Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Ingredients

• 4 thighs, bone in and skin on
• 4 drumsticks, bone in and skin on

Brine

• 5 lemon halves (from 2 1/2 lemons)
• 24 bay leaves
• 1/2 bunch parsley (approx 2 oz)
• 1/2 bunch thyme (approx 1/2 oz)
• 1/4 cup clover honey
• 1/2 head of garlic, halved through the equator
• 2 tbsp black peppercorns
• 1 cup kosher salt
• 6 cups water, separated (see Notes)
• 2 1/4 cups ice

Coating

• 3 cups all-purpose flour
• 1/4 cup garlic powder
• 1/4 cup onion powder
• 2 tsp sweet paprika
• 2 tsp cayenne pepper
• 2 tsp kosher salt
• 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• Makes 8 pieces of chicken

Directions

1. 1. Combine 4 cups water and the rest of the ingredients (except the ice) in a large pot, cover and bring to the boil. Boil for 1 minute, stirring to dissolve salt. Remove from the heat and add the remaining 2 cups water and the ice. Stir and cool at room temperature and then chill before using. (Can be made up to 3 days in advance.)
2. 2. Brine for up to 12 hours (see Notes).
3. For dredging and frying
4. Approx. 48 fl oz peanut oil, (see Notes)
5. 2 cup buttermilk

Coating

1. 1. Remove chicken from brine and discard brine. Rinse pieces under cold water and pat dry with paper towels. Let the chicken sit out for 1 hour, or until it comes up to room temperature.
2. 2. Heat oven to 400�F. Pour your oil into a large tall pot until the oil is 2 inches deep (make sure that the oil only comes up 1/3 the height of the sides of the pot). Using a deep fry/candy thermometer, heat oil to 320�F.
3. 3. Combine all the ingredients for the coating in a large bowl, stirring to make sure that they are evenly mixed. Transfer half the coating mixture to a second large bowl. Pour the buttermilk into a third bowl and season with a sprinkle of salt and pepper. Set up your dipping station � the chicken pieces, one bowl coating, the buttermilk, then the second bowl of coating.
4. 4. When the oil comes to temperature, dip as many pieces as will fit in your pot at one time, without being crowded, in to the coating, gently shaking off any excess; then buttermilk, allowing any extra to drip off; then second layer of coating, again gently removing any excess. Carefully lower the pieces into the oil.
5. 5. Fry for 2 minutes, before carefully moving the chicken pieces, continue to turn the chicken to make sure it cooks evenly. Fry for 10-12 minutes, or until the chicken is deep golden brown. Remove chicken pieces from the oil and place on a rack over a foil lined sheet pan to rest.
6. 6. Continue to cook the rest of the chicken in batches, adding the finished pieces to the cooling rack. When you have finished cooking your chicken, turn the heat under the oil off. If you feel as though the chicken is not warm enough, place the baking sheet in the oven for 2 minutes to ensure that the chicken is hot and the crust is crunchy.
7. 7. Let rest for a couple of minutes before serving, to allow the oil to cool slightly. Serve and enjoy!
8. Tips: Choose thighs and drumsticks if you like dark meat or, of course, use wings and breasts.
9. The temperature of the oil needs to be slightly higher at 340�F and the cooking time for breasts is 7 minutes and for wings, 6 minutes.
10. Notes: In this batch the chicken was brined mine for 2 1/2 hours and found it to be flavorful and extremely moist.
11. If you have 12 hours or have made in the brine in advance then double the amount of water added to the brine from 8 cups to 16 cups. This dilution will help prevent the chicken from becoming over-seasoned.
12. Oil for frying always seemed to be a huge waste, but it can be strained and rebottled and used again for frying other things.
13. Oil used to fry seafood should only be used for more seafood, as the flavor stays in the oil.