Fried chicken can be an incredibly simple dish, or an extremely complicated one, depending on your preferences. There are all kinds of secret recipes for this all American dish – just about as many of them as there are cooks who make it at home. So, how do you make the perfect fried chicken? If you are frying for the very first time, or you would like to look at some interesting options to improve your cooking, here are a few tips.
One of the areas where a lot of people have strongly different opinions on making fried chicken is what to do before you begin battering and frying your bird. There are complex combinations of ingredients used to soak the meat, various different batters and breading, and many other options. What you do before you fry is a big point of contention. It can be pretty confusing.
Many of us are still making fried chicken the way our family always has, and the way Mom did it or the recipe Grandma used usually tastes the best. Old family recipes are popular and common, but things can be trickier if your family never bothered to write down how it was done!
Treating Your Chicken Before Frying
Before you start cooking, soaking your meat pieces in liquid can add moisture and flavor. Soaks can vary a lot, but the purpose and effect is usually the same. One old southern favorite is buttermilk, which has acid in it that tenderizes the poultry as well as moistening it. Start the soak the night before you plan to cook the poultry for the best results.
Buttermilk soaks are usually used overnight, and then the meat will be coated in a mix of flour and seasonings. Some people would rather use beer batter or bread crumbs instead. Consider experimenting to discover what your favorites are. This is the kind of learning process you could really get to enjoy, after all.
Using Brine
Buttermilk is not the only soak you can use when you are making southern batter fried chicken. Use of brine to add a little more flavor and keep the meat moist and tender is also common. Making sure your meat does not turn to leather while it is frying is important, since this meat dries out pretty easily when it gets hot.
Brining is faster than soaking in buttermilk, so it is done only a few hours before cooking. Make a salt water solution with herbs and seasonings that are desirable and brine your pieces of poultry for two to three hours after cutting off extra skin and fat. The results will be delicious and the bird will be tender.
Fried chicken is such a classic dish that everyone has his or her own secret recipe for it. Trying all the different options can be an incredible taste experience. Eventually you will find out, which is your favorite, and you might stick with it. However, a lot of the fun is in trying all the different recipes out.
Fried chicken is one of the most popular food choices in the world. If you’d like to learn more about it and find delicious recipes to try, visit us at SouthernFriedChickenRecipe.com.