What is your secret to great fried chicken.

[Logical]

I admit I miss my grandmothers (all of them) fried chicken. So what was the secret?

[chagrin]

If you want good Southern Fried Chicken, you have to go back - use lard or crisco and buttermilk, Salt, Black Pepper in the breading.

[SCTrojan]

My mom dipped the chicken pieces in eggs, then rolled them in a flour/salt/pepper mix. Fried them in crisco oil in an electric skillet. It's the one meal I request when I visit.

[JBucc]

My secret is to let someone who knows what they're doing make it and I just eat it.

[Calcountry]

Originally Posted by Logical

I admit I miss my grandmothers (all of them) fried chicken. So what was the secret?

You must start with fresh ingredients, take the Chicken.

Raise it fresh on broiler mash, then, when you want to cook, heat up a pot, go out and grab one, take a sharp knife and...

Well, you get the point.

Makes for delicious, flavorfull meat.

[cookster50]

Peachtree buffet

[Halfcan]

I go to Popeye's for my chicken.

[WARPARTY70]

Your batter should be buttermilk , then you should double dip the chicken first in the buttermilk batter then in the flour mix and repeat the process. I find that work best. As far as frying your chicken make sure the oil is hot , test by drop a small piece of bread in the oil, it should fry instantly The chicken should about half way in the oil this will seal in the juices. Brown the chicken and turn over and brown the other side. My family love my fried chicken!!!!!

[Halfcan]

I always boil my chicken before I do anything with it. It precooks it and gets all the nasty blood out of it.

[buddha]

Originally Posted by Halfcan

I always boil my chicken before I do anything with it. It precooks it and gets all the nasty blood out of it.

Boiling chicken isn't the road to edible fried chicken.

Basic fried chicken:

1. soak chicken pieces overnight in salt water (very important)
2. heat peanut oil in cast iron skillet until hard frying temperature (oil should be about half the way up the sides of the skillet)
3. dip chicken in buttermilk/egg mixture, roll in flour mixture (flour, seasoned salt, fresh cracked black pepper), dip back in the buttermilk/egg mixture, and final dip in flour.
4. fry about 7-8 mins on one side with lid on, and flip pieces for final five mins (no lid at the end).
5. drain on brown paper bag...no paper towels.

[OmegaRed]

Originally Posted by Logical

I admit I miss my grandmothers (all of them) fried chicken. So what was the secret?

My secret for chicken whether it's fried or bbq is a brine. Just get a big bowl full of water, put in a couple handfuls of salt and drop in the chicken. Cover it with plastic wrap and put it in the fridge for 30 min to an hour. Then pull them out and pat them down with paper towels. The chicken will soak up the brine and guarentees they'll stay juicy. Using buttermilk is always better. If you want you can add some of your favorite hot sauce to the buttermilk. Then dip into the sauce, dip into your seasoned flour, then back into the buttermilk, and one more time into the flour. Bring your oil (peanut is best for fried chicken but any of them except olive will do) to 380 degrees. I've never tried putting them in the fridge after the batter and before the oil but it sounds good and I'll try that next time. When you put cold chicken in hot oil the temp of the oil will come down. You'll have to adjust after this. The magic number is 360 degrees. As soon as it's golden brown it should be done. Use smaller pieces of chicken. The big pieces won't be done on the inside if you bring them out when the color is right and you'll have to finish them in the oven. If you put them back in the oil the outside will burn by the time the inside is done. Smaller pieces are perfect.

For bbq. Add brown sugar to the salted brine.

[greg63]

Originally Posted by milkman

KFC?

http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showt...4&page=4&pp=15


post #55

[MahiMike]

Buy it. Preferably in a southern town like mine. Took the family to the oldest fried chicken place in town yesterday. Complete w/fixins - cream peas, rice, mashed potatoes and gravy. And of course biscuits w/honey! mmmm mmmm mmmm!

[Logical]

Originally Posted by buddha

Boiling chicken isn't the road to edible fried chicken.

Basic fried chicken:

1. soak chicken pieces overnight in salt water (very important)
2. heat peanut oil in cast iron skillet until hard frying temperature (oil should be about half the way up the sides of the skillet)
3. dip chicken in buttermilk/egg mixture, roll in flour mixture (flour, seasoned salt, fresh cracked black pepper), dip back in the buttermilk/egg mixture, and final dip in flour.
4. fry about 7-8 mins on one side with lid on, and flip pieces for final five mins (no lid at the end).
5. drain on brown paper bag...no paper towels.

This appears to be the most simmilar to what I remember. I guess the key I am missing is how much spice per flour ratio to make the tasty crust.

Though I am pretty sure they used lard with bacon drippings instead of peanut oil

[Braincase]

The original Brookville Hotel.

[plbrdude]

my secret is to let my wife cook it.
i can cook lots of stuff, but good fried chicken is not one of them.