Each year on the 4th of July, my family would spend the day at my Aunt’s eating tons of great food before heading to the lake to watch the annual fireworks show. I wrote about it last year, if you’re interested in the goodies we usually ate. But bf’s family has a different tradition, and the centerpiece of that tradition is fried chicken. Not just any fried chicken. Pan fried, grandma’s recipe fried chicken. It’s homemade Southern comfort food at its best.
This year, bf insisted on frying up some of the good stuff to share with our friends. I do believe that he made a fantastic decision, because giving away that thick, crispy crust and juicy meat are a sure fire way to make some REALLY good buddies.
Happy 4th, everyone!!
4th of July Fried Chicken
- 16 ounces buttermilk
- 2 tablespoons hot sauce
- 1 tablespoon smoked paprika
- 1 garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 2 teaspoons cayenne powder
- salt and pepper, to taste
- 3 cups flour
- 48 ounces canola oil
- 4 thighs, 10 legs
In a large bowl, stir together buttermilk and hot sauce. Soak chicken in buttermilk mixture for up to one hour. Meanwhile, in a large shallow bowl combine smoked paprika, garlic powder, cumin, cayenne powder, salt, pepper, and flour. Heat oil in a large sauce pan with high edges to 350 degrees F. Shake off excess buttermilk from chicken. Roll chicken in flour mixture, then drop in about 5 legs and 4 thighs at a time. Allow to fry for 15 minutes. With tongs, pull each piece of chicken out and place it on paper towels to soak up excess oil. Let cool before eating.
