Foods to Die For: Fried Chicken (United States)

Friday, April 13, 2012

Fried Chicken (United States)

      In the United States there is a term which encompasses all manner of dishes. The term is Comfort Food and it is given to any dish that brings you "comfort" when you eat it. For most, there is no comfort food greater than a simple batch of Fried Chicken.
      Fried Chicken just does something to you when you eat it, almost as if one bite makes your heart skip a beat. Unfortunatley, this is exaclty what your heart will do if you eat to much fried chicken. If you are fealing beaten down during your week, trying to give your kids to actually sit at the dinner table and talk to you, or are you just trying to clear away a case of the monday's then fried chicke is the dish you need.
      The key to fried chicken that is crisp and juicy is in a few steps.  First, use a good coating. If your coating is so thick that you can't get chicken and coating all in one bite, then you are doing something wrong.  Secondly, no matter what technique you are using to fry your chicken, always make sure that you cook the chicken all the way through. There is no greater sin in the culinary world than giving someone Salminela poisoning. Thirdly, experiment with your oils, if you don't like to use the traditional lard as your fried chicken base then use peanut or sunflower oil.
      The secret to my fried chicken is that I take my time. Secondly I cheat in a way to ensure my chicken is cooked all of the way through.  Before putting my chiken in the oil, I put it in the oven. Now some older cooks say that this is cheating but I say that if it ensures each peace is juicy, and keeps the salminila away. Please Enjoy!

Nick's Buttermilk Fried Chicken

5-6 pounds chicken pieces: legs, thighs, breasts, wings

7 cups water

1/4 cup sea salt

3 tablespoons garlic salt

2 tablespoons rosemary

2 cups buttermilk

1 tablespoon salt

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper

3 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup corn meal

2 1/2 cups vegetable oil

3 slices slab bacon

Trim any fat overhang from your chicken pieces. If any of the pieces of the backbone are still attached to the thigh or breast remove them from with a pair of kitchen sheers. In a large container mix together the water, salt, garlic salt, and roesemary. Place the chicken into the conatiner and cover. Refrigerate your chicken for about three hours to brine ( a type of cooking technique).

After the chicken has brined, remove from the brine and gently rinse for about five minutes under cold water. Pat dry with a paper towel before continuing.

In a medium sized bowl mix together the buttermilk, salt, and cayenne pepper. In another bowl comgine the flour and cornmeal. Dredge the chicken first in the buttermilk then dredge the chicken in the flour coating. Repeat this process for each piece of chicken.

Place the coated chicken onto a baking sheet and bake in a 350* oven for about 15 minutes. Remove the chicken from the oven and allow to cool slightly before continuing. In a large skillet or pan heat the vegetable oil and bacon until the oil reaches 325* (See Note).

Place the chicken skin side down into the oil and cook for about 10 minutes per side, or until the coating has become golden brown. Flip and cook the other side of the chicken for an additional 10 minutes or until golden brown (See Note).

Remove the chicken from the oil to a paper towel lined baking sheet to allow any excess oil to run off. While allowing the chicken to rest for about 5 minutes place an instant read meat thermometer into the thickest part of each chicken piece. If the chicken registers 165* then it is done. If not then return it to the oven for 6-7 minuts or until the meat registers 165*. Serve while hot.

Serves 6.

Note:

(1) if you do not have a thermometer when frying your chicken you can still register the temperature by using the tip of a wooden spoons handle. Set the heat to medium and place allow about 5 minutes for the oil and bacon to heat. Place the handle of the wooden spoon into the oil. If a steady stream of bubbles begin to roll up from the handle, then the oil is ready to fry. If no bubbles form then you must continue to heat. If the bubbles are rapid like boiling water then you must reduce the heat.

(2) the secret to golden brown chicken is to not crowd your chicken, and secondly to no turn your chicken before it has become golden brown. As long as you heat your oil evenly and follow these steps you should have no trouble.

