Classic Fried Chicken

Auntie Toni has a farm, E-I-E-I-O!


And on this farm she has some chicks...and turkeys...and cows...and pigs...E-I-E-I-O!


I won't say I married my husband because his aunt happens to raise chickens on her hobby farm and generously shares the poultry bounty with us, but truth be told, it may have been a factor in our marriage agreement. But that's just between you and me, wink wink.

Aunt Toni and her husband retired a few years ago, but like true North Dakotans, they never stopped working. On their small plot by Minot, they have a few cows, a whole roost of chickens, sometimes a couple pigs, and a freezer filled with fresh fresh meat.


Thanks to her, I no longer romanticize the idea of having a hobby farm. Oh, yes, there was a day when I pictured myself on my own five acre plot in a long flowing skirt, holding a hand-woven basket of chicken feed, leisurely tossing it on the ground to feed my chubby hens as singing chickadees perched on my shoulders and mice with tiny t-shirts on sewed a ballgown for me in the farmhouse attic.

But now, after visiting the farm this summer, I am reminded that farming - even 5-acre farming - can be shitty work (and I mean that literally).

Sorry. I swore. Don't tell my mom.

So here's to Toni, the hardest workin' retired woman I know. Thank you for the chicken and for being an all-around amazing aunt, welcoming me into the family with open arms. And yes, this fall I have plans for that beef heart you gave to us. Stay tuned.

Fried Chicken
From the latest issue of Fine Cooking, this ended up being a laborious process for us, since we filled the pan with too much oil, which meant it took longer to heat up and we couldn't add as much chicken to the pan at the same time without overflow issues. Lesson learned for next time. If you don't have a thermometer, you can buy them in the grilling and turkey fryer section of your local hardware store. This time of year, you may even find them on sale!

1-1/2 cups buttermilk
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1 whole small (3- to 3-1/4-lb.) chicken, cut into 10 pieces
9 oz. (2 cups) unbleached all-purpose flour
1 Tbs. sweet paprika
2 to 3 cups vegetable oil

In a large bowl, mix the buttermilk with 2 tsp. sea salt and 1/2 tsp. pepper. Add the chicken and toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate for at least 4 and up to 24 hours, turning occasionally.

When you’re ready to fry the chicken, put the flour, paprika, 2 tsp. sea salt, and 1/2 tsp. pepper in a large doubled brown paper bag, and shake to combine. Working in 2 batches, drop the chicken pieces into the flour mixture, fold the top of the bag closed, and shake to coat completely. Arrange the coated chicken on a large wire rack set over a large rimmed baking sheet. Discard the remaining flour mixture.

Pour enough oil into a deep heavy-duty 12-inch skillet (preferably cast iron) to reach a depth of 1/2 inch. Heat the oil over medium-high heat until a deep fat/candy thermometer clipped to the side of the skillet without touching the bottom registers 350°F.

Carefully arrange the chicken skin side down in the hot oil—it’s fine if the pan is very crowded. The temperature will drop to about 300°F. Partially cover the skillet with a lid or a baking sheet, leaving the thermometer visible, and fry until golden-brown, about 5 minutes, adjusting the heat as needed to maintain 300°F to 325°F. If necessary, move the pieces around for even browning. Turn the chicken over and fry, uncovered, until browned all over and an instant-read thermometer registers 165°F when inserted into the thickest part of each piece, 5 to 7 minutes more.

Meanwhile, wash and dry the wire rack and baking sheet and set the rack over the sheet near the skillet. Using tongs, transfer the chicken to the rack to drain briefly. Serve warm or at room temperature.