In Culinary School I wrote a report on Fried Chicken. It was recently found, and now I share it with you. Total Wahmish…
Fried Chicken is a dish as old as any in the modern repertoire, if not older. The dish has been produced and altered by every generation and by every chef for thousands of years. There is something about the subtlety of the spices and the flavor of the oil that have made this “Finger-Licking Good” dish survive the test of time and continue to thrive.
Chickens are thought to have first been domesticated 10,000 years ago in Vietnam. They spread over the millennia to encompass the entire globe. With a population estimated over 24 billion, they are currently the most populous bird on the planet. It is no wonder that their meat is the most often eaten meat of any animal.
The Vietnamese, having first domesticated the animal have their very popular fried chicken recipe, Ga Xao, Fried chicken with lemongrass and chili. The exact origin is unknown but the dish is still served in Vietnamese restaurants daily.
The first portrait of a chicken to appear in European artwork was on a piece of Corinthian pottery from the 7th Century BCE. The chicken was considered a rarity and a luxury bird used more for divining than for eating. Over the next few centuries these fattened birds became too much of a temptation for the Romans and in 161 BCE a law was passed in Rome forbidding the consumption of the bird. Even though the law was renewed a number of times the practice of eating these ever-increasingly populous birds became more common.
The first fried chicken recipe to grace the pages is in the Apicius of Ancient Rome. The recipe is similar to the one used today in it’s process.
By the end of the Middle Ages the English preferred their chicken boiled, or poached. The Scotts, however, took a greater liking to the Roman method of frying chicken meat in hot oil or fat. This is the dish that was brought later to the future United States of America with the immigration of Scottish workers to the Southern areas of the continent.
As the nation rose and with it the practice of slavery, the dish fell almost into obscurity, favoring instead the more English approach. The plantation slaves were rarely had any costly meats but were often allowed to raise the plentiful chicken. The slave population of the South added their contribution to the plain, breaded, fried chicken of the Scotts by adding cayenne and other spices.
Following the abolition of slavery in the United States the “Jim Crow Laws” of the nation continued to oppress and deny service to many African Americans. The recipe of fried chicken that had become a mainstay during the years of slavery was now useful in the keeping qualities it gave to the chicken. Many restaurants denied the service of the former slaves and their descendants so while traveling they would have to take their food with them. The fried chicken would keep for longer periods and was as edible cold as it was hot.
The term “Southern Fried Chicken” was represented with racial comments and slurs through the early half of this century. Everyone recognized how good it tasted, but continued to associate it with slavery. “This was commercialized for the first half of the 20th century by restaurants like Sambo’s and Coon Chicken Inn, which selected exaggerated blacks as mascots, implying quality by their association with the stereotype.” (Wikipedia.com)
By this point in history, the rare off-color comment about fried chicken and watermelon is met with a much-deserving low brow and instead the true taste and quality of the dish is more fully appreciated.
The recipe we are now going to examine in detail comes from the self-proclaimed “#1 Cookbook in America,” (Better Homes and Gardens Books) the “Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book.” This book may not be the most Epicurean, nor the most professional cookbook in print, but it is easily the most widely used in the home kitchen. Generations of housewives (and househusbands) pass this book on. It is still a common wedding gift to the not so kitchen-talented new couples. If the average person in America wanted to make a standard American recipe, this is where they would turn.
The All-American Standard “Buttermilk-Brined Fried Chicken” Recipe can be found in the poultry section of the cookbook. The initial step of this recipe is the brining of chicken, we however, are going to go back a step for comparative purposes.
In this troubled economic time, meat of any sort is starting to rise in cost. The simple act of cutting a chicken up can add several dollars to the purchase price. The recipe calls for “2 ½ to 3 pounds meaty chicken pieces (breast halves, thighs, and drumsticks).” These can be purchased in bulk packs or as single whole chickens quartered. A more cost effective option would to be to purchase a whole chicken and vivisect it into pieces, leaving the bone in for added support. You have the added benefit of being able to personally inspect the entire chicken for signs of ill health as well.
The first step as is listed in the recipe is to brine the chicken pieces in a plastic bag set in a bowl. Not only does the plastic bag make cleanup easier, it also helps prevent cross-contamination.
The brine is made from 3 cups of buttermilk, 1/3 Cup of coarse Salt and 2 tablespoons of sugar. The buttermilk is an acidic product that helps the proteins in the chicken meat denature. This unwinding of the protein strand and breaking of peptide bonds helps to tenderize the meat. The salt, which the author warns “Don’t be surprised by the amount of salt in the buttermilk brine. It gives the chicken great flavor,” helps draw any remaining blood out of the meat, and imparts flavor into the meat via osmosis. The sugar helps sweeten the otherwise salty and sour brine, adding a complexity of flavor. The brine smells strongly of the culture in the buttermilk, but the sweetness also carries through to the scent.
After the chicken pieces have marinated in the brine the suggested length of time, a modified breading station is set up. In the first station is a mix of 2 cups all-purpose flour, ¼ teaspoon salt, and ¼ teaspoon black pepper. A note after the recipe suggests the addition of 1 ½ teaspoons of ground red pepper to the flour mixture for a spicier breading. The second breading station contains the second portion of buttermilk, ¾ Cup.
The Chicken pieces are removed from their brine and immersed in the flour mixture for dredging. This wet to dry step holds the four tight to the chicken. The dredging layer is thin.
