Sunday Buttermilk Fried Chicken
The Sacred Sunday Dinner: The Midday Feast
Long before fast food buckets dominated the landscape, Southern fried chicken was a profound American synthesis, marrying Scottish shallow frying with West African seasoning and battering techniques. We don't all have two days to brine a bird and render lard, but we can capture that exact, heart-stoppingly perfect flavor on a weeknight. The secret isn't in obscure heritage ingredients, but in the patience of a heavily seasoned buttermilk soak, a touch of cornstarch for shatteringly crisp skin, and trusting your heavy cast iron skillet.
Before you start
Submerge the chicken in heavily seasoned buttermilk.
In a large bowl, mix the buttermilk, hot sauce, half the kosher salt, and half the black pepper. Drop the chicken in, ensure every piece is coated, and refrigerate for at least four hours or overnight to break down the proteins and pull the seasoning deep into the bone.
Whisk together the dry ingredients for the crust.
In a large shallow dish, combine the flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, and the remaining salt and pepper.
Dredge the chicken and let it rest on a wire rack for at least twenty minutes.
Pull the chicken from the buttermilk, press it firmly into the seasoned flour, and place it on a wire rack. Do not rush this; letting it sit turns the flour into a tacky paste that bonds to the skin, guaranteeing your crust won't slide off in the hot fat.
Ingredients
- chicken thighs and drumsticks4 lb
- whole buttermilk2 cup
- hot sauce2 tbsp
- kosher salt2 tbsp
- black pepper2 tsp
- all purpose flour2 cup
- cornstarch1/2 cup
- sweet paprika1 tbsp
- garlic powder2 tsp
- onion powder2 tsp
- cayenne pepper1/2 tsp
- peanut oil1 qt
Method
- 01
Bring an inch and a half of peanut oil to 350°F in a heavy cast iron skillet.
Cast iron is non-negotiable here because it holds heat brilliantly and creates gorgeous caramelized spots where the chicken touches the pan. Pour in the oil and heat over medium-high until a deep-fry thermometer hits 350°F.
- 02
Carefully lower the chicken into the oil skin side down and fry in batches.
The temperature will drop when the cold meat hits the fat; adjust your stove to maintain a steady, rolling fry around 315°F to 325°F. Overcrowding the pan plummets the temperature and leaves you with greasy, steamed bird.
- 03
Fry for twelve to fifteen minutes total, turning once.
Let the pieces cook undisturbed until deep golden brown, then flip with tongs and finish until the thickest part registers 165°F for white meat or 175°F for dark meat.
- 04
Move the finished chicken to a clean wire rack and season immediately.
Never put fried chicken directly on paper towels unless you want trapped steam to ruin the crust you just worked so hard to build. Set it on a rack over paper towels, hit it with a final pinch of salt, and let it rest for ten minutes to lock in the juices.
Notes
Keep batches hot in a low oven.
If you are making a mountain of chicken, keep the finished pieces on a wire rack in a 200°F oven while you fry the rest. It keeps them piping hot and safely renders off excess oil without overcooking.
The secret to the crunch is the cornstarch.
The half cup of cornstarch in the dredge is a generational secret; it inhibits gluten formation in the flour, yielding a lighter crust that stays crunchy long after the chicken has cooled down.
From Cook Southern Food.