Perfect Southern Fried Chicken Food

THE BEST SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN (+VIDEO)

Steps:

• Place the chicken in a large bowl. Sprinkle on top of the chicken: 2 tsp salt, garlic powder, and onion powder then toss to coat the chicken in the spices.
• Add the buttermilk and hot sauce to bowl, stir until everything is combined. Cover with plastic wrap and let marinate in the fridge for at least 2 hours, but it's best if you can let it sit overnight.
• In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, 2 tsp salt, paprika and black pepper. Set aside.
• Fill up a deep fryer (deep cast iron skillet or dutch oven) with peanut oil (or neutral frying oil of your choice) and preheat to 350°F.
• Taking the chicken pieces one at a time, let the excess buttermilk drip off. Coat in the flour mixture, make sure the chicken is well coated. Shake off any excess. Set the chicken aside and let it sit for a few minutes until the coating starts to look a little pasty.
• Carefully add the piece of chicken to the deep fryer and continue with the next piece. Don't add more than three or four pieces at at time. You will need to fry in batches so you do not overcrowd the fryer. Fry until golden brown, turning every few minutes.
• Chicken is done when golden brown and the internal temperature reaches 165°F. Depending on the size of the chicken, dark meat can take about 12-14 minutes and white meat takes 8-10 minutes (these are estimates - use a meat thermometer for accurate doneness)
• When the chicken is done frying, place it on a paper towel lined sheet tray and immediately sprinkle a little flaked salt on top. Continue with the rest of the chicken pieces.

PERFECT SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Soak chicken in water and salt at least 2 hours in the refrigerator.
• Mix buttermilk, eggs and Season All and dip chicken pieces in this mixture.
• Combine 1 cup flour, 2 tbsp corn meal, 2 tsp dried oregano, and 2 tsp Season All in a bag.
• Drop two pieces of dipped chicken in the bag at one time.
• Shake to coat.
• Place on wire rack to rest.
• (I place wax paper under the rack to catch any flour that falls off.) Heat a shallow layer of oil or shortening to 360 F in a jumbo chicken skillet (cast iron is great for this job) or an electric skillet.
• Place the chicken in the pan, trying not to crowd the pieces.
• Cover for the first five minutes.
• Check the chicken.
• When golden brown, turn.
• Cover for the next five minutes.
• Remove cover and cook uncovered, turning occasionally, as needed for a total of an additional 20 minutes or until cooked through.
• Watch carefully, and don't allow it to get too dark.
• If it's frying too fast, reduce heat slightly.
• NOTE- the key is to cover in the beginning to start the cooking process inside the chicken, but to uncover during the last part of the cooking time to get the outside nice and crispy and golden brown.

THE "PERFECT" SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Dissolve salt and water in a large bowl; add the chicken. Cover; refrigerate 3-4 hours. Pour off the brine; rinse the chicken well under running water in the bowl. Drain. Add buttermilk and hot sauce to chicken. Cover bowl; refrigerate for at least 1 hour or up to 8.
• Combine the flour, salt, pepper and garlic powder in another large bowl or food storage bag; drain the chicken pieces. Add 2 or 3 pieces of chicken to the bag; seal. Shake to coat chicken. Remove chicken to a rack; refrigerate at least 1 hour.
• Heat the oven to 300°. Heat a large, heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add oil to a depth of 1/2 to 3/4-inch; stir in the bacon drippings. Heat oil to 350°, or until a drop of water spatters when it hits the hot oil. Add the drumsticks, wings and thighs, skin side down (the oil should come about halfway up the sides of the pieces of chicken). Cover; cook until tiny bubbles begin to appear in the crust on the side facing up, about 10 minutes. Turn; cook 10 minutes. Uncover the skillet; reduce heat to medium-low. Cook until chicken is golden brown, 5-10 minutes. Remove drumsticks and thighs from skillet to a rack placed over a cookie sheet; place in oven.
• Raise heat under skillet to medium-high. Heat oil to 350°; add the breasts, skin side down. Cook until tiny bubbles begin to appear in the crust on the side facing up, about 10 minutes. Turn; cover. Cook 10 minutes; uncover the skillet. Lower the heat to medium-low; cook until golden brown, about 5-10 minutes.
• Preparation time includes brining.

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat peanut oil in a large deep pot to 350°F (do not fill more than half full--you don't want a hot-oil spill-over accident!).
• For sauce mixture: in a medium-sized bowl, beat the eggs with the water.
• Add hot sauce and whisk together well.
• Pour this mixture into a large plastic zip-top bag.
• For seasoning mixture: In a small bowl, combine 1 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder.
• For dredging mixture: In a another bowl, mix flour, baking powder and 1/4 teaspoon salt.
• Rinse and pat dry chicken pieces with a paper towel.
• Cut breast pieces in half across ribs.
• Sprinkle chicken generously on both sides with seasoning blend.
• Drop a few chicken pieces of chicken into bag of sauce mixture and squish around to coat thoroughly.
• One piece at a time, roll chicken in flour mixture and drop into hot oil.
• Don't crowd chicken pieces--I cook about half the chicken at a time.
• Fry chicken until brown and crisp.
• Drain on paper toweling.
• Dark meat will take about 14 minutes, white meat about 10 minutes.
• Remember smaller pieces cook faster than the larger ones.
• You can check for doneness by piercing to the bone in the thickest part with a fork.
• If the juices run clear, it is done.

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Put the chicken in a bowl and pour over the milk. Tip the flour and spices into a large plastic bag and add a large pinch of salt and a good grinding of pepper.
• Heat half the oil in a large frying pan. Take half of the chicken out of the milk, shake off any excess and put in the bag of seasoned flour. Hold the top closed and shake well. Lift the pieces out and shake off any excess, but don't do this too hard or you'll end up with no coating. Lower the pieces into the oil and fry on each side until golden and crisp - don't overdo it as the chicken is being baked next and will brown further. Use tongs to turn the chicken and try not to tear the coating. Transfer to a rack set in a roasting tin. Repeat with the rest of the chicken.
• Bake for 30 mins until cooked - check one drumstick and one thigh with a skewer - cook for longer if you need to.