Adapted from several sources, but mostly Cook’s Illustrated
3 pounds chicken
BRINE:
5 cups buttermilk
1 cup kosher salt
2 heads garlic mash, but unpeel
1/4 cup sugar
2 tablespoons paprika
BATTER:
2 eggs
2 teaspoons baking powder
1 teaspoon baking soda
2 cups buttermilk
COATING:
6 cups flour
Mix brine ingredients in a large bowl. Place the chicken pieces in brining solution and refrigerate for two to three hours. Remove and place on rack to air-dry.
Mix batter ingredients and place in a large bowl. Place coating in large pan to coat chicken.
Coat chicken with flour, then place in batter. Drain excess batter off chicken and place in flour again and cover. Use tongs for transfers.
To fry, heat peanut oil to 375 degrees in a cast-iron skillet. Do not fill the pot more than half full with oil. Place five to six pieces of chicken, skin side down first, in the skillet and cook, covered for seven minutes. Turn chicken and cook, uncovered, for another seven minutes. Allow the oil to return to 375 degrees F before frying the next batch.
Remove the chicken from the oil and place each piece on a metal baking rack set on a sheet pan, keeping warm in the oven until ready to serve.
MY NOTE: The flavor and texture is really good. Brine is key. I found it a little too salty, so I'd knock it back to 3/4 cup salt. Also, get an instant-read thermometer. A candy thermometer in half a pan of oil is not very precise. Our oil was too hot and burned the skin.
MXF
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