Since I had some buttermilk left from the catfish dish, didn't want the buttermilk to go to waste, and since it had been so long since I fried some chicken, Alton Brown's recipe was immediately put into the food queue.
I'll tell you right now that there was one thing I should've done differently: follow the directions exactly. I should've cut the breasts-halves in half to yield 8 pieces instead of leaving them whole yielding 6 pieces. I should've monitored the oil temperature much more closely, which turned out to be what I realize now is a big deal, instead of just winging it.
Alton Brown's Fried Chicken
from Food Network
click to print
1 broiler/fryer chicken, cut into8 6 pieces
2 c low fat buttermilk
2 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp Hungarian paprika
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Flour, for dredging (2 heaping cups was much more than plenty)
from Food Network
click to print
1 broiler/fryer chicken, cut into
2 c low fat buttermilk
2 tbsp kosher salt
2 tbsp Hungarian paprika
2 tsp garlic powder
1 tsp cayenne pepper
Flour, for dredging (2 heaping cups was much more than plenty)
Vegetable shortening, for frying (about 12 oz)
The first image immediately above only shows four pieces of chicken, the drums and thighs. That's because the breasts weren't finished yet. They were still only at 140°F after frying 20 minutes. The breasts required another 10 minutes to get to 160°F. And that's because the breasts should've been cut in half to promote more even cooking.
Chicken darkness was either because the oil temperature wasn't monitored closely enough or because there wasn't enough oil in the skillet. Either way, I realize I didn't follow the directions.
So the big question: did the chicken taste good? Yeah, it did, though the chicken was too dark, as in burnt, for my preference, masking much of the seasonings. I had a drum while the potatoes were cooking, and then a drum and thigh with buttermilk-mashed potatoes, and those pieces were crispy and juicy. The rest of the chicken, one thigh and two breasts, are destined for soup and salads. It'll be delicious, I'm sure.
Oh, if you're wondering, the splatter screen? Totally worth it. While not perfect, I was quite surprised by how much oil was caught in it as the chicken fried. The oil that did escape, instead of becoming a slight coat over my entire kitchen, was a little more than slight coat in the immediate vicinity of the skillet. Of course, a skillet cover would've worked better, like that when I did Grandmother Paul's recipe.
Cost:
Cut up your chicken if you haven't already, saving the wings and frame for stock another day.
Place chicken pieces into a plastic container glass bowl and cover with buttermilk, stirring to ensure all pieces are coated. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
Melt enough shortening (over low heat) to come just 1/8-inch up the side of a 12-inch cast iron skillet or heavy fry pan. Once shortening liquefies raise heat to 325°F. Do not allow oil to go over 325°F.
Drain chicken in a colander, propping the colander as necessary for complete drainage.
Combine salt, paprika, garlic powder, and cayenne pepper.
Liberally season chicken with this mixture.
Dredge chicken in flour and shake off excess.
Place chicken skin side down into the pan. Put thighs in the center, and breast and legs around the edge of the pan. The oil should come half way up the pan.
Cook chicken until golden brown on each side, approximately 10 to 12 minutes per side.
More importantly, the internal temperature should be right around 180 160°F. (Be careful to monitor shortening temperature every few minutes.)
Drain chicken on a rack over a sheet pan. Don't drain by setting chicken directly on paper towels or brown paper bags. If you need to hold the chicken before serving, cover loosely with foil but avoid holding in a warm oven, especially if it's a gas oven, to prevent the coating from moving from crispy to soggy.
The first image immediately above only shows four pieces of chicken, the drums and thighs. That's because the breasts weren't finished yet. They were still only at 140°F after frying 20 minutes. The breasts required another 10 minutes to get to 160°F. And that's because the breasts should've been cut in half to promote more even cooking.
Chicken darkness was either because the oil temperature wasn't monitored closely enough or because there wasn't enough oil in the skillet. Either way, I realize I didn't follow the directions.
So the big question: did the chicken taste good? Yeah, it did, though the chicken was too dark, as in burnt, for my preference, masking much of the seasonings. I had a drum while the potatoes were cooking, and then a drum and thigh with buttermilk-mashed potatoes, and those pieces were crispy and juicy. The rest of the chicken, one thigh and two breasts, are destined for soup and salads. It'll be delicious, I'm sure.
Oh, if you're wondering, the splatter screen? Totally worth it. While not perfect, I was quite surprised by how much oil was caught in it as the chicken fried. The oil that did escape, instead of becoming a slight coat over my entire kitchen, was a little more than slight coat in the immediate vicinity of the skillet. Of course, a skillet cover would've worked better, like that when I did Grandmother Paul's recipe.
Cost:
- chicken: $2.94
- buttermilk: $1.35
- seasonings: $1, SWAG
- flour: $0.64
- shortening: $3.50
Total: $9.43, $3.14 for each of three servings or $2.36 for each of four servings.
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