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Fourth of July: Crispy Crunchy Fried Chicken

Source of Recipe

Martha Stewart


List of Ingredients

1/2 cup coarse or kosher salt (or 6 tablespoons table salt)
3 quarts water
1 whole chicken, cut into serving pieces
1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup cornmeal
2 teaspoons dried thyme, oregano or pinch cayenne
1 teaspoon table salt
1 1/4 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
2 large eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
Peanut oil, for frying


Recipe

In a large bowl or pot, dissolve 1/2 cup kosher salt in 3 quarts of water. Rinse chicken pieces and add to bowl. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours. Remove chicken pieces and rinse under cool water. Clear space in the refrigerator to accommodate a wire cooling rack.
Mix together the next 5 ingredients (flour through pepper) and place in a large sealable plastic storage bag. Shake. In a medium bowl, whisk the eggs and then whisk in the buttermilk. Dip 1/2 the chicken pieces in the buttermilk, then place in the plastic bag. Shake, and place on a wire rack. Repeat for remaining pieces. Put the rack on a baking sheet and place in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour, but preferably 2 hours.

Put peanut oil in a large iron Dutch oven to a depth of 3/4-inch. Place over medium-high heat.

When oil reaches 365 degrees F (if you don't have a thermometer, simply wait until the oil starts to smoke, arrange chicken pieces in the pan, skin side down, and cover pan. After 5 minutes remove the cover. Adjust heat level if necessary so that oil bubbles at a moderate pace; not too rapidly and not too slowly. Rearrange pieces if some are browning more quickly than others. After 5 more minutes, turn the pieces over. Cook uncovered for 8 to 10 more minutes or until done. Meanwhile, thoroughly wash and dry the wire rack while the chicken is cooking.

Remove the fried chicken to the cleaned wire rack set over a baking sheet. Let drain for 5 minutes and serve.