Pub Sauce Smash Burgers

Oh man did these Pub Sauce smash burgers ever hit the spot. Juicy patties. Crisp fresh toppings. All with a wonderful sauce that is a combination of just about every good burger sauce you can think of. It’s reminiscent of a creamy steak sauce but it’s not too thick. It’s got a hint of sweetness. A bit saltiness. A little Asian-inspired flavor. And my favorite, garlic. Every bite is an unami-festival. These burgers are proof that even the simplest sauce can make a ‘plain’ burger something special. Sure, there are a few ingredients, but nothing fancy and nothing complicated.

Pub Sauce Smash Burgers

Making Pub Sauce smash burgers isn’t difficult. You don’t need a bunch of fancy equipment or a lot of time. Just a hot griddle and a burger press. Any griddle will do, whether it’s on a grill, cooktop, stove or even a standalone outdoor flattop. Just get those patties nice and thin and use quality fresh toppings. And a great sauce.

Also try my smash burger patty melts.

Pub Sauce Smash Burgers
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5 from 1 vote

Pub Sauce Smash Burgers

Get those patties nice and thin and use quality fresh toppings.
Course Main
Cuisine American
Keyword smash burgers
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 20 minutes
Servings 4
Calories 831kcal

Ingredients

For the sauce

For the burgers

  • 1 pound ground beef formed into four 4-ounce patties
  • kosher salt to taste
  • ground black pepper to taste
  • 4 hamburger buns
  • 4 slices cheddar cheese or American cheese
  • 4 pieces iceberg lettuce torn or chopped
  • 4 slices tomato
  • 4 slices onion
  • 6 slices dill pickle chips

Instructions

For the sauce

  • Combine all ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.

For the burgers

  • Fire up your grill for direct medium-high heat cooking. You can also use an outdoor or indoor griddle or a large skillet on a stove.
  • Season the burger patties with salt and pepper on both sides. Don’t be shy with the seasoning.
  • Place the patties on grill. Smash down with a spatula or grill press.
  • Grill the burgers for 2-3 minutes per side.
  • Top the patties with cheese and grill until they’ve reached your desired doneness and the cheese is melted. Remove from the grill.
  • Toast the buns as desired.
  • Make the burgers by first spreading some of the sauce on the bun bottoms.
  • Add a burger patty.
  • Add onion, lettuce, tomato and pickle slices.
  • Slather the top bun with more of the sauce and serve.

Notes

Patties 4-5 ounces in weight work best.

Nutrition

Calories: 831kcal | Carbohydrates: 35g | Protein: 31g | Fat: 63g | Saturated Fat: 17g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 21g | Monounsaturated Fat: 19g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 115mg | Sodium: 3111mg | Potassium: 868mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 12g | Vitamin A: 1171IU | Vitamin C: 13mg | Calcium: 358mg | Iron: 5mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Air Fryer Wings

Well, I admit it. I had no idea how good wings made in an air fryer (mine is made by Dash) could be. I figured, meh, Air Fryer wings… But, like my convection oven wings, they came out moist, tender, and with great crunchy skin! These wings make for the perfect quick lunch, which is why they’ve quickly become a standard dish around our house. I didn’t need any help with my wing addiction, these just made it worse!

Air Fryer Wings

I recommend that you use a rub or seasoning that doesn’t contain sugar when you make air fryer wings. Now, you can certainly add a sweet rub after the wings are cooked, but that seasoning will tend to burn if you have it on the wings while they cook. Just good old salt is fine. The salt won’t overpower the wings and will let you add any sauce or seasoning later without having to worry about the tastes conflicting with each other.

I use a pretty straight-forward air fryer, that doesn’t have a lot of bells (ok, it has a bell for when the timer goes off!) and whistles. It gets the job done.

Also try my crispy convection oven wings.

