FRIED CHICKEN BILL NEAL

For the chicken and the marinade/batter:  

• 1 quality chicken, cut into pieces through the various bones
• 1 Cup low fat buttermilk
• 1 Tablespoon kosher salt
• 1 ½ Tablespoons lemon juice
• 1 Tablespoon chopped thyme leaves
• 1 Tablespoon chopped oregano leaves
• 1 Tablespoon chopped sage
• 1 Tablespoon Dijon style mustard
• ½ Tablespoon toasted and freshly ground black pepper
• 1 rib celery, washed and cut into large dice
• 1 clove garlic, rough chopped

 Place the chicken in a large bowl or a food bag. Puree ingredients in a blender. Pour over chicken pieces and allow to brine for at least 8 hours or overnight, stirring once or twice.When ready to cook drain the chicken marinade off through a colander into the sink. Set aside a moment.  For the Seasoned Flour:  

• 3 Cups Self-Rising or A.P. flour
• 1 Tablespoon dry mustard powder
• 2 Tablespoons kosher salt
• 1 Tablespoon pimentón or sweet paprika
• 1 Tablespoon cumin, toasted and ground
• 1 Tablespoon toasted and freshly ground black pepper 

 Mix all the ingredients. Dredge the chicken pieces in the flour mixture. Lay the breadedchicken on a sheet pan wire type rack to air dry about 10-15 minutes. Now dredge the chickena second time but take care to knock off all the ‘extra’ flour that doesn’t adhere to the bird inthat it will just BURN in the oil.  To Fry: Melt the oil, (vegetable shortening) in a heavy frying pan large enough for all of thechicken pieces. The oil needs to come up ⅓ of the way in the pan, (this is a techniquecalled ‘shallow frying’) and be at 350 degrees to start.  (Note: Once the chicken is place in the oil the temperature will drop.) Cook starting with the dark meat, (adding the skin side down first).Add the white meat pieces after 2-3 minutes. I like to keep the thighs in the middle of the pan where the heat is most direct since it is the thighs that take the longest to reach the correct internal temperature.  Now cook about 10 minutes ON EACH SIDE. But an instant-read thermometer is much more important than a clock on this quest.  Maintain the oil temp at about 325 degrees while it cooks. This will be advice thatmight be hard to follow but keep adjusting the heat as need be. A ‘screen splatter protector’is a great aid. It is a way to trap an instant read thermometer between said screenand the edge of the pan which allows your thermometer to not fall into the oil...  When fully ready the chicken will be at 180 degrees when pierced in it’s thickest part.The chicken is actually fully cooked before that temp but for fried chicken to work best and stay crispy and ready for ‘finger style eating’ the higher interior temp is required toassure the best crust.  When it is remove it to a drain rack and keep it warm. It is best not to hold it in theoven as it will lose the crispness you just fought to achieve. Don’t drain on paper towelingetc either as that spoils the texture too. A ‘tent’ of aluminum foil is better.