In an effort to clean out my magazines and cookbooklets, I joined Magazine Mondays hosted by Cream Puffs in Venice many years ago. What I really like is that she isn’t strict about when you post so I can publish these yummy results as I find them. I have this horrible habit of cutting recipes out and throwing them into a box and then I have no idea where the original recipe came from. To be honest it didn’t help me eliminate recipes, but I enjoy it anyway. I’ve ended up with multiple recipes and they are ALL good so just pick your favorite from this bunch! Both of these recipes make a chicken where the crust doesn’t break apart on the first bite.
DELICIOUS FRIED CHICKEN
Cut up chicken pieces
1/4 cup beer or ginger ale
1/4 teaspoon baking soda
1/4 teaspoon salt
Oil for frying
- Bring oil to frying temperature in a cast iron skillet.
- Wash chicken pieces, dry and sprinkle with salt.
- Whisk together the beer, baking soda and salt.
- Dip each piece of chicken in beer mixture and then fry.
- Drain on paper towels.
BUTTERMILK BRINED FRIED CHICKEN
3 pounds of your favorite chicken pieces
3 cups buttermilk
1/3 cup kosher salt
3 tablespoons sugar
2 cups flour
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
1/4 teaspoon white pepper
1/2 tespoon paprika
1/2 cup buttermilk
2 jumbo eggs
- In a very LARGE bowl combine the 3 cups buttermilk, kosher salt and sugar, stirring to dissolve.
- Add ALL the chicken pieces, turning to make sure each piece is coated in brine. and seal tightly.
- Chill 3-4 hours, turning occasionally to make sure chicken pieces are well coated in brine.
- Remove from brine and dry on paper towels. Discard brine.
- Heat large skillet with 1 1/2 inches of oil to 350 degrees. OIL WILL BE HOT!!! USE CARE!!
- Whisk together the eggs and 1/2 cup buttermilk into a shallow dish.
- Combine flour, sea salt, white pepper and paprika in a large Ziploc bag. Divide into 2 shallow dishes.
- Dip each chicken piece in the first flour dish, then the egg dish and then the 2nd flour dish.
- Add chicken pieces, adjusting as necessary to maintain heat.
- Cook 12-15 minutes until golden brown turning only once when you see blood as grams would say.
NOTE: LET YOUR USED OIL COOL AND THE STRAIN IT INTO A GLASS MASON JAR. REFRIGERATE AND IT CAN BE USED 2-3 MORE TIME IN THE THE NEXT SEVERAL MONTHS. BE SURE TO STRAIN IT EACH AND EVERY TIME!
HELPFUL HINTS FOR FRYING CHICKEN:
- SIZE DOES MATTER. Try to cook pieces similar in size at the same time.
- DO NOT CROWD YOU PAN. Cook in batches allowing plenty of room for the oil to make your crust crisp.
- BUTTERMILK BRINE: Buttermilk brine on chicken as well as beef acts like an enzyme to break down muscle fibers and fat allowing more flavor to be tasted in the finished product.
- ROOM TEMPERATURE! Bringing your pieces to room temperature before the wash and dredge does 2 helpful things – 1) your oil will not cool as much or as fast giving you an even cooking and 2) your wash and dredge will stay put better making a crispier chicken.