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Dictionary of Cooking Terms

Al Dente: Italian meaning 'to the tooth' used to describe pasta or other food that is cook only until it is tender but not yet soft.
Baste: to spoon or brush food as it cooks with melted butter or other fat, meat drippings, or liquid (try a small amount of wine).
Beat: Making a mixture smooth by adding air from a stiff stirring motion with a wooden spoon, spatuala, or electric mixture.
Blanch: To plunch a fruit or vegetable into hot water for a short time, then into cold water to stop the cooking process. Used to cook vegetables while keeping the color. Great to loosen skin from fruits and vegetables.
Blend: To mix two or more ingredients with a spoon, fork, or spatula just until combined
Boil: Heating a liquid until it begins to reach a consistent boil.
Braise: Cooking teqhnique to where food is first browned in fat, then cooked on a low heat covered in a small amount of liquid. first done on the range then finished on the range or in the oven.
Bread:to coat food in a type of carbohydrate. Usually done by first coating in a liquid then coating in a type of breading (bread, crumbs, or crackers).
Broil: to cook food directly over or under a heat source with no covering.
Candied: To either cook in a sugar or a sugar syrup. Either the syrup is poured over the food or it is cooked in the syrup until translucent.
Carmelize: To melt sugar over low heat until it browns. This term can apply to the cooking of meats as well with you are creating a thick brown coating to the meat.
Chill: to cover and place in the refrigerator in order to reduce the temperature.
Chop: to use a knife or cleaver to cut food into small pieces. When chopping food the pieces should be larger and more course then minced food.
Cool: to remove from a heat source and allow to come down to room temperature.
Cream: to beat until a mixture is soft and smooth. When applied to mixing a fat, such as butter or shortening, and a sugar you should mix until fluffy.
Curdle: Most commonly occurs in milk based sauces and in some egg products. It is when the Curds(the lumps most commonly associated with spoiled milk) seperate from the Whey (the liquid). Usually trigured by heat.
Cut In: a term used when you mix shortening with flour. Usually done with a pastry blender or two knives. Cutting continues until the mixture reaches the "Small Peas" phase.
Dash: adding an ingredient that is less than 1/8th of a teaspoon. Usually can be measured with a small amount of the ingredient in the palm.
De-Glaze: Done after cooking in a pan and fat has been removed. Liquid is added to the pan and heated while stirring to remove the brown bits and possibly create a base for a sauce.
Dice: to cut food into small uniform cubes.
Dredge: to lightley coat food which will later be fried. First dredge in a liquid then in crumbs, this process may be repeated for a better coating.
Egg Wash: Brushing a pastry with either a whole egg, egg white, or egg mixed with water or milk. Usually done to give better appeal.
Flambe: To add liquor to foods and set ablaze with with a long match or flame from a gas range.
Fold: A technique used to gently combine a light, airy mixture (such as egg whites, or heavy cream) into a heavier mixture.
Fry: A generic term used when cooking food in hot fat over medium to high heat. If "Pan Frying" a shallow layer of fat is added to the pan and the food is not fully emersed in the fat. If "Deep Frying" then the food is completely submerged in the hot fat to cook.
Garnish: An edible decoration given to finished dishes.
Glaze:A mixture applied to food which hardens or becomes firm and adds flavor and a glossy appearance.
Grate: To rub a food item on a grater that separates the food into very fine particles.
Grease: To rub the bottom and sides of a pan with butter, shortening, cooking spray, or oil.
Grill: To prepare food on a grill over some form of heat source. Usually hot coals, gas flame, or wood.
Knead: To work dough with the heal of the hand pushing down against the dough and then folding.
Marinate:To allow a food to stand in a liquid to tenderize or add flavor.
Mince: to cut food into very small pieces. When mincing food the pieces sould be larger than a long grain of rice but smaller than a dime.
Poach: To cook food in hot liquid just below boiling point, being careful that the food holds its shape while cooking.
Puree: To process foods to a smooth mixture in a blender, food processor, food mill, or sieve.
Reduce: To boil a liquid until the volume has "reduced" by evaporation, which thickens the consistency of the liquid and amplifies the flavor.
Render: To melt animal fat (ie bacon) over low heat to separate it from any meat. The remains are called cracklings (named for the sound made by when chopping the remains)
Roast: To cook uncovered without any added liquid. Usually done in an oven.
Roux: A mixture of flour and fat which, after being cooked slowly, is added to soups, stew, chowders and sauces to thicken.
Saute: To cook food quickly in a small amount of fat in a skillet or saute pan over direct heat.
Scald: to bring to a temperature just below the boiling point where tiny bubbles form at the edge of the pan.
Scallop: To bake food, usually in a casserole, with sauce or other liquid. A crunchy topping is usually added during the end of the baking process.
Score: To cut narrow grooves into the skin of some sort of meat.
Sear: To brown the surface of the meat very quickly with intense heat.
Shred: To tear the food narrow strips either by hand or by the use of a machine or tool.
Sift: To pass dry dingredients through a fine mesh sifter so any large pieces can be removed. This process also adds air to the ingredients.
Simmer: To cook food genly in a liquid on a heat low enough that only tiny bubbles begin to form.
Skewer: A long thin pointed rod that comes in various sizes. Used to hold the food in place during the cooking process.
Skim: To remove fat or foam from surface of liquid with a spoon.
Soften: To let cold butter, cream cheese, etc stand at room temperature until it reaches a soft consistency.
Soft Peaks: To beat egg whites or whipping cream till peaks are formed when beaters are lifted, but the tips still curl over.
Steam:To cook in a small amount of water in order for steam to form and cook the food lightly. More water may be added when all the original water has evaporated.
Steep: To extract color, flavor, or other qualities from a substance by leaving it in liquid just below the boiling point.
Stew: To simmer slowly in a small amount of liquid
Stiff Peaks: To beat egg whites or whipping cream until the peaks stand straigh when beaters are lifted, but are still moist and glossy.
Stir Fry: A Chinese method of cooking diced food in a small amount of hot oil over high heat, stiring consitently
Toss: To turn pieces of food over multiple times in order to mix the ingredients together.
Truss: A method which allows food (mainly poultry) to hold its shape during the cooking process. This is done with either cooking twine or bamboo skewers.

Friday, April 13, 2012

Fried Chicken (United States)

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