Fried Chicken
Fried chicken in the American South grew from two kitchens: Scottish cooks who shallow fried chicken in fat, and African cooks who added bold seasoning and the practice of deep frying. This version leans on a salted buttermilk soak, which seasons the meat through and leaves a gentle tang under the flour crust. The recipe gives three ways to cook it, so you can use a deep fryer, a cast iron skillet or a pressure fryer.
Instructions
Mix your chosen dry seasonings in whatever proportions you like to make a spice rub. In a bowl, stir the salt into the buttermilk until it dissolves.
Roll each piece of chicken in the spice rub, then submerge it in the salted buttermilk. Cover the bowl and refrigerate. Two hours is the minimum and the flavor will be thinner, while overnight is better, but for an overnight soak cut the salt to ⅓ cup.
Shortly before cooking, lift the chicken out of the buttermilk and let it drain. Roll each piece in flour until well coated, then shake off the excess.
To deep fry, which is the safest method, lower the chicken into oil at 360°F. Breasts and wings take 10 minutes, drumsticks 12 minutes, and thighs 13 to 14 minutes.
To pan fry in the traditional way, heat oil or shortening in a cast iron skillet until it reaches 325°F and comes 3 to 4 mm up the side of the pan. Lay the chicken in carefully, skin side down, and cook for 10 to 12 minutes until brown, then turn and brown the other side. Put slower-cooking pieces like thighs in the hottest part of the pan, and take care with spattering oil.
To pressure fry, you need a proper pressure fryer, since an ordinary pressure cooker is not suitable for this much oil, and you should follow the maker's instructions. Add the chicken to hot oil, larger pieces first, and fry for about 3 minutes until very light brown. Then lock on the lid and cook at 5 to 6 pounds of pressure for about 7 minutes.
Whichever method you use, drain the finished chicken on a wire rack set over a sheet pan. It is also very good the next day, served cold from the refrigerator.
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