Fried Chicken

Pan fried at 350. I'll find a link. Gotta thank Todd for forcing me to want to master go old Pan Frying again... We turned out some killer chicken at a couple of contests last year.

Here is the one Andy was talking about.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_15279,00.html

start by soaking the chicken pieces in buttermilk overnight. This really makes it moist and tender. drain the chicken in a colander, don't rinse. dredge in seasoned flour ( use the spices of your choice. I use garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt), ensuring the shake off all excess. dip in egg wash with as much hot sauce added ( i use alot, 2-3 spoonfulls. it doesnt make it as hot as you think.) then dredge in plain flour ( if you season this flour, it will burn the spices and can create a bitter taste). let it sit on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes before you cook. fry in a cast iron skillet with 1/3-1/2 inch of 325 degree oil. put dark meat in the middle of the skillet as this is the hot spot and this meat needs cooking longer. add legs and breasts around edges. i
check after a few minutes and when the bottoms are golden brown, flip. Insert a thermometer into the thickest part of a thigh and when it hits 160 pull them out. to drain, place on a rack.
This is just a starting point, modify it to your tastes.

There really only is one way to fry chicken:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ln5PLLzNrw

smknwhlswife said:

Here is the one Andy was talking about.

http://www.foodnetwork.com/food/recipes/recipe/0,,FOOD_9936_15279,00.html

Click to expand...

Alton Brown simply = the Man

the best fried chicken i've ever had....was taught to me be this elderly african american woman that used to live down the street. and it was super simple..

with a deep 4-5 inch cast iron skillet fill it with oil. cut up an entire onion and put it in the oil. let it fry....once some of it starts turning black its ready to go.

rinse the chicken. prepare a big bowl of flour and salt and pepper...if you want spicy cayenne or paprika go in as well....coat the chicken in the flour, making sure theres plenty on there...and fry..

eagle697 said:

start by soaking the chicken pieces in buttermilk overnight. This really makes it moist and tender. drain the chicken in a colander, don't rinse. dredge in seasoned flour ( use the spices of your choice. I use garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt), ensuring the shake off all excess. dip in egg wash with as much hot sauce added ( i use alot, 2-3 spoonfulls. it doesnt make it as hot as you think.) then dredge in plain flour ( if you season this flour, it will burn the spices and can create a bitter taste). let it sit on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes before you cook. fry in a cast iron skillet with 1/3-1/2 inch of 325 degree oil. put dark meat in the middle of the skillet as this is the hot spot and this meat needs cooking longer. add legs and breasts around edges. i
check after a few minutes and when the bottoms are golden brown, flip. Insert a thermometer into the thickest part of a thigh and when it hits 160 pull them out. to drain, place on a rack.
This is just a starting point, modify it to your tastes.

Click to expand...

This is the same as how I make mine, but I've never added the hot sauce to the egg wash step. I'm going to try it like this next time.

willkat98 said:

There really only is one way to fry chicken:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1ln5PLLzNrw

Click to expand...

There are times that you really scare me Bill. This is one of them.

I do the buttermilk thing as well but add hot sauce to the buttermilk. Gotta have plenty of garlic powder in the seasoned flour. Then mashed taters gravy and corn. YUM!!

Use Tyler Florence Ultimate Fried Chicken Recipie.
Even you could take 12th in a Fried Chicken contest.

elvis67 said:

I do the buttermilk thing as well but add hot sauce to the buttermilk. Gotta have plenty of garlic powder in the seasoned flour. Then mashed taters gravy and corn. YUM!!

Click to expand...

Yes, or cyanne.

Follow the Alton Brown approach and you can't go wrong. Some keys are not totally submersing your chicken in oil while frying, flour+season+flour, let it floured chicken rest for a couple minutes before frying, and BUTTERMILK... overnight is best.

I think that by putting the hot sauce in the eggwash, you can get much more flavor than in the buttermilk, but thats just my .02.
I also use tons of garlic in the seasoned flour, but if you put the seasoned flour on the outside, the garlic powder can burn and cause the chicken to be bitter.

I love the little almost burned pieces where the chicken touches the bottom of the pan. Pan fried chicken is WAY better than deep fried. It is a must.

eagle697 said:

start by soaking the chicken pieces in buttermilk overnight. This really makes it moist and tender. drain the chicken in a colander, don't rinse. dredge in seasoned flour ( use the spices of your choice. I use garlic powder, paprika, kosher salt), ensuring the shake off all excess. dip in egg wash with as much hot sauce added ( i use alot, 2-3 spoonfulls. it doesnt make it as hot as you think.) then dredge in plain flour ( if you season this flour, it will burn the spices and can create a bitter taste). let it sit on a cooling rack for 10-15 minutes before you cook. fry in a cast iron skillet with 1/3-1/2 inch of 325 degree oil. put dark meat in the middle of the skillet as this is the hot spot and this meat needs cooking longer. add legs and breasts around edges. i
check after a few minutes and when the bottoms are golden brown, flip. Insert a thermometer into the thickest part of a thigh and when it hits 160 pull them out. to drain, place on a rack.
This is just a starting point, modify it to your tastes.

Click to expand...

For a taste treat... smoke the raw chicken at about 200 f. for about 30 minutes before going ahead and breading and frying it up.