Crispy Buffalo-Style Fried Squab with Blue Cheese Dressing & Ranch
By Andrew Zimmern
Squab is one of my favorite game birds because it has that deep, earthy flavor that stands up beautifully to big seasoning. Here, I treat it like the ultimate game-day wing: marinated in buttermilk, hot sauce and Cajun seasoning, dredged until shaggy, fried until crisp and tossed in a buttery Crystal hot sauce glaze. Serve it with celery, carrots, blue cheese dressing and ranch, and you have tailgating food with a serious upgrade.
Buffalo-Style Fried Squab
Ingredients
For the Squab
- 4 to 5 semi-boneless squab, cut into halves or quarters
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons Crystal hot sauce
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 4 tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- Carrot sticks, for serving
- Celery sticks and celery leaves, for serving
For the Dredge
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup rice flour
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
For Frying
- Peanut or canola oil, for frying
For the Buffalo Sauce
- 1/2 cup unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup Crystal hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 teaspoon white vinegar
- Pinch of cayenne pepper
For the Blue Cheese Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup sour cream
- 1/2 cup crumbled blue cheese
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 2 tablespoons minced fresh dill
- Freshly ground black pepper
For the Ranch Dressing
- 1/2 cup mayonnaise
- 1/2 cup buttermilk
- 1/4 cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh dill
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh chives
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh tarragon
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
- 1 garlic clove, grated on a Microplane
- 1 small shallot, very finely minced
- Fresh lemon juice, to taste
- Kosher salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
In a large bowl, whisk the buttermilk with the hot sauce, salt, pepper and Cajun seasoning. Add the squab pieces and turn to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
Meanwhile, make the dressings. For the blue cheese dressing, combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, blue cheese, lemon juice, Worcestershire, dill and black pepper in a bowl. Stir well and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes before serving.
For the ranch dressing, whisk together the mayonnaise, buttermilk, sour cream, herbs, garlic, shallot and a squeeze of lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Make the Buffalo sauce. In a small saucepan, gently melt the butter with the hot sauce, honey, vinegar and cayenne, whisking until emulsified. Keep warm, but do not let it boil or the sauce may break.
In a shallow dish, whisk together the all-purpose flour, rice flour, baking powder, salt, smoked paprika, garlic powder and cayenne.
Remove the squab from the marinade, letting the excess drip off. Working one piece at a time, press the squab firmly into the dredge so the flour mixture clings in shaggy patches. Transfer to a rack and let the dredged squab rest for 10 minutes. This helps the flour hydrate and creates a crispier crust.
Set a heavy pot on the grill or stovetop and add about 4 inches of oil. Heat to 375°F. Working in batches, fry the squab until deeply golden and just cooked through, about 3 to 4 minutes for breast pieces and about 5 minutes for darker pieces, adjusting the heat as needed to keep the oil around 350°F once the squab goes in.
Transfer the fried squab to a rack and season with salt. While still hot, toss or brush the pieces with the Buffalo sauce. You want a glaze, not a bath.
Pile the squab on a platter with celery leaves, carrot sticks and celery sticks. Serve with the blue cheese dressing and ranch.
Tip: Rice flour helps keep the crust light and crisp. The 10-minute rest after dredging is not optional; it is what gives the squab that craggy, sauce-catching exterior.
