Recipe Secrets For Great Fried Chicken

Fried chicken can be an incredibly simple dish, or an extremely complicated one, depending on your preferences. There are all kinds of secret recipes for this all American dish – just about, as many of them as there are cooks who make it at home. So, how do you make the perfect fried chicken? If you are frying for the very first time, or you would like to look at some interesting options to improve your cooking, here are a few tips.

One of the areas where a lot of people have strongly different opinions on making fried chicken is what to do before you begin battering and frying your bird. There are complex combinations of ingredients used to soak the meat, various different batters and breading, and many other options. What you do before you fry is a big point of contention. It can be pretty confusing.

For many of us, the best way to prepare fried chicken has a lot to do with what our family does or did. After all, there’s no fried chicken better than Mom’s or Grandma’s. Using old family recipes is pretty common when making this classic dish. Of course, if your family never bothered to write them down, you could have a bit more difficulty figuring out what to do with your bird.

Treating Your Chicken Before Frying

Before you start cooking, soaking your meat pieces in liquid can add moisture and flavor. Soaks can vary a lot, but the purpose and effect is usually the same. One old southern favorite is buttermilk, which has acid in it that tenderizes the poultry as well as moistening it. Start the soak the night before you plan to cook the poultry for the best results.

If you are using a buttermilk soak, your next step will probably be to coat the meat in seasoned flour, though there are those who would rather use beer batter, or bread crumbs instead. Old family traditions and a little experimentation will help you decide on the best chicken breading or battering method. When it comes to the learning processes, this is a fun one.

Using Brine In Chicken

Buttermilk is not the only soak you can use when you are making southern batter fried chicken. Use of brine to add a little more flavor and keep the meat moist and tender is also common. Making sure your meat does not turn to leather while it is frying is important, since this meat dries out pretty easily when it gets hot.

Brining isn’t usually done overnight, since it is a faster process than a buttermilk soak. Instead, create a solution of salt and water, plus any herbs and seasonings you want to use, and then brine the chicken pieces for a few hours, after removing excess fat and skin. You will get delicious results and a tender bird.

Fried chicken is a real classic that almost everyone has his or her own recipe for. Check out all the options available – it can be a fun experience, as well as a tasty one. You will find a favorite eventually, and you might stick with it for good, but the best part is getting there. Try a new fried chicken recipe today – you will be amazed by the results.

If you have a deep fryer and you are looking for delicious fried chicken recipes to make in it, have a look at SouthernFriedChickenRecipe.com for some great inspiration as well as cooking tips and techniques. You will love our authentic secret Kentucky Fried Chicken original recipe too!