Buttermilk Fried Chicken

INGREDIENTS

3–4 pounds whole chicken or chicken pieces

2 cups buttermilk

1 cup water

3 tablespoons kosher salt

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

2 teaspoons garlic powder

6 whole black peppercorns

2 large sprigs fresh rosemary

8 small sprigs fresh thyme

2 more cups of buttermilk

3 cups all-purpose flour

1 ½ teaspoons kosher salt

1 teaspoon white pepper

¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

1 ½ teaspoons garlic powder

1 ½ teaspoons onion powder

1 teaspoon paprika

INSTRUCTIONS

Cut chicken into 10 pieces (2 wings, 2 thighs, 2 legs and two breast halves cut in half again) and place in a gallon zip lock bag.

In a bowl mix two cups of buttermilk with water, salt, sugar, 2 teaspoons garlic powder, peppercorns, rosemary and thyme.

Pour marinade over chicken. Press out air and refrigerate overnight for at least 12 hours and as long as 24 hours.

The next day discard marinade and rinse chicken pieces under cold water.

Place chicken pieces on a rack that sits over a sheet pan and let sit at room temperature for one hour.

Place two cups of buttermilk in a medium bowl.

In a separate medium bowl, place flour, salt, pepper, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder and paprika. Whisk to combine.

Place a cast iron skillet on your burner and add enough lard to come half way up the side of the pan. Heat to 340 degrees F. Use a candy thermometer or other means to maintain that temperature and never go any higher.

Turn oven on to warm and place a rack over a sheet tray and set aside.

Cook four breast pieces first by placing in butter milk, then flour, then back in buttermilk then back into flour mixture. On this second pass, really push the flour into the chicken so it has clumps of flour. This will provide a nice crispy crust.

Use tongs and place the chicken breasts skin side down one at a time into the hot fat. Each piece will froth up the fat, so be careful that it doesn’t froth over. Adding one piece at a time and waiting a few seconds for the froth to die down before adding the next one will avoid any issues.

Cook the breasts for about four minutes then check color of bottom using tongs. If nice and golden, flip with tongs and continue cooking for about 12-16 minutes total. I turned mine a few additional times to get an even brownness. They are done when the internal temperature is 165 degrees F. Use a probe thermometer.

Remove these to the pan with the rack and place in the oven to keep warm while you cook the remaining chicken.

Once the fat is back up to 340 degrees F, double bread the remaining pieces as before and start by placing the thighs in, skin side down. Then add legs skin side down, then finally the wings.

As before, wait about 4-5 minutes, check color and flip to cook both sides.

The wings will be done first, then the legs and thighs. Use tongs to move each to the rack in the oven. The same internal temperature rule of 165 degrees applies, however the cooking time will be less by 2-4 minutes overall.

I don’t salt after they come out of the fat because I think they are seasoned correctly and do not need additional salt.

NOTES
Some bacon fat can be added to the lard for additional smoky flavor, but don’t let Welton see you do it.

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