Happy Valentines Day

MidnightBlue72 · 02-15-2010, 02:15:10 AM

Wife told me, "Dont get me a gift, DO NOT buy me chocolates, just make me some of your mom's southern fried chicken."

Took about a split second to respond, "No problem."

I made chicken thighs, fresh mashed taters and sweet white corn.

I season my chicken flour with pepper, salt and garlic powder and littler sugar. I mix flour and a little corn starch and mix up the seasoned flour. I put the chicken in the mix and put everything into a plastic bag. <Adding a few table spoons of corn startch will put ONE HELLUVA crunch in that chicken>

I rolll the chicken around untill the flour coats everything. Now most people throw it in the oil, no us, let it sit in the fridge over night.

This creates a dry rub like mix and the chicken releases some moisture creating a thick tacky like batter FULL of seasoning. Being a salt based rub, it LOCKS in the moisture.

Deep fry in the old iron skillet just enough so the chicken is 3/4 under the oil. This allows some of the moisture to escape the top of the chicken which prevents the crust from sliding off in one bite <thanks mom>

When the chicken is a dark golden brown, she's done. The cooking temp should be medium low, the chicken thighs are thick so you gotta reduce the heat to prevent cooked exterior and raw exterior.

OMG, I nearly cried, yes really. Biting into that chicken and remembering mom showing me her secrets when I was a child, she seemed to be alive again. My wife kept saying, Bob your momma would be so proud.

I love my wife.

72350RS · 02-16-2010, 05:55:08 PM

With a post like this, I'm trying this tomorrow or Thursday! Any measurements, or is it by sight, feel, and taste?

I have my great grandmother's deep, iron skillet that has just been waiting for the right recipe..

Thanks again.....

rscamaro73 · 02-16-2010, 10:27:21 PM

Thanks for the post Bob.

rgearhead · 02-16-2010, 10:37:41 PM

I do it the exzact same way, with out the overnight in the fridge pre-battered, will give this a try this weekend ... Keep ya posted : )

probizjudi · 02-19-2010, 01:47:04 PM

OMG, my mouth is watering! Wish I had known a few of those secrets before! gotta try this one!

probizjudi · 02-19-2010, 02:08:20 PM

What kind of oil did u use for frying the chicken?

I dont have a cast iron skillet anymore but a large T-fal skillet I use for everything, hope it will be OK to use that? I know theres nothing like cast iron tho. Maybe oughta get one

Thx!

MidnightBlue72 · 02-21-2010, 07:03:36 PM

DOH, forgot I add pepper too. Measurements are to taste, sorry. Mom was first generation Japanese and well... they dont measure and all their receipes are in there heads.

Well I'll try.

12 chicken thighs

6-8 cups flour

salt
pepper
garlic powder
couple tea spoons sugar

The salt, well, I didnt measure it's all to taste. You can actually take a small pinch of the seasoned flour/corn starch and taste it. As far as the heavy iron skillet, mom always told me use the HEAVIEST skillet you have. Why? No idea, cuz momma said, LOL.

Remember, dark golden brown, each side. Only cover the chicken 3/4 in oil, this lets the moisture escape so when you bite it, the crust doesnt slide off in one piece.

That is all.

Love, peace and..............chicken grease.

girl-E · 02-21-2010, 08:13:02 PM

Fried chicken on V-day?? Now THAT kind of meal could make me stop hating Valentines Day!

rscamaro73 · 02-28-2010, 09:43:15 AM

Prolly the reason for the heavy ass skillet - its when you put the 'cold' chicken in 'hot' oil, you lose some of the temp, and the chicken soaks the oil up rather than cook in it. I see that over here frying things. Except when we make 'pastels'.

http://www.cookbrazil.com/pastel.htm

But we cheat

Instead of MAKING the dough, we use WON TON WRAPPERS, and we either use the small ones (and make small ones) or use the large ones and cut them diagonally. We crimp them with a fork.

As for 'our' sauce - just a quick pan of small cut sauteed onions, some ground beef, and tomato paste. Seasoned to taste, of course.

Wife was just saying how the ones we got in Rio were filled more with meat than the ones my mom makes.

You can 'vary' it by putting cheese instead of meat...making a 'ghost' (hold it up to the light and you see nothing...lol). Guess you could mix and match your fillings.

My only recommendation is to splash the oil on the pastries when you put them in the hot oil...makes them 'pop out' so to speak.