Lemon Pepper Wet: An Atlanta Homecoming
In the transition from the rugged Great Lakes to the humid, vibrant energy of the American South, I found that comfort isn’t just a place—it’s a flavor. This is the story of discovering my new home through the city’s most iconic sauce.
It has been quite some time since I last sat down to write. Life, as it often does, decided to move at a breakneck speed. Since my last post, I packed up my life and moved to Atlanta, a city that breathes heat and history in equal measure. Between starting a demanding new job, diving headfirst into a high-priority work initiative that consumed my nights, and squeezing in a soul-recharging trip to the jungle of Peru, the silence on this blog was a necessary sacrifice.
Navigating a new city is a sensory overload. You look for landmarks, sure, but you also look for the "soul" of the place. In Atlanta, that soul is found in a wing basket. Almost immediately upon arrival, my new coworkers insisted on a local pilgrimage: J.R. Crickets in Midtown.
"You have to get the Lemon Pepper Wet," they told me. I was skeptical. I knew lemon pepper as a dry rub, a citrusy zing on a crispy wing. But "wet"? That’s the Atlanta magic. It’s a marriage of the classic buffalo sting and the bright, zesty punch of lemon pepper, all held together by a buttery glisten. Sitting in that Midtown staple, surrounded by the hum of the city, I realized I wasn’t just a visitor anymore. I was home.
This recipe is my personal homage to that first bite—a mimicry of the sauce that welcomed me to Georgia.
The Recipe: Lemon Pepper Wet Sauce
Prep time: 5 minutes
Cook time: 5 minutes
Yields: Sauce for approx. 2 lbs of wings
Ingredients
1 cup Frank’s Red Hot
1/2 cup Unsalted Butter
4 tbsp Lemon Pepper Seasoning
1 tsp Onion Powder
1/2 tsp Salt
Instructions
Melt and Merge: In a small saucepan over medium-low heat, combine the Frank’s Red Hot and the butter. Whisk gently until the butter is completely melted and the sauce is a uniform, vibrant orange.
Season: Once the base is smooth, stir in the lemon pepper seasoning, onion powder, and salt.
Finish: Whisk until the dry seasonings are fully incorporated. Remove from heat immediately to prevent the butter from breaking.
Toss: Pour the warm sauce over your crispy wings and toss until every crevice is coated in that golden, peppery goodness.
Pro-Tip: The Ultimate Air Fryer Method
For the absolute best results, I recommend a two-stage cooking process to ensure the meat is juicy but the skin is "shatter-crisp."
The Oven Start: Preheat your oven to 400°F. Place your wings (even from frozen!) on a wire rack over a baking sheet. Bake for about 20 minutes, or until the internal temperature reaches 150°F.
The Air Fryer Finish: Transfer the partially cooked wings to your air fryer basket. Air fry at 400°F for an additional 15-20 minutes. This high-intensity circulation renders the fat and makes the skins extra crispy without overcooking the inside.
The Toss: Immediately transfer the piping hot wings to a large metal bowl, pour over your homemade Lemon Pepper Wet sauce, and stir vigorously. Serve immediately with a side of ranch or blue cheese and plenty of napkins.
