Buttermilk Fried Chicken

By cwyorkiex3

I take Fried Chicken seriously, but not seriously enough to make myself not enjoy it. Just seriously enough to appreciate the finer points of a good batch. Here are, what in my humble opinion, are some of those finer points, along with what helps to achieve them:

1.) A crispy crust is a must, but not so crisp that it shatters and falls back on the plate, or even worse falls off in sheets onto the plate. It should come off with the meat so that you can enjoy the crust to flesh ratio.

2.) Seasoning. As my Mom always says, “Fried Chicken needs Salt!” There’s nothing that ruins a good crust quicker than biting into bland, flavorless meat with no seasoning.

3.) The fat is where it’s at, and Lard is the best, with peanut oil being a close second. Sometimes I use peanut oil with a few spoons of lard added. Sometimes I add bacon drippings to the lard or peanut oil. Sometimes I even throw in a few strips of good bacon to fry alongside the chicken, which adds a slight smoky flavor to the finished product. If you’re using lard it has to be homemade rendered lard, not the junk they sell in the grocery store. Here is my recipe for making it at home:

4.) Cast Iron is the only way to go. No pan creates a better crust, or maintains frying temperature better than cast iron. Period.

Ingredients

• The seasoning mix:
• 3 Tbsp Diamond Crystal Kosher Salt
• 1 Tbsp Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• 1 tsp Cayenne
• 1/2 tsp White Pepper
• 1 tsp Garlic Powder
• 1 tsp Onion Powder
• 1 smallish Chicken (3 to 4 pounds)
• or a combination of Legs and Thighs.
• 1 Cup Whole Buttermilk
• (it must be whole, not the low fat stuff)
• 3 Cups All Purpose Flour
• (Seasoned with about 1 Tbsp of the seasoning mix)
• Home Rendered Lard or Peanut Oil for frying.

Preparation

Step 1

Combine the seasoning mix.

Season the chicken very liberally with some of the seasoning mix, I use a spice shaker. Toss to coat evenly. You will have seasoning mix leftover. Cover the chicken with plastic and refrigerate overnight to allow the seasonings to penetrate the meat.


The next day remove the chicken from the refrigerator, toss in the buttermilk, then dredge very well in the seasoned flour. When the chicken is well coated, shake off any excess, then set on a platter to let sit for about 1 to 2 hours. Flouring ahead like this will make for a crisper crust. Letting the chicken sit out will keep your fat temperature from dropping too much when you add the chicken to the pan. Putting it in right out of the fridge is like dropping in a handfull of ice cubes.


Add enough of whichever fat you choose from to come about half way up the sides of a large cast iron skillet. Heat the fat until a sprinkle of flour sizzles, or when the temperature reaches about 350 degrees F on an instant read thermometer. Fry the chicken in batches, DO NOT overcrowd the pan or your chicken will not be crisp. Fry equal size pieces in batches together so that they will be done at roughly the same time.


Turn the chicken often for even browning, maintaining a good sizzle in the pan, with a target frying temperature of about 300 degrees F.

The chicken is done when it reaches an internal temperature of 165 degrees F. Let cool for a bit to let the juices settle in. I personally like my Fried Chicken a little warmer than room temperature.

Enjoy!