Melinda's Hot Sauce Takes Game Day Wings to the Next Level with Chef Tony Ramirez & Mike Starr

Image Courtesy of Melinda’s Hot Sauce

Melinda’s Hot Sauce Takes Game Day Wings to the Next Level With Chef Tony Ramirez & Mike Starr

January 27, 2025

Bernadette Giacomazzo

Melinda’s Hot Sauce — a brand that’s been redefining flavor with its line of bold, innovative sauces — now has a new way of bringing Game Day wings to the next level.

The brand, which has been named the Fastest-Growing Brand of 2024, according to Numerator, recently proved that it wasn’t afraid to experiment with bold and beautiful flavors with a live demonstration by Chef Tony Ramirez, the proprietor of TFTI BBQ, and entrepreneur Mike Starr. The pair combined Melinda’s Hot Sauce ingredients with Starr’s proprietary Porkin rub to create an award-winning recipe for Honey Money Wings.

This recipe combines Melinda’s Hot Honey and Jalapeno Ranch sauces to create a sweet and spicy flavor profile that is perfectly balanced. Here’s how you can recreate it:

Ingredients:

  • 2 pounds of chicken wings
  • 2 tablespoons of Porkin rub (or your favorite chicken wing seasoning)
  • 1/4 cup of Melinda’s Hot Honey
  • 1/4 cup of Melinda’s Jalapeno Ranch
  • 1/2 cup of cotija cheese, crumbled
  • Fresh cilantro, chopped (optional garnish)

Instructions:

  1. Prepare the wings: Pat the chicken wings dry with paper towels and season generously with the Porkin rub. Let them sit for 10 to 15 minutes to allow the seasoning to adhere.
  2. Cook the wings: Preheat your oven to 400°F (or heat your fryer to 375°F). Bake the wings on a wire rack for 40 to 45 minutes, flipping halfway through, or fry them until golden and crispy.
  3. Toss in sauce: In a large bowl, combine Melinda’s Hot Honey and Melinda’s Jalapeno Ranch. Toss the hot wings in the sauce mixture until evenly coated.
  4. Finish with cotija: Plate the wings and sprinkle generously with crumbled cotija cheese. Garnish with chopped cilantro if desired.

Melinda’s Hot Sauce Isn’t the Only Brand With Bold Game Day Flavors

Melinda’s Hot Sauce isn’t the only brand with bold Game Day flavors for football fans. General Mills is collaborating with Totino’s on a limited-edition pizza-flavored cereal.

The product will combine the savory flavor of Totino’s Pizza Rolls with the sweetness and cereal shape of Cinnamon Toast Crunch, resulting in a “match made in mashup heaven” packed with “bold flavors.” The unique flavor will be supplied in pizza delivery box-inspired packaging to give fans the “ultimate experience.”

Starting Tuesday, Jan. 28, at 7 p.m. EST, 1,000 fans can enter a sweepstakes to win the limited-edition flavor for free on Cinnamon Toast Crunch’s website.

This promotion was launched just in time for the Super Bowl, which is scheduled to take place on Sunday, Feb. 9.

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