Preparation

Preheat oven to 500 degrees.

With a sharp knife, cut whole wings at the joint so that you have three sections: the single-boned section, the double-boned section, and the tip. Discard the tips.

When the oven is almost to 500 degrees, put the skillet on the stove over medium-high heat and add the butter and oil. When hot, add the wing sections and stir. Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with cayenne, stir again, and then coat the wings with a portion of the hot sauce (use just enough to coat the wings).

Put the skillet in the oven. Cook the wings for a couple of minutes. Remove the skillet, flip each wing section, and coat with additional hot sauce. Put the skillet back in the oven and cook for another 2 minutes. Repeat this procedure for about 20 minutes, basting with the hot sauce in the skillet, until the wings are fully cooked and crispy all over.

Serve with blue cheese dip or ranch dressing and a side of celery and carrot sticks.

Excerpted from The Southern Skillet Cookbook: Over 100 Recipes to Make Comfort Food in Your Cast-Iron by Cider Mill Press