Fried Chicken Forever- Sunday Savoring

Leftovers in their less visible form are called memories. Stored in the refrigerator of the mind and the cupboard of the heart.

Thomas Fuller

Growing up in the '60's meant walking home from church to find mother standing in front of the alter of our home: a four burner white O'Keefe &; Merritt stove. Mom would be dressed as if she was going on a nice date.Mom looked like a movie star then. Her Donna Reed dress played up her hour glass figure. Nylons hugged her legs, practical pump elongated them. Her curly hair was lacquered in place with Aqua Net hairspray. Her face was powdered, her cheeks rouged in the same fire engine red as her lips. Only the apron, crisply pressed and starched,  gave away that she would not be going out.

Over the rings of dancing blue flames, 2 large skillets of hot Crisco oil bubbled with chicken frying.  The thought of how my mother's chicken scented the air makes me nostalgic for a time which really is better in my memory than it was in real life.

Cut up, rinse, then trim a plump fresh chicken of excess fat.

Prepare the brine by combining in a large bowl

1 1/2 cups Buttermilk

1 rounded tsp. Salt

2 good splashes Tabasco Sauce

1 Tbsp Old Bay Seasoning
1 Tbsp Pepper

1 tsp Paprika

1 Tbsp Black Pepper

1/4 tsp Cayenne Pepper.

Turn the chicken pieces to individually coat. Cover and soak in the refrigerator 4 hours to overnight.

Prepare the dredging

1- 3/4 cups Biscuit Mix
1/4 cup Rice Flour

1 Tbsp Pepper

1 tsp garlic salt

1 Tbsp Old Bay Seasoning.

About an hour before you are ready to serve, preheat the oven to 400° F .

Heat enough quality oil in a deep skillet to come up more than half way on the fattest chicken piece. When the oil reaches between 350- 375° F - a drop of water instantly sizzles.

While the oil  comes to temp- Pull the chicken pieces through the flour mixture to coat all sides.

Starting with the largest pieces and avoiding crowding the pan, carefully lay the chicken in the hot oil .

 In 3-4 minutes- a crispy crust will form- turn carefully. As each piece becomes encrusted in an amber brown, place on a raised rack set atop a roasting pan. 

Repeat with the rest of chicken pieces. Slide the pan into the oven to finish cooking.  Check in 15 minutes- pull the pieces out as they reach an internal temperature of 160 ° F on an instant read thermometer. As a rule of thumb- 15 minutes for the wings- 20 minutes for the legs and thighs. The breasts might need another 15 -20 minutes- like a bra- it all depends on how buxom the breasts you started with.

The current Cook's Illustrated (Sept.- Oct. 2010) is much like my own- crisping cut up chicken marinated in a buttermilk brine, then finishing in the oven. If you want to know WHY all this works- get a copy.

What we do today should be worthy of a memory. My window is inching towards completion.. By the next Sabbath it should be ready for framing. My husband is experimenting with a technique for his part in our collaboration.

This Sunday- I wish you beautiful sunsets and a life creating memories. May today's gift be future memories  which will be remembered as  past perfect.

Amen.