Let Em Fry
Martha Stewart?
No! No! No!
Julia Childs is who you should learn from. She doesn’t bother with all that crap. None of that soaking overnight in anything. (well, if you have the time, do it. Not necessary.)
When I was a teenager, and using REALLY fresh chicken (I’d killed and plucked it. I hate plucking the damn things.) all we did was throw ‘em on the barbeque and baste as needed.
But, they are better if marinated in your favorite flavor overnight.
A barbeque? What’s that? Living in a commune here in teh Eastern People’s Republik of NJ, we aren’t allowed to have such things. No grills that run on gas or charcoal or wood. No open flames. Sux. An electric grill? I don’t see the point. Might as well just use the oven.
Not allowed?
What? Just do it! Let ‘em call the bbq police.
Actually, somebody did just that back in the ‘70s. Dad was burning off some underbrush and the fire department showed up. Dad had us all grilling hot dogs and toasting marshmellows to explain the (totally in control) fire.
No, I’d stand on my right to grill. 10th Amendment.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/videos/pan-fried-chicken/32107.html
Best chicken pan-frying advice ever. I got it right the first time and have only expanded my mad skillz since then!
Oh, not the spices, that’s too individual, but the technique works extremely well, and using shortening (Crisco) is the key to really excellent, crispy chicken.
My main problem is: Fresh shortening is so ‘clean’ it tends not to get your chick dark and brown. Alton fries the skin-side down first, but I reverse this, to allow some time for the shortening to ‘break in’.
The low-level of fat (1/3 inch), and use of cast iron makes this a real easy and cheap way to get that great fried chicken you dream of!
Best wishes!
Posted by heldmyw
06/20/2010 at 09:23 PM
I don’t fry any more - the food nazis get into my life too often. Julia is on the new Cooking Channel (use to be Fine Living on Direct TV) any way I still miss her - middle of the day is not so good for me & tv which is why I never got hooked on soaps.
I did a couple of chicken fillets last night - a beer can chicken spice blend that I’d made up - turned out when it isn’t muted by beer and a long roast - waaaay too heavy on the pepper - but with a little reduction of the pan leavings - it was passable - most especially with blueberry granite cake (modified).
While we don’t grill all too often - I can’t imagine not being able to grill when I want to. The indoor isn’t all that bad - we do a mean bacon wrapped asparagus on it - any time of the year (which is the bennie of having an asparagus patch).
I cook it the way I have always had it since I was a small sprat sitting at my Grandmother’s knee, and later, my father’s (the family cook). The same recipe that has been in the family since the first line in the book was “Catch a big frying chicken. pluck same.”
Can’t get much more southern than 4 generations of Floridians and 3 of Texans.
Always work with the freshest bird(s) you can get. Makes for a more tender chicken, NEVER frozen.
First start with a good flour. Add spices to taste. I usually stick with salt, pepper, garlic powder, maybe some well ground cayenne pepper, and paprika. Spice to taste, don’t be afraid to taste the flour. A bowl of buttermilk mixed with eggs, 4 eggs per quart at room temperature. Cold milk does nasty things to the grease. Dip the chicken in the buttermilk mix until it is in all spaces, nooks and crannies, then dip in the flour mix, then to the grease which should be hot, but not too hot, think 350 degrees or so, or just heat it until water flicked on it from your fingertips dances on the surface. Cast iron is the best, but I have used other mediums (large fry daddy).
Cook it until it is a comfortable shade of brown (8-12 minutes depending on size of the pieces) and flip it over. cook another 8 to 12 and put it on a paper towel covered plate or cooling rack. As Held said, fresh oil is not the way to go. We usually put a couple of slices of potatoes in it to test the temper and break in the grease. Usually a small potato sliced thin.
Remember, all cookers are different, and add a little Tabasco to the buttermilk/egg mix. (usually I go for a 1/2 bottle for a quart) to enhance the flavor.As long as your grease is deep enough should work well. (at least deep enough to immerse half the chicken pieces) and don’t be stingy. The act of pulling out a lot of chicken will lower the level. Just pour in a little more and let it heat before you start cooking again.
Just a thought.
Bill