Air Fryer Wings
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5 from 1 vote

Air Fryer Wings

Well, I admit it. I had no idea how good wings made in an air fryer could be. I figured, meh, air fryer wings… But, like my convection oven wings, they came out moist, tender, and with great crunchy skin!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword air fryer, wings
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Servings 2
Calories 320kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Lightly spray the basket of your air fryer with non-stick spray. Preheat per manufacturer's recommendation.
  • Toss the wing flats and drumettes with the seasoning.
  • Add the wings to the basket (be careful it's hot!). If you have trouble fitting them without overlapping, stand the drumettes along the sides of the basket.
  • Cook at 360 F for 12 minutes.
  • Carefully flip the wings (rotate the drumettes if they are standing) and cook another 12 minutes again at 360 F.
  • Flip the wings one last time. Cook another 6 minutes at 400 F.
  • Remove and toss with your favorite wing sauce.

Notes

Nutritional values do not include the seasoning or sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 320kcal | Protein: 26g | Fat: 23g | Saturated Fat: 6g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 111mg | Sodium: 105mg | Potassium: 225mg | Vitamin A: 212IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 17mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Heritage Fare Garlic Wings

Visit my other site, For The Wing, for all things chicken-wing!

Sometimes I make my own wing sauces, and sometimes I buy wing sauces from the local grocery store (or online). I love the variety. I recently picked up a bottle of Heritage Fare garlic wings sauce. Think Buffalo wing sauce, but with a really great garlic hit. Seriously, Heritage Fare garlic wings sauce is drink-it-out-of-the-bottle good. Specially if you’re a huge garlic fan like me. It’s hard to put too much garlic in anything when it comes to my tastes!

Heritage Fare Garlic Wings

On the off chance that you have leftover wing sauce (be it Heritage Fare or any other brand), in most cases you’ll have to refrigerate it until you make your next batch of wings. When you do go to cooking more wings, make sure you warm the sauce up a bit before tossing it with your hot wings. You definitely don’t want to put a cold sauce over hot wings.

Heritage Fare also makes a darned good Buffalo wing sauce.

I absolutely love chicken wings, cooked any way, with any sauce (or without). I love them so much that I created a free eCookbook that is full of my favorite wing recipes.

Heritage Fare Garlic Wings
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5 from 1 vote

Heritage Fare Garlic Wings

Think Buffalo wing sauce, but with a really great garlic hit. Seriously, Heritage Fare garlic wings sauce is drink-it-out-of-the-bottle good.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword garlic, wings
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 45 minutes
Servings 6 Servings
Calories 312kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutritional values do not include the sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 312kcal | Protein: 22g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 89mg | Potassium: 191mg | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Moore’s Asian Teriyaki Wings

Visit my other site, For The Wing, for all things chicken-wing!

Whoa back up the truck to teriyaki yumminess! We both loved the heck out Moore’s Asian Teriyaki wing sauce. Though the bottle says you can use the sauce on anything from vegetables to stir-fry to whatever, the sauce was amazing on wings. Not overly sweet as teriyaki sauce can sometimes be. Not overloaded with soy sauce or ginger. Just flat-out perfect teriyaki flavors.

Moores Asian Teriyaki Wings

I made sure to not overly sauce my wings. Some places you buy wings at like to bury their wings in sauce, usually to hide skimpy thin wings. Not me. I use the big wings and I want to taste the wings too, not just the sauce. But, Moore’s Asian Teriyaki wings sauce sure is yummy!

Remember that if you have to refrigerate your open bottle of wing sauce to let it sit out on the counter for at least 30 minutes before using. You don’t want to ‘shock’ hot, just-cooked wings with a cold sauce.

Also try Moore’s Creamy Ranch or Blue Cheese wings.

I absolutely love chicken wings, cooked any way, with any sauce (or without). I love them so much that I created a free eCookbook that is full of my favorite wing recipes.

Moore's Asian Teriyaki Wings
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5 from 1 vote

Moore’s Asian Teriyaki Wings

Whoa back up the truck to teriyaki yumminess! We both loved the heck out Moore’s Asian Teriyaki wing sauce. Though the bottle says you can use the sauce on anything from vegetables to stir-fry to whatever, the sauce was amazing on wings.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword Asian wings
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 312kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutritional values do not include rub or sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 312kcal | Protein: 22g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 89mg | Potassium: 191mg | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Quaker Steak and Lube Smoked Jalapeno Honey Wings

Visit my other site, For The Wing, for all things chicken-wing!

