Buttermilk Brined Chicken Wings Food

BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN WINGS

Steps:

• Combine onion, garlic, hot sauce, salt, and 2 teaspoons black pepper in a large bowl. Add the cold buttermilk and stir to dissolve. Snip the wing tips with kitchen shears if desired. Add the chicken wings and be sure they are all coated well in buttermilk. Cover the bowl and chill for at least 2 hours, or up to 4 hours.
• Prepare the seasoned flour by whisking together flour, kosher salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, lemon zest, black pepper, oregano, cayenne, baking powder, sage, and dry mustard. Drain off excess buttermilk and dredge the wings in the flour. Place each batch of dredged wings on a wire rack as you go.
• Let wings sit for 10 to 15 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat peanut oil in a deep-fryer or large saucepan to 375 degrees F (190 degrees C).
• Carefully drop the chicken wings into the hot oil, 4 or 5 at a time. Fry until golden, crisp, and no longer pink in the centers, about 5 minutes. Drain excess oil from wings on paper towels and lightly season with a pinch of salt while still hot. Continue with remaining wings.

AIR FRYER BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Pat the chicken wings dry and add them to a large bowl. Drizzle with the buttermilk. For best results, cover and store the chicken in the fridge for 30 minutes to 3 hours. This will tenderize the chicken. I typically marinate for an hour minimum, you can go up to overnight.
• Combine the flour, chicken seasoning, salt and pepper in a bowl large enough to dredge the chicken. Stir and mix well.
• Dredge the chicken in the flour and seasonings. Ensure both sides of the chicken are fully coated. Use a spoon to get areas of the chicken wing that were missed.
• Spray the air fryer basket with cooking oil.
• Add the chicken wings to the air fryer. Do not overcrowd the basket. Cook in batches if necessary. Spray the chicken with cooking oil.
• Cook for 20 minutes on 400 degrees. Stop and flip the chicken every 5 minutes, a total of 4 times.
• Use a meat thermometer and ensure the chicken has reached an internal temperature of 165 degrees. Add additional time if you prefer the chicken is crisper.
• Remove the chicken from the air fryer. Cool before serving.

BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• For the brine: Combine the buttermilk, salt, pepper, sugar, cayenne, garlic and thyme in a gallon-size resealable plastic bag. Add the chicken pieces. Squeeze out the excess air, then seal the bag and refrigerate for at least 4 hours and up to overnight.
• When you're ready to fry the chicken, remove from the refrigerator and let return to room temperature, about 30 minutes.
• For the frying: Heat 2 to 3 inches peanut oil in a medium Dutch oven or large cast-iron skillet to 350 degrees F. Set racks on two rimmed baking sheets and keep one next to the stove.
• Whisk together the flour, cornstarch, paprika, baking powder, garlic powder, salt, mustard and cayenne in a large bowl. Drizzle in the buttermilk in 3 or 4 additions, tossing the flour in between additions to make small clumps.
• Remove the chicken from the brine one piece at a time and dredge well in the seasoned flour mixture. Set the chicken skin-side up on a rack.
• When the oil reaches 350 degrees F, lightly dredge the thighs and legs again. Fry for 2 minutes, then add the wings. Continue to fry the chicken, keeping the oil around 330 degrees F, for 4 more minutes. Turn and continue to fry until both sides are crisp and deep golden and the interior of a thigh reads 165 degrees F on an instant-read thermometer, 4 to 6 minutes more (the chicken will take 10 to 12 minutes total from when you add the thighs and legs). Remove the chicken to the second rack to drain. Return the oil temperature to 350 degrees F. Lightly dredge the breast pieces again and fry as you did the thighs, turning halfway through, 10 to 12 minutes in all. Drain on the rack with the other pieces. Transfer to a serving platter and sprinkle with zaatar.

BUTTERMILK-BRINED ROTISSERIE CHICKEN

Steps:

• Make the brine: Heat 1 cup water, 1/4 cup salt, the brown sugar, garlic, coriander seeds, 1 1/2 teaspoons paprika and 1/2 teaspoon cayenne in a small saucepan over low heat, stirring, until the salt dissolves. Let cool completely.
• Put the chicken in a large resealable plastic bag. Pour in the brine and buttermilk; seal the bag. Refrigerate at least 4 hours or overnight, turning once or twice.
• About 30 minutes before grilling, remove the chicken from the brine and pat dry. Let sit at room temperature.
• Prepare a grill with a rotisserie attachment according to the manufacturer's instructions. Preheat the grill to medium and prepare for indirect cooking: On a gas grill, turn off the center burner(s); on a charcoal grill, bank the coals to the sides.
• Combine the butter, vinegar, ground coriander, garlic powder and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon paprika and 1/8 teaspoon cayenne in a saucepan. Cook over low heat, stirring, until the butter is melted. Set aside.
• Truss the chicken with kitchen twine: Tie the legs together and tie the wings close to the body so the chicken is a round shape. Once the grill registers 325˚ F to 350˚ F, slide the chicken onto the rotisserie spit. Insert the prongs on the rod into the chicken so it's snug; secure with the thumbscrews. (If the twine loosens, tie again.) Place the rod onto the rotisserie with a drip pan underneath; turn the rotisserie on.
• Cover the grill and cook, basting the chicken with the butter mixture every 30 minutes, until a thermometer inserted into the thigh registers 165˚ and the skin is browned and crisp, 2 to 2 1/2 hours. (If using a charcoal grill, add coals as needed to maintain a temperature of 325˚ F to 350˚ F.)
• Turn off the rotisserie. For a gas grill, turn off the grill and let the chicken rest on the rod for 10 minutes before carving. For charcoal, lay the chicken, on the rod, on a foil-lined baking sheet and let rest 10 minutes before carving.

BUTTERMILK-BRINED ROAST CHICKEN

Steps:

• The day before you want to cook the chicken, remove the wingtips by cutting through the first wing joint with poultry shears or a sharp knife. Reserve for stock. Season chicken generously with salt and let it sit for 30 minutes.
• Stir 2 tablespoons kosher salt or 4 teaspoons fine sea salt into the buttermilk to dissolve. Place the chicken in a gallon-size resealable plastic bag and pour in the buttermilk. (If the chicken won't fit in a gallon-size bag, double up 2 plastic produce bags to prevent leaks and tie the bag with twine.)
• Seal the bag, squish the buttermilk all around the chicken, place on a rimmed plate, and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours. If you're so inclined, you can turn the bag periodically so every part of the chicken gets marinated, but that's not essential.
• Pull the chicken from the fridge an hour before you plan to cook it. Heat the oven to 425 degrees with a rack set in the center position.
• Remove the chicken from the plastic bag and scrape off as much buttermilk as you can without being obsessive. Tightly tie together the legs with a piece of butcher's twine. Place the chicken in a 10-inch cast-iron skillet or a shallow roasting pan.
• Slide the pan all the way to the back of the oven on the center rack. Rotate the pan so that the legs are pointing toward the rear left corner and the breast is pointing toward the center of the oven. (The back corners tend to be the hottest spots in the oven, so this orientation protects the breast from overcooking before the legs are done.) Pretty quickly you should hear the chicken sizzling.
• After about 20 minutes, when the chicken starts to brown, reduce the heat to 400 degrees and continue roasting for 10 minutes.
• Move the pan so the legs are facing the rear right corner of the oven. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes or so, until the chicken is brown all over and the juices run clear when you insert a knife down to the bone between the leg and the thigh. If the skin is getting too brown before it is cooked through, use a foil tent. Remove it to a platter and let it rest for 10 minutes before carving and serving.