Southern Fried Chicken
Anne Ritchings
This is one of the delights of spring and summer when fresh chickens are available at the Farmers Market. This recipe creates a crust that “snaps and breaks with fragility--a contrast to the tender, moist meat” inside.
ingredients
- 1 chicken weighing 3 to 3 1/2 pounds, cut into nine pieces
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup lard
- 1 1/2 cups peanut oil
directions
Put the chicken in a glass or stainless steel bowl and toss with the buttermilk. Let marinate for at least 2 hours. Combine the flour, salt and pepper in a large paper bag and preheat the lard and peanut oil in the skillet to medium high (375 degrees F). Drop the chicken pieces into the paper bag, shaking well to coat them evenly with the seasoned flour. Add the dark pieces to the fat first, skin side down, followed by the white pieces. Reduce heat to medium, cover, and fry 15 minutes. Remove cover, turn each piece, and fry another 10 to 15 minutes uncovered. Remove chicken to the second paper bag to drain .
notes
Don't quibble about the lard. It is a healthy fat and when you fry the food at the proper temperature very little of the fat ends up in the food.
Source: Bill Neal: Southern Cooking
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