Southern Fried Chicken
I moved to the South when I was 12 years old. One of the first foods I learned to love was fried chicken. My Mother couldn't teach me how to fry chicken because it was something that just wasn't fixed in Connecticut. There are so many ways to prepare fried chicken; but this recipe is the most reliable. Don't let the hot sauce scare you off. It just adds a nice flavor. A good black skillet with the grease at the right temperature is the secret to it turning out perfect every time. Don't guess at the temperature! Invest in and use a thermometer to keep your oil temp in check.
INGREDIENTS:
- 3 eggs
- 1/3 cup buttermilk
- About 1/4 cup Louisiana hot sauce
- 2 cups self-rising flour
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- 1 tsp. Salt, 1 tsp. pepper, and 1 tsp. garlic salt for flour mixture
- 1 (1 to 2 1/2-pound) chicken, cut into pieces
- Peanut oil, for frying
DIRECTIONS:
Beat eggs with the water in a medium bowl. Add enough hot sauce so the egg mixture is bright orange.
In another bowl, combine the flour and pepper. Season the chicken with salt, pepper and garlic salt. Dip the seasoned chicken in the egg, and then coat well in the flour mixture.
Heat the oil to 350 degrees F in a deep cast iron skillet. Do not fill the skillet more than 1/2 full with oil. Depending on the thickness of the pieces you are frying, for example, the bone-in thighs in the picture: I use 10-10-10 and adjust accordingly. Ten minutes on the thick side down first. DON'T CROWD THE CHICKEN PIECES! COOK IN BATCHES.
TIPS:
- If it starts browning too quickly, turn the heat down.
- If you have really thick pieces, I recommend turning the heat down so that it cooks at 300 degrees.
- Dark meat takes longer then white meat. It should take dark meat about 23 to 30 minutes, white meat around 18 to 22 minutes.
- Don't cover the chicken to keep warm! The skin won't stay crispy.
Comments
Post a Comment