Fried Chicken: Southern American Technique

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 double-dredge principle appears in Japanese katsu double-breading variations and in Korean fried chicken's double-fry logic — all seeking maximum crust development at each additional stage