I love to make my own wing sauces, but I have to admit, I’m a sucker for bottled sauces too. Specially when they’re as good as the Smoked Jalapeno Honey wing sauce from Quaker Steak and Lube. My wife and I had lunch at a Quaker Steak and Lube on the north side of Cincinnati.

I enjoyed a big ole helping of their fantastic wings tossed in just the right amount of Smoked Jalapeno Honey sauce. And yes, after one bite I decided I was going home with a bottle of the sauce for my homemade wings. Just the right amount of heat and sweet, with a little light smokiness, this sauce is very tasty and not spicy enough to scare off your I-don’t-like-spicy friends.

Quaker Steak and Lube Smoked Jalapeno Honey Wings

I would say that I on occasion have a good number of wing sauce bottles on hand. That used to worry me, but honestly, I eat wings so often that they don’t last very long at all. Specially when they are as good as the Smoked Jalapeno Honey wing sauce from Quaker Steak and Lube. I wish they had a restaurant here in Indy. I do love their wings (though they certainly serve a lot more than wings).

I also love Quaker Steak and Lube’s Louisiana Lickers and Arizona Ranch wing sauces.

I absolutely love chicken wings, cooked any way, with any sauce (or without). I love them so much that I created a free eCookbook that is full of my favorite wing recipes.

Quaker Steak and Lube Smoked Jalapeno Honey Wings
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5 from 1 vote

Quaker Steak and Lube Smoked Jalapeno Honey Wings

Just the right amount of heat and sweet, with a little light smokiness, this sauce is very tasty and not spicy enough to scare off your I-don’t-like-spicy friends.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword spicy, sweet, wings
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 6
Calories 312kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

For the wings

Instructions

Notes

Nutritional values do not include the rub or sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 312kcal | Protein: 22g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 89mg | Potassium: 191mg | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Ranch Wings

Visit my other site, For The Wing, for all things chicken-wing!

I usually cook wings on my Char-Broil Big Easy or on my charcoal grill using the Vortex. I have to admit, I was pretty pessimistic about the idea of cooking wings in a slow cooker. Would I like the texture? Would they taste as great as wings off the grill?

One thing’s for sure, making Buffalo Ranch wings in a slow cooker really couldn’t get any easier. It was the perfect recipe for my working-from-home lunch. Toss everything in first thing in the morning and at lunch, enjoy some wings!

Slow Cooker Buffalo Ranch Wings

So how were they? Well, mighty tasty for starters. In fact, I loved the flavor. Big time. Texture-wise, they got barely crispy but the meat was oh-so-tender and juicy. For truly crispy skin you’ll have to leave them under the broiler for a good bit of time, but keep an eye on them. I found the skin to be melt-in-my-mouth tender and I didn’t actually miss not having super-crunchy wings. In fact, it was a nice change. I loved them!

Although not traditional Buffalo wings to a purist, I still enjoyed these slow cooker Buffalo Ranch wings more than I actually thought I would. No mess, no fuss and very tasty. Certainly much easier than firing up a grill or even deep fryer to make a batch of the wings you normally expect.

Meijer makes a fantastic Buffalo wild sauce that is great for this recipe. My BBQ Ranch wings are also absolutely yummy!

I absolutely love chicken wings, cooked any way, with any sauce (or without). I love them so much that I created a free eCookbook that is full of my favorite wing recipes.

Slow Cooker Buffalo Ranch Wings
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4.50 from 2 votes

Slow Cooker Buffalo Ranch Wings

One thing’s for sure, making Buffalo Ranch wings in a slow cooker really couldn’t get any easier. It was the perfect recipe for my working-from-home lunch. Toss everything in first thing in the morning and at lunch, enjoy some wings!
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword Buffalo wings, crockpot, slow cooker
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 3 hours
Total Time 3 hours 15 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 291kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

Instructions

  • Place the wings into the bottom of your slow cooker.
  • Combine the wing sauce, Ranch dressing mix and salt and pepper and pour over the wings.
  • Cover and cook on high for 2 1/2 hours – 3 hours until the meat is starting to pull back from the bones.
  • Carefully transfer the wings to a baking sheet lined with foil and sprayed with non-stick spray. Place under the broiler and broil until just starting to crisp.
  • Let cool slightly then serve with Ranch dressing for dipping.

