Fried Chicken

Memorial weekend is a good time for a picnic and I decided to try and cook the best fried chicken I can since I have not cooked fried chicken in years. We decided to do a picnic on the pier on our pond (with the cows).  How wonderful is that? Anyway, I thought it was time to do a chicken that was crispy and irresistible.

In my research on how to cook the perfect chicken, I found three things were involved. The bird should be small. Fried chicken was traditionally a spring dish in the South, and the young chickens used were dainty compared with today’s hefty birds. A three to four pound chicken should be cut into 10 pieces. (If you fry anything larger than four pounds, the crust will burn before the meat has cooked through.) Promote even cooking by halving the breasts, then cutting them crosswise. Antibiotic-and hormone free or organic chickens are worth the expense. It’s not like frying is an everyday affair, so start with a good bird.

When it comes to seasoning your bird, embrace the overnight rub. Many people use buttermilk to brine the bird, but this makes the skin hard to get crispy. Kosher salt is the key. It keeps the meat juicy and carries the flavors of the spices to the bone. (My recipe will give the other rub ingredients.)

Now that the interior of the bird is seasoned, it is time to address the surface.  A good wash and dredge---that marriage of wet and dry ingredients---should complement, not bury, the skin. The loose buttermilk-egg wash imparts rich color and encourages the flour mixture to cling. A single dip accentuates the skin’s texture as the fat renders and the skin becomes crackling. So do not double dip! You want a “rumor of flour,” says Scott Peacock, former chef of the Watershed restaurant, and native of South Alabama.

When it is time to fry the bird, use a cast iron skillet and peanut oil. A thermometer is helpful for knowing when the oil is hot enough to fry the chicken, but putting a bread cube into the oil and having it sizzle, lets you know the oil is ready. The oil should be 350ᴼ.

So, perhaps this is the only fried chicken recipe you will ever need.

This recipe is from the February 2012 issue of ’bon appétit’ magazine.

Skillet-Fried Chicken

4 servings

2 Tbsp. kosher salt, divided

2 tsp. plus 1 Tbsp. freshly ground black pepper

1 ½ tsp. paprika

¾ tsp. cayenne pepper

½ tsp. garlic powder

½ tsp. onion powder

 1 3-4 lb. chicken (not kosher), cut into 10 pieces, backbone and wing tips removed

1 cup buttermilk

1 large egg

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 Tbsp. cornstarch

Peanut oil for frying

Whisk 1 Tbsp. salt, 2 tsp. black pepper, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, and onion powder in a small bowl. Season chicken with spices. Place chicken in a medium bowl, cover, and chill overnight. A secure plastic bag can be used also.

Let chicken stand covered at room temperature for 1 hour. Whisk buttermilk, egg, and ½ cup water in bowl. Whisk flour, cornstarch, remaining 1 Tbsp. salt, and remaining 1 Tbsp. pepper in a 9x13x2” baking dish.

Pour oil into a 10”x12” cast-iron skillet to a depth of ¾ “.  If using a thermometer, prop deep-fry thermometer in oil so bulb is submerged. Heat over medium-heat until thermometer registers 350ᴼ. Meanwhile set a wire rack inside a large rimmed baking sheet.

Working with 1 piece at a time (use 1 hand for wet ingredients and the other for the dry ingredients), dip chicken in buttermilk mixture, allowing excess to drip back into bowl. Dredge in flour mixture; tap against bowl to shake off excess. Place 5 pieces of chicken in skillet. Fry chicken, turning with tongs every 1-2 minutes and adjusting heat to maintain a steady temperature of 300ᴼ-325ᴼ, until skin is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of chicken registers 165ᴼ, about 12 minutes for thighs, legs, and breasts.

Using tongs, remove chicken from skillet, allowing excess oil to drip back into skillet; transfer chicken to prepared rack.

Repeat with remaining chicken pieces; let cool for at least 10 minutes before serving.

This turned out very well---crispy and juicy and with the right amount of spiceyness.

For a picnic, potato salad is a good side.  I added some fresh spring English peas from the garden (although they have not produced overly well this year) and made some deviled eggs. Sweet tea to drink.  Use the minty simple syrup I gave you on May 5 to sweeten the tea.  Have a good Memorial Day.