Grannys Fried Chicken Food

GRANDMA'S SMOTHERED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Brown the chicken: Heat 2 large skillets over high heat. Add half of the oil to each. Arrange the chicken on a tray in a single layer and season with salt. Turn the pieces over and season the other side. When the oil begins to smoke lightly, carefully add the chicken, skin side down, to the skillets, leaving space between each piece of chicken. Reduce the heat to medium and allow the chicken to brown on their first side, 5 to 8 minutes. Resist the temptation to move or turn the pieces. Use metal tongs to carefully turn the chicken pieces to their second side and brown 3 to 5 additional minutes. Transfer the chicken pieces to a tray and set aside.
• Prepare the garlic: Grate 6 of the cloves of garlic and set aside for the sauce. Cut the remaining 12 cloves in half lengthwise.
• Make the sauce: In one of the skillets you cooked the chicken in, add the cumin and coriander and stir rapidly over medium-low heat to give them a quick toast, 10 to 15 seconds. Immediately add the onions and grated garlic. Season with salt and cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until the onions turn light brown, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the cinnamon stick, pepper flakes, bay leaves and tomatoes. Allow the tomatoes to cook, breaking them apart with a spoon as they cook, 8 to 10 minutes, and then add 1 cup water.
• Toast the garlic cloves: In the other skillet the you cooked the chicken in, arrange the garlic halves in a single layer in the cooking grease. Toast the garlic over low heat until golden brown and crisped, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove the garlic from the skillet, sprinkle with salt and drain on a kitchen towel.
• Finish cooking the chicken: Arrange the chicken pieces, skin side up, in the sauce. Cover the skillet, keep the heat low and continue cooking until the pieces are cooked through, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove the cover and stir in the ginger, cream and vinegar. Cover and simmer 2 to 3 additional minutes.
• Test the center of a thigh to make sure the chicken is cooked through. It should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F and the juices should run "clear," not pink. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick and bay leaves. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Top with the toasted garlic and serve immediately.

GRANNY'S SECRET FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Mix pancake flour, salt and pepper in a large bowl.
• In a separate bowl combine egg, butter & milk.
• Remove the chicken from the brine and rinse. Pat dry.
• Dip chicken pieces in the egg mixture and then dredge in the pancake mixture. Shake off any excess.
• Fry 3 - 4 pieces of chicken for 7 - 8 minutes (or until desired color is reached) and flip. Repeat with remaining chicken.
• Drain on a paper towel lined plate.

GRANNY'S FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Season the chicken generously with the salt and pepper. Cover the chicken and refrigerate for at least 3 hours and up to 8 hours.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and Tabasco sauce. Place the flour in a separate bowl.
• Pour the oil 1/2 inch deep into a 12-inch cast-iron or heavy-bottomed skillet and heat over a medium flame until the oil measures 350° on a candy thermometer.
• Starting with the 4 pieces of dark meat, dredge the chicken in the egg mixture, then coat in the flour, shaking off any excess. Place the pieces in the oil and fry, turning often, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the juices run clear. Transfer the chicken to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Repeat with the 4 pieces of white meat, and fry, turning often, for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the juices run clear. Transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain. Serve immediately.

GRANNY'S SIMPLE WAY FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Wash chicken.
• My Granny always cuts the breast halves in half.
• Salt all chicken pieces good on both sides.
• Let sit for 20 minutes on paper towels.
• Put oil in frying pan and heat to medium high.
• Shake chicken in flour.
• Carefully add chicken pieces skin side down first and brown on each side.
• Turn burner down on medium.
• Cook until done. (cooking time varies on different pieces.).
• Drain on paper towels.