Nutrition

Calories: 291kcal | Carbohydrates: 4g | Protein: 22g | Fat: 20g | Saturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 614mg | Potassium: 191mg | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Meijer Sweet Chili Wing Sauce

Visit my other site, For The Wing, for all things chicken-wing!

“Blown away” were the first words that crossed my mind when I took my first bite of chicken wings (cooked using a Vortex) tossed in Meijer’s Sweet Chili wing sauce. With no artificial flavors, I found the sauce to be nothing but pure goodness.

The sauce has a nice heat level, not too much and not too little. A little sweetness and the perfect consistency. Not too gloppy, but perfect for sticking to wings and your fingers. Better than many top shelf wing sauces and a whole lot cheaper.

Meijer Sweet Chili Wing Sauce

My wife’s favorite eat-out wings are the Thai’R Cracker wings from Quaker Steak and Lube. She said that the Meijer sweet chili wing sauce is at least as good and maybe a bit better. That’s saying a lot.

Also try Meijer’s Medium Buffalo wing sauce. Not too spicy, but just right!

I absolutely love chicken wings, cooked any way, with any sauce (or without). I love them so much that I created a free eCookbook that is full of my favorite wing recipes.

Meijer Wing Sauces

I picked up a bottle each of all of the wing sauces from Meijer. Stay tuned for my results with each!

legend larry
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5 from 1 vote

Meijer Sweet Chili Wing Sauce

“Blown away” were the first words that crossed my mind when I took my first bite of chicken wings tossed in Meijer’s Sweet Chili wing sauce.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword Asian wings
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 4 hours 45 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 312kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutritional values do not include the wing sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 312kcal | Protein: 22g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 89mg | Potassium: 191mg | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Copycat Hooters Asian Wings

Visit my other site, For The Wing, for all things chicken-wing!

This copycat of the Asian wings from Hooters is beyond incredible. These are easily my favorite Asian-flavored wings. I could not possibly eat too many of them. I quickly regretted not making a bigger batch as they disappeared in minutes. The sauce is the boss here. It’s a bit sweet with a bit of soy flavor. Reduced to a thick glaze, the sauce is almost candy-like in texture. And like candy, it’s impossible to resist.

Copycat Hooters Asian Wings

These copycat Hooters Asian wings are not spicy in any way, shape, or form. I’m usually a ‘hot’ hot wings guy, but these opened my eyes to wings with a sweeter inspiration. If you want your wings to have some kick, add dried red pepper flake or cayenne to the sauce as you reduce it down. I would not add hot sauce as it would change the color of the sauce.

I store my leftover homemade sauces in squeeze bottles. If refrigerated, I set them out an hour before using so they come to room temperature. You don’t want to put cold sauce on hot wings!

Serve these wings with my copycat of Hooter’s fried pickles.

I absolutely love chicken wings, cooked any way, with any sauce (or without). I love them so much that I created a free eCookbook that is full of my favorite wing recipes.

Copycat Hooters Asian Wings
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3 from 2 votes

Copycat Hooters Asian Wings

This copycat of the Asian wings from Hooters is beyond incredible. These are easily my favorite Asian-flavored wings.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword Asian wings, copycat
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 364kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

For the Asian sauce

Instructions

For the sauce (start cooking when you start the wings)

  • Combine ingredients in a sauce pan.
  • Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and continue simmering, stirring often, until the sauce forms a thick glaze, about 30 minutes.

Nutrition

Calories: 364kcal | Carbohydrates: 11g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 1533mg | Potassium: 261mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 9g | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 29mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

Moore’s Blue Cheese Buffalo Wings

Visit my other site, For The Wing, for all things chicken-wing!

As much as I love blue cheese dressing for dipping my chicken wings, I don’t want it to  overwhelm my ‘delicate’ palate that I can’t taste the wings. So, I might’ve been a tad nervous when I cooked up a batch of wings and tossed them in some Moore’s Blue Cheese Buffalo wing sauce. Well, that first bite told me and told me quick that the sauce was about as perfect as you can get. Nice and thick, but not too thick, and packed with blue cheese flavor and a hint of spiciness. But not too much blue cheese flavor and not too much spiciness. Darn good eating, that’s for sure.

