Fried chicken is a Southern staple, and to be a good Southern cook you better know how to make it. I do. I like to use small fresh chickens for frying because the flavor of the meat is better. And speaking of flavor, I like to fry my chicken in pure pork lard, which gives it a richness and down-home essence that vegetable oil just can’t replicate. You can buy good high-quality lard—and I’m not talking about the soapy-looking white blocks sold in some supermarkets—from any reputable butcher. What makes my fried chicken special is the mixture of spices I use—note that both chili powder and sugar are involved—and the tangy richness that buttermilk lends.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 4
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
In a large bowl, combine all the dry ingredients. Mix together with a fork until thoroughly combined. Set aside.
Step 2
In another large bowl, beat the eggs into the buttermilk. Coat the chicken pieces in the egg-and-buttermilk mixture, and then dredge them in the seasoned flour. Repeat, coating the chicken again with the egg-and-buttermilk mixture and then dredging them again in the seasoned flour mixture, to create a double layer of batter. Set the pieces on a clean platter.
Step 3
Pour the lard or oil to a depth of 1 inch in a large cast-iron skillet, and heat it over medium heat until the temperature reaches 325˚F on a deep-frying thermometer. Add the chicken pieces, in batches, and cook for about 20 minutes, turning them over halfway through cooking. The wings will be done after 10 minutes. Drain the chicken thoroughly on paper towels, and serve immediately.
