Dee Dees Southern Fried Buttermilk Chicken Food

SOUTHERN STYLE DEEP-FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a medium pan, place chicken and cover with milk. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 2 hours to overnight. This helps tenderize the meat, but is optional
• In a large saucepan over a medium-high heat, using tongs, transfer chicken into pot, then pour in the milk. Bring milk to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low allowing to simmer until the chicken is cooked through entirely, about 20 minutes. Remove the chicken from the milk, and place on a rack to cool. Allow them to sit until warm about 15 minutes, and then pat dry using a kitchen towel.
• Heat vegetable shortening in a Dutch oven over high heat just until it's nearly at the smoking point around 325 degrees F.
• In a large zip-lock bag, add salt, flour, cayenne pepper, shake to combine.
• In a medium bowl, beat 1 egg.
• Place each piece of chicken, 1 at a time, in the bag and shake to coat the chicken. Then dip chicken into the egg to coat. Place the chicken back into the flour to coat for a second time. Repeat this method on remaining 3 pieces of chicken.
• Gently drop each piece of chicken into hot oil, allowing the skin to crisp and turn golden brown in color, about 1 minute per side. Remove from the oil and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Serve immediately.

BUTTERMILK SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Wash chicken pieces thoroughly and pat dry.
• Place chicken in a long, shallow glass baking dish.
• Pour the buttermilk over the chicken, cover and refrigerate for a least 4 hours, turning once or twice. In a clean plastic or brown paper bag, combine the flour, salt, pepper, paprika, and if desired the garlic and onion powders.
• Drain the chicken and place two or three pieces of chicken in the bag and shake well to coat evenly.
• Repeat until all chicken has been coated with seasoned flour mixture. In a large, heavy skillet, heat about one-half of oil over medium-high heat until hot, but not smoking.
• Add chicken (in batches if necessary) and brown on all sides, about three minutes per side. Place browned chicken on a warm platter until all pieces are cooked.
• When all the chicken pieces are browned, crowd them into the skillet, turn heat to medium-low, cover and cook, turning occasionally, until tender, about 35-40 minutes.
• Remove cover, turn heat to medium-high and cook six to eight minutes more or until skin is crispy.
• Serve at once. Serves 4.

SOUTHERN PAN-FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• To prep the brined chicken for frying, drain it and discard the brine. Rinse out the bowl it was brined in. Return the chicken to the bowl and pour the buttermilk over the chicken. Cover and refrigerate for 8 to 12 hours. Place the chicken on a wire rack to drain, discarding the buttermilk.
• Meanwhile, prepare the fat for frying by putting the lard, butter, and country ham in a heavy skillet or frying pan. Cook over low heat for 30 to 45 minutes, skimming any foam as needed, until the butter ceases to throw off foam and the country ham is browned.
• Use a slotted spoon to remove the ham from the fat. Just before frying, increase the temperature to medium-high and heat the fat to 335°F (170°C).
• Prepare the dredge by blending together the flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper in a shallow bowl or on wax paper. Dredge the drained chicken pieces thoroughly in the flour mixture, then gently shake to remove all excess flour.
• Slip some of the chicken pieces, skin side down, into the heated fat. (Be careful to not crowd the pan. Fry in batches if necessary.) Cook for 10 to 13 minutes on each side, until the chicken is golden brown and cooked through. The exact timing may vary depending on the size of your chicken.
• Drain thoroughly on a wire rack or on crumpled paper towels. Serve hot, warm, or at room temperature.

DEE DEE'S SOUTHERN FRIED BUTTERMILK CHICKEN

Steps:

• 1. BUTTERMILK BRINE Rinse chicken and cut away excess fat. Add 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon pepper and 1 teaspoon seasoning salt to buttermilk. Soak chicken in buttermilk mixture (in refrigerator) for 8 hours.
• 2. BATTER Combine flour, seasoning salt, pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, Hungarian paprika, and garlic powder in a large freezer bag; set aside.
• 3. Once chicken has soaked for at least 8 hours remove from refrigerator. Remove pieces from buttermilk and shake excess buttermilk off; add a few pieces at a time to flour mixer. Coat pieces well in flour mixer; remove and place on a wire rack. Allow battered pieces to air dry for 30 to 40 minutes. This allows the chicken to come to room temperature, which helps it to cook evenly once in the oil and by allowing some of the moisture to dry out, your chicken will fry up crispier.
• 4. FRY Fry at 370 to 375 degrees in peanut oil until a nice golden brown on both sides. NOTE: I used Peanut oil because it will not burn like other oils sometimes do. Don't over crowd your pan.

