over low heat.
3. Add the butter chunks a few pieces at a time, whisking constantly and letting each addition melt mostly before adding the next.
4. Add the garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper if using, and salt once about half the butter has melted in.
5. Keep the heat low throughout; the goal is to gently melt and emulsify the butter into the hot sauce, not to simmer or boil the mixture, which can cause it to separate.
6. Whisk continuously until all the butter is fully melted and the sauce looks glossy, uniform, and slightly thickened, about 4 to 5 minutes total.
7. Remove the pan from the heat immediately once fully combined, since prolonged heat after this point risks breaking the emulsion.
8. Taste and adjust: whisk in an extra tablespoon of hot sauce for more tang and heat, or an extra tablespoon of melted butter for a milder, richer sauce.
9. Use the sauce warm: place cooked wings in a large bowl, pour the sauce over them, and toss until every piece is evenly coated.
10. Serve immediately after tossing, since Buffalo sauce is meant to be used fresh and hot rather than stored on already-sauced wings, which turn soggy.
11. Store any unused sauce in a covered container in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks; rewarm gently over low heat, whisking as it warms, since the butter will solidify when cold and may need to be re-emulsified.