Southern Fried Chicken Food

TRADITIONAL SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Cut the chicken into frying pieces. In a shallow bowl beat the eggs and then stir in the milk, salt, and pepper. Soak the chicken in the milk mixture for 5 to 10 minutes. Roll the chicken in flour, being sure to completely cover each piece. Set aside to dry.
• In a large cast-iron skillet melt lard over medium heat. When the fat is very hot add the thighs and legs and cook for several minutes. Add the other pieces, being careful not to overcrowd the skillet. Continue cooking until the chicken is golden brown on 1 side (about 5 minutes). Turn and brown on the other side. Reduce the heat to medium low. Cover the pan and cook for 15 minutes. Turn the pieces, cover, and continue to cook for 15 minutes longer. Uncover for the last 5 to 10 minutes so the crust will be crisp.

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne. Roll in flour. Deep fry in large skillet until juices run clear and crust is golden brown. Drain on paper towels.

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.

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! :).

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.

SAVORY SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• NOTE: YOU CAN SINGLE-BREAD OR DOUBLE-BREAD CHICKEN WITH THIS RECIPE (SEE STEP 6).
• WHISK 2 quarts cold water (8 cups) with 2 tablespoons fine sea salt and 2 teaspoons Accent seasoning in a large wide saucepan (with an accompanying lid) until dissolved, for the BRINE.
• RINSE and blot chicken pieces; ADD chicken pieces to marinade; COVER and transfer to refrigerator; MARINATE chicken at least 4 hours in refrigerator (preferably overnight), turning chicken as needed.
• INTO a large Ziploc bag, add the BREADING ingredients; BREAK up any clumps if present, by hand or using the back of a spoon; SEAL bag containing mixture; SHAKE well until combined.
• BEAT 4 eggs in a large bowl, for the EGGWASH; REMOVE chicken from brine with tongs; BLOT pieces with paper towels.
• TO SINGLE-BREAD CHICKEN: Dip one piece breaded chicken using tongs, into the eggwash to wet completely. Drop chicken into the breading. Roll chicken well in the breading to coat. Place breaded chicken onto platter to rest for 15-20 minutes. Repeat with remaining pieces. TO DOUBLE-BREAD CHICKEN: Add 5 teaspoons flour plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch to breading and mix well. Drop chicken into the breading and roll it well in the breading to coat. Drop chicken into the eggwash to wet completely. Quickly return chicken to the breading and roll again to coat well. Place double-breaded chicken onto platter to rest for 15-20 minutes. Repeat with remaining pieces.
• PREHEAT manufacturer's recommended amount of peanut oil in deep-fryer between to 315°F (OR) preheat enough oil to immerse chicken completely in deep heavy stovetop pot between to 315°F (use a heat-safe thermometer to gauge).
• PLACE breaded chicken to the elevated fry basket in deep-fryer without crowding; LOWER the basket slowly into the hot oil (or gently lower breaded chicken pieces using tongs into stovetop pot, turning once halfway through frying duration).
• FRY chicken between 16-20 minutes until golden brown and fully cooked, depending on chicken portions/sizes (juices should run clear when chicken is done).
• DRAIN on a wire rack over a paper towel-lined baking sheet; REPEAT the same cooking procedures until all chicken is fried. DRAIN chicken on a wire rack over a paper towel-lined baking sheet; TRANSFER rack over a baking sheet and keep chicken warmed in a preheated 170°F oven until serving; SERVE and enjoy!

SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Steps:

• Season chicken pieces with salt, pepper, and paprika. Roll in flour.
• Add 1/2 to 3/4 inch oil to a large, heavy skillet. Heat to approximately 365 degrees F (185 degrees C). Place chicken pieces in hot oil. Cover, and fry until golden, turning once, 15 to 20 minutes. Drain on paper towels.