PAULA DEAN'S SPICY BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large bowl place the buttermilk, hot sauce, 1 1/2 teaspoons of the seasoned salt and cut up chicken, cover and refrigerate at least 8 hours or up to 24 hours Drain and discard buttermilk mixture.
• In shallow dish combine flour, garlic salt, red pepper, onion powder and remaining 1/2 teaspoons seasoned salt. Dredge chicken in flour mixture and place on wire rack and let sit for 15 minutes.
• In a large (preferably) cast-iron skillet pour oil to a depth of 3 inches and heat to 350 degrees.
• Fry chicken pieces in batches, for 12 to 15 minutes per side or until a thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the chicken registers 165 degrees. Drain on a clean wire rack over paper towels.
• Enjoy!

BUTTERMILK-BRINED SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a large bowl or two gallon-sized zip-top bags, put brine herbs and spices in. Pour buttermilk into the bowl and whisk up to mix buttermilk and seasoning together. Add chicken pieces and make sure each piece is submerged in the buttermilk. Refrigerate at least 4 hours, overnight most prefered. You can brine the chicken to up to 24 hours.
• When you're ready to start frying, begin bringing a 6 quart enamel cast iron dutch oven (or any other large, heavy bottom pot) filled half-way with vegetable oil to temperature. Use a candy/oil thermometer to bring oil to 325 degrees F. When you place the stem of a wooden spoon in the oil, it should start to bubble around it. That's when you know it's ready. This is a good way to test the oil temperature if you don't have a thermometer.
• Preheat oven to 200 degrees F.
• While oil is coming to temp, in a large bowl whisk together flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and spices and herbs. Splash a bit of brine, about 4 tbsp, into the flour.
• Take each piece of chicken out of the brine and coat well in the flour mixture. Let rest on a plate, repeat until each piece is coated in flour. Let rest for 5 minutes, then dip each piece back into the flour mixture and let rest again for 5-10 minutes.
• Have a wire rack over a baking sheet prepared on a counter next to your range. Fry your chicken pieces, 2-4 pieces at a time, for about 20-22 minutes. When batch is done, place on prepared wire rack over the baking sheet and put into the warm oven. This will keep the batches warm while you finish frying. Repeat this step until complete.
• Serve immediately.

SOUTHERN STYLE DEEP-FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• In a medium container place chicken and cover with milk. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours to overnight. This helps tenderize the meat, but is optional
• In a large saucepan over a medium-high heat, transfer chicken into pot, then pour in the milk. Bring milk to a boil, then reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until the chicken is cooked through, about 20 minutes.
• Remove the chicken from the milk, and place on a rack to cool. Allow them to sit until warm about 15 minutes, and then pat dry.
• Heat vegetable shortening in a Dutch oven or skillet over high heat just until it's near the smoking point around 325 degrees F.
• In a large zip-lock bag, add salt, flour, cayenne pepper, shake to combine.
• In a medium bowl, beat 1 egg.
• Place each piece of chicken, 1 at a time, in the bag and shake to coat the chicken. Then dip chicken into the egg to coat. Place the chicken back into the flour to coat for a second time. Repeat this method on remaining 3 pieces of chicken.
• Gently drop each piece of chicken into hot oil, allowing the skin to crisp and turn golden brown in color, about 1 minute per side. Remove from the oil and transfer to a paper towel lined plate.
• Serve immediately.

BUTTERMILK FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• To brine: Place chicken pieces into a bowl and cover with buttermilk. Refrigerate for at least 3 hours or overnight. May cut super large breast pieces in half to allow for more even cooking, if needed.
• To cook: Fill a deep fryer, deep medium-large pot or Dutch oven halfway with oil. Do not overfill. Heat the oil to 350°F.
• To prepare the dredging station: In a shallow dish or plate use a whisk to sift together flour, 1 tsp salt, 1 tsp pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika and cayenne.
• In a separate dish whisk together eggs with 1/4 tsp salt and 1/4 tsp pepper. (You can also add a few dashes of hot sauce.)
• Remove the chicken from the buttermilk shaking off the excess. Season lightly with remaining 1/2 tsp salt and 1/2 black pepper on all sides.
• Dip chicken pieces into flour, then into egg wash then into flour again. Have nearby a pan, arrange breaded pieces on pan. Repeat until all are breaded.
• To fry: Gently lower pieces into the hot oil a few pieces at a time skin side down. Maintain temperature while cooking to around 325-350°F.
• Cook in batches beginning with the dark meat being careful not to overcrowd the pot. Cook dark meat for about 10-12 minutes on each side and white meat pieces for 8-10 minutes on each side or until juices run clear.
• Remove to paper towels or an oven safe baking rack to drain. Cover and keep warm until serving. (May season with additional salt, if desired.)

FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Thoroughly rinse the chicken pieces, then place them in a bowl and cover with 4 cups of the buttermilk. Soak in the fridge overnight or up to 24 hours.
• When you're ready to fry the chicken, remove the bowl from the fridge and let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes, just to take the chill off.
• In the meantime, preheat the oven to 360 degrees F and mix up the breading. Place the flour, seasoned salt, paprika, black pepper, thyme and cayenne (plus extra cayenne if you like heat) in a very large bowl. Stir together well.
• In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup buttermilk and the milk. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and gradually mix with a fork until there are little lumps throughout; these will adhere to the chicken and make for a crispier breading. If necessary, add a little more flour or milk to make the breading slightly lumpy.
• Heat 1 1/2 to 2 inches of oil in a deep skillet over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reaches 365 degrees F. Lower the heat slightly, if necessary, to keep the oil from getting hotter.
• Working in batches, thoroughly coat each chicken piece with breading, pressing extra breading onto the chicken if necessary. Place the breaded pieces on a plate.
• Add the breaded chicken to the oil, 3 or 4 pieces at a time; make sure they don't stick together. Cover the pan and fry for 5 to 7 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure the chicken isn't getting too brown. Turn the pieces over, cover again, and cook for 3 to 5 minutes more. All the while, monitor the temperature of the oil to make sure the chicken doesn't burn.
• Transfer the fried chicken to a baking sheet and continue frying the rest of the chicken. When all the chicken has been fried, remove the wings and legs to a plate and keep covered. (These should be cooked all the way through by now, but always check if any pink juice or meat is visible. If so, return to the hot oil for another minute or so, until fully cooked.) Leave the thighs and breasts on the baking sheet.
• Bake the thighs and breasts for 15 minutes to finish cooking. (Sometimes I'll cut into the thicker part of one of the larger pieces just to make sure the chicken is cooked through. If any pink juice or meat is visible, the chicken needs to continue cooking in the oven.)

SOUTHERN STYLE SMOTHERED PORK CHOPS WITH BUTTERMILK GRAVY- DEE DEE'S

Steps:

• 1. Put the flour in a shallow platter and add the onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper; mix with a fork to distribute evenly. Pat the pork chops dry with paper towels to remove any moisture and then dredge them in the seasoned flour; shaking off the excess. RESERVE THE LEFTOVER SEASONED FLOUR MIXTURE FOR THE GRAVY.
• 2. Heat a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat and coat with the oil. I usee an iron skillet, it's heavy and you can count on an even heat. I'm pretty sure it's a southern thang as well.
• 3. When the oil is nice and hot, lay the pork chops in the pan in a single layer and fry for 3 to 4 minutes on each side until golden brown.
• 4. Remove the pork chops from the pan and add a little sprinkle of seasoned flour (about 2 spoonfulls) to the pan drippings. Mix the flour into the fat to dissolve and then pour in the chicken broth in. Let the liquid cook down for 5 minutes to reduce and thicken slightly. Stir in the buttermilk to make creamy gravy and return the pork chops to the pan, covering them with the sauce. Simmer for 5 minutes until the pork is cooked through. Season with salt and pepper; garnish with chopped parsley and/or chopped green onions before serving.

FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Thoroughly rinse the chicken, then cover all the pieces with 4 cups of the buttermilk in a large bowl. Cover and soak in the fridge overnight, or up to 24 hours. My mom always did it this way. When you're ready to fry the chicken, remove the bowl from the fridge and let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes, just to take off the chill.
• In the meantime, preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• To mix up the breading, place the flour, seasoned salt, cayenne if using (extra if you like heat), paprika, black pepper and thyme in a very large bowl and stir together well.
• In a small bowl, combine the remaining 1/4 cup buttermilk and the milk. Pour the milk mixture into the flour mixture and, with a pastry cutter or fork, gradually mix until there are little lumps throughout. This will adhere to the chicken and make for a crispier breading. If necessary, add a little more flour or milk to the bowl in order to make it slightly lumpy.
• Heat 1 1/2 inches of oil in a deep skillet or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer inserted in the oil reaches 365 degrees F. Lower the heat slightly, if necessary, to keep the oil from getting hotter.
• Working in batches, thoroughly coat each buttermilk-soaked chicken piece with the breading, pressing extra breading onto the chicken if necessary. Place the breaded pieces on a plate.
• Add the chicken to the oil three or four pieces at a time. Make sure they aren't sticking together, then cover the pan and fry for 5 to 7 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure the chicken isn't getting too brown. Turn the pieces over, cover again and cook 3 to 5 minutes more. All the while, monitor the temperature of the oil to make sure the chicken doesn't burn. Keep in mind that we'll finish cooking the chicken in the oven, and it will continue to brown.
• Place the fried pieces on a baking sheet and continue frying the rest of the chicken. When all the chicken has been fried, bake the chicken for 15 minutes to finish the cooking process. Sometimes I'll cut into the thicker part of one of the larger pieces, just to make sure the chicken is cooked through. If any pink (juice or meat) is visible, the chicken needs to continue cooking in the oven.

TRADITIONAL SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Marinate chicken in vinegar for a minimum of 1 hours -- overnight is better.
• Mix flour, spices, and baking powder.
• Heat oil to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Coat chicken in flour mixture.
• Brown on both sides; cover.
• Fry 15 minutes one side.
• Fry 15 minutes other side.
• Take off lid.
• Fry 5 minutes extra to crisp.
• Thanks for keeping the southern tradition alive.