Just Can't Seem To Get It Right

[Topper]

Peg,

Try this recipe, it hasn't failed me yet:

Southern Living: Our Best Southern Fried Chicken

Yield: Makes 4 servings

3 quarts water
1 tablespoon salt
1 (2- to 2 1/2-pound) broiler-fryer, cut up
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon pepper
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups vegetable oil
1/4 cup bacon drippings

Combine water and 1 tablespoon salt in a large bowl; add chicken. Cover and chill 8 hours. Drain chicken; rinse with cold water, and pat dry.

Combine 1 teaspoon salt and pepper; sprinkle half of pepper mixture evenly over chicken. Combine remaining pepper mixture and flour in a large freezer bag. Place 2 pieces of chicken in bag; seal. Shake to evenly coat. Remove chicken, and repeat procedure with remaining chicken, 2 pieces at a time.

Combine vegetable oil and bacon drippings in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet or chicken fryer; heat to 360°. Add chicken, a few pieces at a time, skin side down. Cover and cook 6 minutes; uncover and cook 9 minutes.

Turn chicken pieces; cover and cook 6 minutes. Uncover and cook 5 to 9 minutes, turning pieces during the last 3 minutes for even browning, if necessary. Drain on paper towels.

Note: For best results, keep the oil temperature between 300° to 325° as you fry the chicken. Also, you may substitute 2 cups buttermilk for the saltwater solution used to soak the chicken pieces. Proceed as directed.

Southern Living, AUGUST 2003

 

[golfgal]

Looks good, but not what I remember eating for so many years. All of the recipies I see result in chicken with an overall coating. That's not really what I want. I want chicken that really isn't coated, but just has crunchy areas. Maybe, I've lost my mind!

I think the recipe I used was over coated, at least for my liking. Some of the skin/batter fell off one piece of chicken and I just browned the chicken without the coating and it was good.

Usually when I make chicken I season the skin and put it in the oven at 350 for 30-45 minutes depending on the size of the pieces. The skin comes out crispy. If I "fry" it, I lightly dredge in flour, fry on the stove until brown then put everything into the oven to finish cooking. I use very little oil when I do that and it gets crispy but not "battered".

 

[doxdogy]

Peg you are describing the fried chicken that my mom use to make too. No batter, no soaking in anything. She used just flour, salt and pepper. Hers always came out crispy, tender and juicy. She would then make a gravy (she called it bulldog gravy) to serve over biscuits. I finally gave up trying to replicate her fried chicken.

 

[lovemygoofy]

Peg you are describing the fried chicken that my mom use to make too. No batter, no soaking in anything. She used just flour, salt and pepper. Hers always came out crispy, tender and juicy. She would then make a gravy (she called it bulldog gravy) to serve over biscuits. I finally gave up trying to replicate her fried chicken.

My grandma made the same chicken. Hers had no real breading like the other receipes. The chicken was seasoned and then fried with just the skin on and nothing else.

Peg, I don't think using crisco will do it anymore. It has changed so much. Try a peanut oil because you can get it screaming hot. The skillet needs to be really hot and plenty of oil in the skillet, at least halfway up the skillet.

Don't put the lid on the skillet as it just "steams" the chicken from the condensation of the heat. My mama has a splatter screen that she used and I use one now as well.

Now I'm craving fried chicken too damnit and that's a big no no for the next month until after my next physical. I'll just make some baked fried chicken.

 

[Feralpeg]

Thanks, guys! At least I know I'm not just hallucinating! I'll try the peanut oil! Sorry to make everyone hungry for fried chicken!

 

[crz4mm2]

My Mom used an electric skillet and she DID put the lid on after it was browned... She did the milk and eggs and then flour with salt in a brown paper bag.
LOVE it.
Oh, she made "milk" gravy afterwards too. Drain the oil, put in a couple of big spoonfuls of flour, scrape the bottom of the skillet (all those wonderful fried pieces of "stuff" that was left) and then add the milk and cook, stirring all the while, until thick.

 

[busyshrew]

My mom cooked the best fried chicken when I was growing up, she also used crisco. After many, many times trying to get it right myself.....I finally did. The problems I had was the oil (I use vegetable oil) was not hot enough. All I do is put about a 1/2 inch of oil in a large regular non stick deep frying pan, wait until the oil is very hot, but not too hot (set on med-high), it takes about 15 minutes to get hot. I test it by sprinkling a pinch of flour in it, if it instantly dissolves, it's ready. I then sprinkle chicken (legs & thighs with skin) with salt & pepper, coat in flour then place in pan, covered. I do not turn them until 15-20 minutes, then same amount for the other side. Mine turns out crispy & perfect everytime & everyone loves it.

It takes forever and stinks up the house so I rarely cook it.

I make schnitzel for DD & DH - they LOVE it. Can't get enough. But it's a similar technique to what you've described and the house stinks like ..... well, like schnitzel! For at least a day. So it's a constant negotiation, with the two of them begging, and me trying to put them off.