Old-School Buttermilk Fried Chicken

By JacqueDavison

Ingredients

• 3 pounds chicken pieces (I used 12 drumsticks)
• 1 quart buttermilk
• 1 large onion, thickly sliced
• 1 tbsp Tabasco sauce
• 1 tbsp cayenne pepper
• 1 handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped
• 1 handful fresh thyme
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tbsp Penzeys Black and Red Spice (or 1/2 tbsp cayenne and 1/2 tbsp ground black pepper)
• 1 tbsp onion powder
• 1 tbsp seasoned salt
• 2-3 cups canola oil for frying

Preparation

Step 1

Whisk together the buttermilk, Tabasco sauce and cayenne in a large bowl. Toss in the onion slices, thyme and parsley. Place the chicken pieces into the mixture and marinate at least overnight (8-36 hours). Drain the chicken pieces in a colander.

Heat the oil in a large, deep, heavy pot over medium high heat to 350 degrees. Your oil should be about an inch and a half deep in the pot.

Meanwhile, layer two large paper grocery bags, one inside the other. This is a great time to bust out the sturdy Whole Foods bags that you have stashed in a closet somewhere. Dump the flour, Black and Red, onion powder, and seasoned salt in the bag. Fold over the top a couple of times to seal the bag and give it a shake. Add the drained chicken pieces, reseal the paper bag and give it a few heart shakes to coat the chicken.

Working in batches, carefully place a few chicken pieces into the hot oil. Don't crowd them. Fry the chicken on one side for about 12-15 minutes then carefully flip each piece and fry the other side about 10 -14 minutes until crispy, golden and cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Season with salt and pepper. Serve hot, or let cool to room temperature, refrigerate and serve it Gatsby-style. Cold.