Chef notes
Carson's mother grew up all over the world, but her roots were in North Carolina. She would tell stories about her days on her grandmother's farm and the family-style dinners with proper Southern cuisine. I am so thankful she shared her recipes with me. When we eat this crispy, juicy fried chicken it feels like she's sitting at the table with us.
Technique tip: Make sure to monitor the temperature of the oil when frying — if it gets too hot, it will burn, and if too cold, the exterior will be mushy.
Ingredients
- 2½ pounds dark meat chicken pieces
- 1 quart whole buttermilk
- 5 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
- 1 teaspoon black pepper, divided
- 4 cups all-purpose flour
- Vegetable shortening
Preparation
1.In a large baking dish, soak the chicken in the buttermilk overnight.
2.In a shallow dish, whisk together the eggs, 1 teaspoon of the salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of the pepper. In a second shallow dish, whisk together the flour and remaining 1 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper.
3.Melt enough vegetable shortening in a cast-iron skillet over medium-high until the melted shortening is about 1 inch deep in the skillet. Heat to 325°F.
4.Remove the chicken from the buttermilk, allowing most of the buttermilk to drip back into the bowl. Dredge in the flour mixture; dip in the egg mixture, and dredge again in the flour mixture.
5.Carefully place the chicken in the hot skillet, and fry until golden and cooked through with an internal temperature of about 170°F, about 15 minutes, turning halfway through. Remove the chicken, and place on a baking sheet lined with paper towels to drain.
Excerpted from Siriously Delicious by Siri Daly. Copyright © 2018 Oxmoor House. Reprinted with permission from Time Inc. Books, a division of Meredith Corporation. New York, NY. All rights reserved.
TODAY has affiliate relationships, so we may get a small share of the revenue from your purchases. Items are sold by the retailer, not by TODAY.