GRANDMA'S SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Wash chicken pieces and place in a deep bowl. Cover with buttermilk and hot sauce, and refrigerate at least 2 hours.
• Melt shortening in a cast iron skillet to a depth of about 1 inch.
• Heat to about 370º. (No thermometer needed, really. It'll get hot enough while chicken rests AFTER coating if you have your flame on about medium.) If it starts to smoke, turn it down immediately a bit.
• In a doubled brown paper lunch sack, mix together all of the dry ingredients.
• Remove chicken from bowl.
• Using additional seasoned salt and pepper, lightly coat to season chicken.
• Place chicken in bag, one piece at a time. Shake well until thoroughly coated.
• Dip each piece in the buttermilk and coat with flour once again.
• Shake off excess; place on waxed paper for 15 minutes or until dry.
• Place chicken, skin side down, in hot shortening.
• Do not crowd skillet.
• Brown until golden on bottom (good)(skin) side. When chicken pieces are golden on one side, turn pieces over, cover with tight fitting lid, and reduce heat to a simmer, turning chicken pieces ocaisionally, for 35 to 40 minutes or until juices run clear and chicken is tender. *When lid is placed on, and heat is reduced to a good simmer, the good side of pieces are the top sides. After about 10 minutes, turn back to skin-side down. After another 10 minutes or so, turn back to skin-side up for the last 10-15 minutes.).
• Uncover and cook 5 minutes longer for "crispy on the outside" crust. Remove at once, skipping this step, if a softer outside is preferred. My grandma and great aunts always drained their fried chicken on brown paper grocery bags. This seems to work best for me, too. Paper towels work "ok", too. *If doubling or making alot of chicken, or just wanting to keep it warm til the rest of your side dishes are done and ready to serve, place chicken on brown paper bag-lined cookie sheet in very low oven. GREAT cold, too!
• 4-6 servings.
• To make chicken fingers:.
• Use 4 boneless skinless chicken breasts, cut into strips about a 1/2-3/4 " thick. I skipped the buttermilk and hot sauce part, and dipped them into the flour mixture first, then into 1 egg beaten with about a half of a cup of half and half cream and a little hot sauce. Then back into the flour mixture. Worked out PERFECTLY. I lightly browned them in hot oil on one side, turned them, then put a lid on them. I then only cooked them for 8 minutes. I removed the lid, turned them and cooked them another minute. Drained them on paper towel.YUM!
• *One extra tip: Don't ever turn chicken by piercing with a fork, all the juices will run out and the meat will be dry. Always use tongs and have a sharp spatula handy to get underneath just in case a little bit wants to stick. You don't want to lose that good breading! :).

BETTER THAN GRANNY'S, MAPLE FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Make the brine by combining all of the ingredients, and mixing well. Place the chicken in a plastic bag, add the marinade, and place in the refrigerator for about 8 hours, but at least 2 hours.
• Mix the flour and seasonings together in a large flat pan like a jelly roll pan (I use a half chafer pan 'cause of the high sides. Take the chicken out of the bag with tongs, lay in the flour mixture then turn over. Take 3 legs and 3 thighs out to coat with this flour mixture. Rub the flour into the chicken with your hands, don't shake off the excess and place in a pan to get ready for frying.
• Heat the oil to about 300°F in a black frying pan, and place the chicken in being careful not to splash the oil.
• Leave the chicken alone for 10 - 12 minutes. When you start to see some blood being forced out of the chicken (this means that the chicken is cooking), carefully turn them over. Leave another 10 - 12 minutes. The second side should be well colored.
• Take them out with tongs letting them drain back into the pan prior to placing on paper towels.
• To make a crispier chicken, change the way you flour the pieces. Get 3 bowls going. One with the seasoned flour, the next with beaten egg and milk, and the third with seasoned flour. Dredge the chicken in the seasoned flour, then the egg mixture, then the seasoned flour again.
• Serve while hot.

GRANNY FOSTER'S SUNDAY FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Place chicken in a large bowl and cover with cold water. Add 2 tablespoons salt, the sugar, vinegar, and bay leaves and stir until salt and sugar dissolve. Cover and refrigerate overnight.
• Place buttermilk in a large, shallow bowl. Lift chicken from brine and transfer to buttermilk. In another large, shallow bowl or zip-top bag, stir or shake together flour, 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and pinch of cayenne to combine.
• Line a platter with a brown paper bag and place near stove. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat shortening over medium-high until a deep-fry thermometer reads 350 degrees to 375 degrees (a small cube of bread should brown in less than 1 minute). Oil should be deep enough to come halfway up sides of chicken; the level will rise slightly when chicken is added. Beginning with larger pieces, lift chicken from buttermilk, letting excess drip off, and dredge or shake in flour mixture until evenly coated. Shake off excess.
• Working in batches, add chicken, skin side down, to pan (do not crowd pan); reduce heat to medium. Fry until golden brown on both sides and juices run clear when thigh is pierced with a knife (an instant-read thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh, avoiding bone, should read 165 degrees), 10 to 12 minutes per side.
• Transfer chicken to platter to drain. Season with salt and pepper and let sit 10 minutes. Serve warm or at room temperature.