Southern fried chicken — bone-in chicken pieces brined, then soaked in buttermilk, then dredged in seasoned flour, then fried in lard (or solid shortening) — achieves its specific crunch through a combination of the acidic buttermilk soak (which tenderises the surface proteins and allows the flour to adhere in a thicker, craggier coating), the double-dredge, and the relatively low frying temperature that allows the interior to cook through before the exterior burns.
- **The brine:** 4% salt solution, 2–4 hours. Salt and moisture distribution throughout the piece. - **The buttermilk soak:** 8–12 hours in full-fat buttermilk — the lactic acid continues the tenderisation; the buttermilk's proteins coat the surface, allowing the flour to build up a thick, irregular, cragged crust. - **The flour dredge:** Seasoned flour (salt, pepper, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder) — the chicken removed from the buttermilk and dredged, then returned to the buttermilk, then dredged again. Double dredge produces the thick, shaggy crust. - **The fat:** Lard or solid shortening at 165°C — lower than most frying temperatures. The lower temperature allows the bone-in pieces to cook through before the exterior burns. - **Cast iron pan-fry:** Not deep-fry — Southern fried chicken is traditionally pan-fried (the fat comes halfway up the chicken) rather than fully submerged. The partial submersion requires turning.
Saveur New Classics