The pieces are then dipped in the buttermilk. The flour holds to the buttermilk. The buttermilk will wash off some amount of the four mixture but this is ok because it thickens the buttermilk into a thin batter over time. The chicken is then placed back into the flour mixture for final breading. The breading is now two layers thick and, although coats like a batter, is dry to the touch. The chicken pieces can be all breaded and set aside for frying. The double breading and the thickness of the buttermilk made the breading very stable.
One of the secrets to the success of the recipe is the frying oil and its vessel. The recipe calls for a “deep, heavy Dutch oven, or kettle or deep fat fryer” to be used to heat 1 ½ inches of cooking oil to 350°F. The amount and type of oil is important here.
The recipe simply calls for “cooking oil.” In this age of health-consciousness, we steer away from fried things. Even the King of Fried Chicken, Kentucky Fried Chicken, changed its name officially in 1991 to the acronym KFC. It cannot be denied however, that fried food tastes good, perhaps even better. This is primarily because the fats in the oils used for frying transport the flavors more directly to the taste buds on the tongue.
We can reduce the ill-effects of cooking oils and fats in our diet by choosing oils and fats that are lower in saturated fat. The lowest of these commercially available is safflower oil. It is a very expensive alternative to the more saturated vegetable oils and animal fats, however. Olive oil is low in saturated fat but has a smoke point too low for deep frying. Peanut oil runs the risk of causing allergic reactions in persons allergic to tree and ground nuts. Soy derived oils are another alternative that is now getting a second look. It is believed by some that an ever-growing prevalence of soy allergies is a result of the over-use of soy bean products. A good choice that has a high smoke point, is low in saturated fat, and cost effective is canola oil.
The recipe suggests 1 ½ inches of oil in the cooking pot. This recipe is for a deep fat fried chicken, not a pan fried or fricassee. The entire piece of meat should be covered in the fat.
The fat also needs to maintain a temperature between 325°F and 350°F. This is easily done in an electric fryer or skillet and on the stove is more easily accomplished in a heavy cast iron Dutch oven or deep skillet. If the fat gets too cool it will not cook the breading quickly enough and the fat will absorb into the breading making it greasy tasting with poor mouthfeel. If the oil is too hot the breading will overcook before the meat inside has had time to cook completely.
As the pieces of breaded meat are put into the oil, the temperature of the oil will drop slightly so attention must be paid to keep it within ideal range. The meat neither sinks to the bottom and sits, nor floats to the top like a light doughnut. Instead, it hovers in the oil, just above the bottom. The meat bubbles furiously as the water inside the meat is turned to steam and released through the breading.
It takes the larger pieces of meat about 12 to 15 minutes to cook fully. During the cooking the aroma of the hot oil carries the tartness of the buttermilk in the air. The breading becomes solid within the first minute as all of the liquid from the buttermilk evaporates out. Over the following few minutes a golden brown color begins to appear, first on the bottom of each piece. The pan should not be over crowded, this is to avoid uneven cooking, and the meat should be turned at least once.
Recipes from the turn of the century had a more hands on view of when the meat was cooked; “The chicken is done when the fork passes easily into it.” (Fisher) Today most everyone has at least one instant read thermometer. The temperature should be taken in the thickest part of the meat, without touching bones. This recipe says that the temperature to look for is 170°F in the breast and 180°F in the thigh or drumstick. The safe minimum temperature for all parts of chicken are listed at 165°F. It is unclear why this recipe says to cook the dark meat to a higher temperature than the light meat. It will, however, take the fattier dark meat longer to reach the safe minimum temperature.
Once the chicken is cooked, it should be drained of excess fat. The recipe suggests draining on kitchen paper and holding in a 300°F oven until service. If the fried chicken is covered tightly, the crunchy crispy crust will become soggy and unappealing.
Traditionally in the US we eat fried chicken with mashed potatoes and gravy, and corn, baked beans, or green beans. The flavors of these sides do not, themselves, enhance the flavor of the chicken, but are instead traditional accompaniments. Another side item that is popular with fried chicken is coleslaw. The breading in this recipe uses buttermilk, the tartness of which is brought out by the tartness of the coleslaw. The subtle seasoning of the meat and the breading make it good with nearly any side item. In Maryland, fried chicken is often eaten with gravy directly on the meat. This gravy is made from the frying oil and the brining milk. A dill pickle slice is often seen as a garnish on fried chicken in New Orleans’ restaurants, a tribute to Austin Leslie.
In the many commercial fried chicken restaurants the method of pressure frying is often used. In this method the oil and chicken are cooked under the pressure of the steam released from cooking chicken. This allows the temperature of the oil to be lower and ensures that the meat stays moist as the breading crisps.
A variant of this method is now being studied. Instead of steam for the element of pressure in the pressure frying method, Nitrogen is being used. Studies are showing that, “Products fried with nitrogen gas as the pressurizing medium produced samples that were comparable to or exceeding the quality of products generated by frying with steam, as it relates to product crispness, texture, pressed juice, moisture content, fat content and color.” (Ballard)
With the advent of new scientific methods of frying and healthier oils, someday fried chicken might be eaten without concern. Thanks to the proliferative nature of the chicken, the cheap meat will continue to be eaten globally for thousands of years to come and frying as a method of production will continue to be a favored way for those who value taste over health
Works Cited
Ballard, Tameshia. Application of Edible Coatings in Maintaining. Blacksburg, VA: self published, 2003.
Better Homes and Gardens Books. Better Homes and Gardens Cook Book. De Moines, Iowa: Meredith Corporation, 2003.
Fisher, Abby. What Mrs. Fisher Knows About Old Southern Cooking. Bedford MA: Applewood Books, 1881.
Wikipedia.com. Fried Chicken. 7 March 2009. 7 March 2009 <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fried_chicken>.
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