Buttermilk
Fried Chicken
By Chef Thomas Keller,
The French Laundry, Yountville, CA
If there's a better fried chicken,
I haven't tasted it. First, and critically, the chicken
is brined for 12 hours in a herb-lemon brine, which seasons
the meat and helps it stay juicy. The flour is seasoned
with garlic and onion powders, paprika, cayenne, salt,
and pepper. The chicken is dredged in the seasoned flour,
dipped in buttermilk, and then dredged again in the flour.
The crust becomes almost feathered and is very crisp.
Fried chicken is a great American tradition that's fallen
out of favor. A taste of this, and you will want it back
in your weekly routine. -Thomas Keller
SERVES:
4 - 6
Ingredients:
2 — 2 1/2- to 3-lbs. Chickens (see Note
on Chicken Size)
Chicken Brine (recipe follows), cold
For Dredging and Frying:
Peanut or Canola Oil (for deep-frying)
1 qt. Buttermilk
Kosher Salt and Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Coating:
6 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 cup Garlic Powder
1/4 cup Onion Powder
1 tbls. plus 1 tspn. Paprika
1 tbls. plus 1 tspn. Cayenne
1 tbls. plus 1 tspn. Kosher Salt
1 tspn. Freshly Ground Black Pepper
Ground Fleur de Sel or (fine sea salt)
Rosemary and Thyme Sprigs (for garnish)
Procedures:
1. Cut each
chicken into 10 pieces: 2 legs, 2 thighs, 4 breast quarters,
and 2 wings. Pour the brine into a container large enough
to hold the chicken pieces, add in the chicken, and refrigerate
for 12 hours (no longer, or the chicken may become too
salty).
2. Remove
the chicken from the brine (discard the brine) and rinse
under cold water, removing any herbs or spices sticking
to the skin. Pat dry with paper towels, or let air-dry.
Let rest at room temperature for 1-1/2 hours, or until
it comes to room temperature.
3. If you
have two large pots (about 6 inches deep) and a lot of
oil, you can cook the dark and white meat at the same
time; if not, cook the dark meat first, then turn up the
heat and cook the white meat. No matter what size pot
you have, the oil should not come more than one-third
of the way up the sides of the pot. Fill the pot with
at least 2 inches of peanut oil and heat to 320°F.
Set a cooling rack over a baking sheet. Line a second
baking sheet with parchment paper.
4. Meanwhile,
combine all the coating ingredients in a large bowl. Transfer
half the coating to a second large bowl. Pour the buttermilk
into a third bowl and season with salt and pepper. Set
up a dipping station: the chicken pieces, one bowl of
coating, the bowl of buttermilk, the second bowl of coating,
and the parchment-lined baking sheet.
5. Just
before frying, dip the chicken thighs into the first bowl
of coating, turning to coat and patting off the excess;
dip them into the buttermilk, allowing the excess to run
back into the bowl; then dip them into the second bowl
of coating. Transfer to the parchment-lined pan.
6. Carefully
lower the thighs into the hot oil. Adjust the heat as
necessary to return the oil to the proper temperature.
Fry for 2 minutes, then carefully move the chicken pieces
around in the oil and continue to fry, monitoring the
oil temperature and turning the pieces as necessary for
even cooking, for 11 to 12 minutes, until the chicken
is a deep golden brown, cooked through, and very crisp.
Meanwhile, coat the chicken drumsticks and transfer to
the parchment-lined baking sheet.
7. Transfer
the cooked thighs to the cooling rack skin-side-up and
let rest while you fry the remaining chicken. (Putting
the pieces skin-side-up will allow excess fat to drain,
whereas leaving them skin-side-down could trap some of
the fat.) Make sure that the oil is at the correct temperature,
and cook the chicken drumsticks. When the drumsticks are
done, lean them meat-side-up against the thighs to drain,
then sprinkle the chicken with fine sea salt.
8. Turn
up the heat and heat the oil to 340°F. Meanwhile,
coat the chicken breasts and wings. Carefully lower the
chicken breasts into the hot oil and fry for 7 minutes,
or until golden brown, cooked through, and crisp. Transfer
to the rack, sprinkle with salt, and turn skin side up.
Cook the wings for 6 minutes, or until golden brown and
cooked through. Transfer the wings to the rack and turn
off the heat. Arrange the chicken on a serving platter.
Add the herb sprigs to the oil (which will still be hot)
and let them cook and crisp for a few seconds, then arrange
them over the chicken.
Note
on Chicken Size:
You may need to go to a farmers' market to get these small
chickens. Grocery store chickens often run 3 to 4 pounds.
They can, of course, be used in this recipe but if chickens
in the 2-1/2- to 3-pound range are available to you, they're
worth seeking out. They're a little easier to cook properly
at the temperatures we recommend here and, most important,
pieces this size result in the optimal meat-to-crust proportion,
which is such an important part of the pleasure of fried
chicken.
Note:
We let the chicken rest for 7 to 10 minutes after it comes
out of the fryer so that it has a chance to cool down.
If the chicken has rested for longer than 10 minutes,
put the tray of chicken in a 400°F oven for a minute
or two to ensure that the crust is crisp and the chicken
is hot.
Excerpted from AD HOC AT HOME by Thomas Keller (Artisan
Books).
Copyright
2009.
Deborah
Jones photographer
Edited
by FBWorld Team
Comments
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Links
to more Thomas Keller Recipes:
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Bittersweet
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Buttermilk
Biscuits - (new)
Buttermilk
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Creamy
Maine Lobster Broth, Russet Potato and Lobster Coral Gnocchi
Foie
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Iceberg
Lettuce Slices with Blue Cheese Dressing, Oven-Roasted
Tomatoes, Bacon, and Brioche Croutons - (new)
Leek
Bread Pudding - (new)
Milk
Poached Wild Turbot with "Foie Gras" and Sweet
Onion "Cracklings" and Foie Gras Emulsion
Nantes
Carrot Stew - (new)
Pig’s
Feet with French Green Lentils
Pork
and Beans
Sautéed
Gulf White Shrimp* with Jasmine Rice, Raisins and Spicy
Shrimp Broth
Scallion
Potato Cakes - (new)
“Surf
and Turf" Pan Roasted “Filet Mignon" of
Veal with a Maine Lobster “Pancake", Clam Shell
Mushrooms and Sauce “Homardine"
Sweet
Butter Braised Maine Lobster with Baby Arrow-leaf Spinach
and a Saffron-Vanilla Sauce
Other
Related Links:
Thomas
Keller: Ad Hoc at Home
Bringing
Home the Bacon
The
Great Chefs Series
Chef
Thomas Keller
Thomas
Keller Joins The Culinary Institute of America Board of
Trustees

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