Moore's Blue Cheese Buffalo Wings

You can skip the Ranch or blue cheese dipping sauce for wings coated in Moore’s Blue Cheese Buffalo wing sauce. You don’t need anything except the wings, the sauce and a stack of paper towels. Also try Moore’s Creamy Ranch or Teriyaki wings.

Also try my dry Ranch wings. Dry good, not dry bad.

I absolutely love chicken wings, cooked any way, with any sauce (or without). I love them so much that I created a free eCookbook that is full of my favorite wing recipes.

Moore's Blue Cheese Buffalo Wings
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5 from 1 vote

Moore’s Blue Cheese Buffalo Wings

Nice and thick, but not too thick, and packed with blue cheese flavor and a hint of spiciness. But not too much blue cheese flavor and not too much spiciness. Darn good eating, that’s for sure.
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword Buffalo wings
Prep Time 1 hour
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Servings 6 servings
Calories 312kcal
Author Mike

Ingredients

Instructions

Notes

Nutritional values do not include the seasoning or sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 312kcal | Protein: 22g | Fat: 24g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 94mg | Sodium: 89mg | Potassium: 191mg | Vitamin A: 180IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 15mg | Iron: 1mg

Nutritional values are approximate.

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Slow Cooker Chicken Wings

Visit my other site, For The Wing, for all things chicken-wing!

I’m usually a crispy, grilled or fried chicken wing kind-of-guy. But I am open to other ideas, and I can’t pass up a tasty wing no matter what. So I went into the idea of cooking wings in my slow cooker with an open mind and empty stomach. What resulted were very tasty, very tender wings covered in a fantastic homemade Buffalo wing sauce. Slow cooker chicken wings made a believer out of me.

Slow Cooker Chicken Wings

Cooking the wings in Buffalo sauce in the slow cooker before transferring them to the oven ensured that each and every bite was packed with that great traditional wing flavor. These wings aren’t just covered in sauce, there’s sauce all the way through.

The sauce is what makes these slow cooker chicken wings great. It’s the perfect traditional Buffalo wing sauce. I make a big batch and keep it on hand. I like to fill a squirt bottle with wing sauce and squirt it on macaroni and cheese. Yep, try it. It’s good.

You can get a bit of a char and crisp on these wings if you put them under the broiler for a bit just before serving. Keep an eye on them, though. You don’t want to burn them.

Also try my slow cooker chili dogs.

I absolutely love chicken wings, cooked any way, with any sauce (or without). I love them so much that I created a free eCookbook that is full of my favorite wing recipes.

Slow Cooker Chicken Wings
Print Pin
5 from 1 vote

Slow Cooker Chicken Wings

Cooking the wings in Buffalo sauce in the slow cooker before transferring them to the oven ensured that each and every bite was packed with that great traditional wing flavor. 
Course Appetizer
Cuisine American
Keyword crockpot, slow cooker, wings
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 1 hour 45 minutes
Total Time 2 hours
Servings 4
Calories 540kcal
Author Mike

Equipment

Ingredients

For the wings

  • 2 pounds chicken wings flats and drumettes separated, tips discarded
  • Buffalo wing sauce from below or use 1 cup store-bought

For the Buffalo wing sauce

Instructions

For the wings

  • Place the wings into the bottom of your slow cooker.
  • Add HALF of the sauce.
  • Cook on high for one hour.
  • Heat your oven to 400 F.
  • Line a baking sheet with aluminum foil and spray lightly with non-stick spray.
  • Add the wings and brush with some of the remaining sauce, reserving the rest for dipping if desired.
  • Place in the oven for 30 minutes.
  • Optionally, turn on the broiler for the last 10 minutes to get a little color and crisp on the wings.
  • Serve with your favorite dipping sauce and extra wing sauce for dipping if desired.

For the Buffalo wing sauce

  • Place the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat.
  • Once the butter is melted add the remaining ingredients.
  • Bring to a boil then reduce heat to a simmer and continue simmering for 5 minutes, stirring often.
  • Remove from heat and let cool before using.

Nutrition

Calories: 540kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 48g | Saturated Fat: 24g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 170mg | Sodium: 2487mg | Potassium: 362mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 1308IU | Vitamin C: 69mg | Calcium: 36mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional values are approximate.