Author Notes
I love fried chicken, and I've tried all sorts of things over the years to make perfectly fried poultry--chicken that's crunchy and crisp outside, tender and moist inside, and thoroughly cooked. Is there anything more disappointing than biting into a beautiful looking piece of chicken to find that it's red near the bone? For this recipe, I brined the chicken overnight, and then simmered it before frying it, to thoroughly cook the meat without drying it out. This also means it needs less time in the frying oil. I then deep-fried it in a blend of rendered lard and duck fat. —adashofbitters
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Ingredients
- Brining and boiling
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2 cups
low-fat buttermilk
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2 tablespoons
kosher salt
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2 tablespoons
Old Bay seasoning
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1 teaspoon
Tabasco red pepper sauce
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3 pounds
chicken parts (I used drumsticks, thighs, and wings)
- Coating and frying
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1 cup
all-purpose flour
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2 teaspoons
Old Bay seasoning
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1 teaspoon
kosher salt
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1/2 teaspoon
freshly cracked black pepper
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oil or fat for frying (I used a combination of rendered lard and duck fat)
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crunchy sea salt, such as Maldon
Directions
- Brining and boiling
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Mix buttermilk, salt, Old Bay, and Tabasco in a lidded glass container or gallon-sized zip-top bag. Add chicken and cover to coat. Refrigerate at least three hours, but preferably overnight.
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Using tongs, remove chicken from buttermilk brine to a large saucepan or medium stock pot. Pour in buttermilk brine and add enough water to cover. Bring buttermilk to a boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer 20 minutes. Remove chicken from buttermilk and place on a rack to cool.
- Coating and frying
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Put enough fat or oil in a Dutch oven to thoroughly cover the chicken pieces. Heat over medium-high heat to 350ºF.
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In a gallon-sized zip-top bag, combine flour, Old Bay, salt, and black pepper. Add chicken pieces, one or two at a time, and coat. Knock excess coating back into the bag before removing pieces to a plate.
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Add pieces one at a time to boiling oil. To avoid overcrowding the Dutch oven, you may have to work in batches. The temperature of the oil will drop when you add the chicken, so turn the heat up until the temperature rises again to 350ºF.
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Cook until chicken pieces are browned, about 2 to 3 minutes. Remove from oil and drain on a rack placed over a baking sheet. Sprinkle sea salt over each piece.
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Repeat for remaining batches. Serve hot, cold, or at room temperature.
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