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CHICKEN - BRINE - FRIED - Lemon-Brined Fried Chicken
Nb persons: 8
Yield:
Preparation time:
Total time:
Source:
| Lemon-Brined Fried Chicken CONTRIBUTED BY THOMAS KELLER F&W | |
| 1 gallon | cold water |
| 1 cup plus 2 teaspoons | kosher salt |
| 1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons | honey |
| 12 | bay leaves |
| 1 head | garlic, smashed but not peeled |
| 2 tablespoons | black peppercorns |
| 3 large | rosemary sprigs |
| 1 small bunch | thyme |
| 1 small bunch | parsley |
| Finely grated zest and juice of 2 | lemons |
| Two 3-pound | chickens |
| 3 cups | all-purpose flour |
| 2 tablespoons | garlic powder |
| 2 tablespoons | onion powder |
| 2 teaspoons | cayenne pepper |
| 2 cups | buttermilk |
| Vegetable oil, for frying | |
| Rosemary, for garnish | |
| thyme sprigs, for garnish | |
In a very large pot, combine 1 quart of the water with 1 cup of the salt and the honey, bay leaves, garlic, peppercorns, rosemary, thyme and parsley. Add the lemon zest and juice and the lemon halves and bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring until the salt is dissolved. Let cool completely, then stir in the remaining 3 quarts of cold water. Add the chickens, being sure they're completely submerged, and refrigerate overnight.
Drain the chickens and pat dry. Scrape off any herbs or peppercorns stuck to the skin and cut each bird into 8 pieces, keeping the breast meat on the bone.
In a large bowl, combine the flour, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne and the remaining 2 teaspoons of salt. Put the buttermilk in a large, shallow bowl. Working with a few pieces at a time, dip the chicken in the buttermilk, then dredge in the flour mixture, pressing so it adheres all over. Transfer the chicken to a baking sheet lined with wax paper.
In a very large, deep skillet, heat 1 inch of vegetable oil to 330°. Fry the chicken in 2 or 3 batches over moderate heat, turning once, until golden and crunchy and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part of each piece registers 160°, about 20 minutes. Transfer the chicken to paper towels to drain, and keep warm in a low oven while you fry the remaining chicken pieces. Transfer the fried chicken to a platter, garnish with the herb sprigs and serve hot or at room temperature.
SUGGESTED PAIRING
Alexis Swanson Triana pours a Merlot with fried chicken, as fried foods tend to work best with a full-bodied, somewhat tannic wine that can cut through the richness of the fried skin or breading.
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