My dad impressed this Buttermilk Pan Fried Hen. His fried hen was all the time the very best, it was so crisp and flavorful. We like it served with honey!
I’ve been on one thing of a fried hen discovery tour. It began with this Korean Fried Hen; it was SO good I needed to search out extra fried hen kind dishes that measured up.
Why I took so lengthy to return again residence once more and make this Buttermilk Pan Fried Hen is past me. However at the very least I’m right here now and so glad I remembered this recipe from my youth.
I grew up in a big household; for almost all of our lives there have been seven of us, 5 children and my mother and pa. My youngest sister was born after I was sixteen so whereas I actually have 5 brothers and sisters, to be trustworthy for many of my life at residence, it was simply the 5 of us children.
We had a fairly ‘conventional’ household on the time; mother stayed residence with the children and pa went to work day-after-day. However one factor I’ve all the time been fairly amazed at, particularly because it was that way back, was simply how a lot my father did round the home.
He was formally a Cartographer with the Protection Mapping Company after having serving because the Captain of a bomber unit throughout WWII and coming residence to make the most of the GI Invoice and go to varsity.
Whereas that was official, he may by no means focus on his job so now I think about his job as one thing way more glamorous than it truly was I’m certain. Journeys to the Pentagon and talks of area…that was all relatively thrilling to the lady who shared a love of the St. Louis Cardinals with him.
Nonetheless my dad was all the time busy with all the chores a big household had. None of that division of labor that some households practiced.
He had no downside bathing all of the little children (ever pragmatic, there have been lined up within the bathe, no taking part in round in a bathtub!), all the time did the grocery procuring (I keep in mind that properly since he and I all the time went on Saturday morning and introduced residence the whole lot for the week), and he cooked. Rather a lot.
He all the time grilled after all, such a manly factor and my dad did all of it yr lengthy too. We had a new-fangled gasoline grill in our final home that was connected straight to the gasoline line…fancy! On multiple event he can be out in a snowfall ending up some burgers.
And he ALWAYS made this Buttermilk Pan Fried Hen. OK, perhaps he didn’t do the buttermilk half, that’s on me, however we by no means complained; we liked seeing fried hen within the dinner rotation.
Humorous I by no means thought to ask him the place he discovered to cook dinner something. My solely reminiscence of my grandfather, his dad, was of him sitting in a inexperienced leather-based couch in the lounge of their residence, by no means serving to my grandma with something. Perhaps my dad beginning serving to her, all of us liked her a lot…I may see that occuring.
If there was ever a German something in our home it was due to him too; German pastries for Sunday breakfast (plus this Gooey Butter Cake) and we’d have Buttermilk Pan Fried Hen accompanied by this Slaw with Heat Bacon Dressing on the facet; considered one of his specialties that I do know he inherited from my Grandma.
After the success I had with the aforementioned Korean Fried Hen, I needed to attempt my hand at air frying hen with a brand new unit I had from Cuisinart so I made some that was oven fried.
I additionally retrofitted a recipe I used to like that was made with Orange Roughy and got here up with this Broiled Hen Dish with Parmesan Topping, and extra. Why I saved this outdated recipe for final is past me. It was the whole lot I remembered…and perhaps even higher.
I made a few modifications. First, I soaked it in buttermilk. Or at the very least my model of buttermilk. I by no means purchase the stuff; I merely add some lemon juice to 2% milk and it really works superbly, it tenderizes whereas additionally including a pleasant little bit of tang. For this recipe with 3 cups of milk, I added the juice of 1 lemon. Excellent and no hunt for actual buttermilk is required!
As I discussed; I LOVED the top results of Korean Fried Hen so this recipe now has some cornstarch added to the flour combination that coats the hen as a result of I liked how crispy the pores and skin was on that recipe.
My Dad’s model was salt and pepper, I didn’t modify a lot as add…this recipe has salt, white pepper, dry mustard, and thyme. It’s truly one thing you’ll be able to fiddle with too; the spices within the coating will certainly affect the flavour.
I do put a bit little bit of scorching sauce within the buttermilk combination…why not proper? I believe I may add some warmth to nearly the whole lot; heck I even added it to this Mexican Sizzling Chocolate Pie.
Pan frying hen is completely different than your commonplace ‘fried hen.’ Most fried hen must be dunked utterly in scorching oil to be fried. Regardless that I’ve a small electrical fryer, the reality is it takes a LOT of oil for something you wish to fry and I like this recipe as a result of it’s extra contained; you solely want a couple of half inch of oil in a skillet for pan frying.
One secret for this hen? You probably have it, add a few tablespoons of bacon fats to the oil; provides one other layer of taste. In the event you don’t have it? Purchase some bacon and reserve it…it’s a terrific component for lots of issues in lieu of butter or olive oil.
I’ve little question my grandmother in all probability made her hen in lard however that’s not really easy to return by anymore so I add some bacon fats to grease for a touch of that very same taste.
The fundamental process is to fry the pores and skin facet for about quarter-hour whereas uncovered, flip over the hen, cowl, and fry the opposite facet for about the identical period of time. One essential trick although that my dad taught me although? Flip up the warmth a few minutes earlier than the second facet is finished; let it actually crisp up the surface after which flip it and do the identical with the facet you cooked first.
It’s not not like Korean Fried Hen that’s fried twice besides you by no means should take away it from the pan. Watch rigorously although; you solely want about an additional minute per facet to get it crispy; don’t let it burn!
One factor I’ve that I really like for this use is a splatter cowl for my skillet. I went too a few years with out one; they actually do maintain your cook-top a lot cleaner in the course of the half the place frying is finished with the lid off.
The result’s a scrumptious, moist and tender inside with a pleasant crispy, flavorful crust. And there’s a LOT of that crispy crust stuff too; save each morsel from the skillet and the plate with hen…makes the white cream gravy even higher!
Sure, White Gravy. It’s the greatest; I actually may care much less about gravy created from beef inventory, that is the one I’ve all the time died over.
I make a variation for our Thanksgiving with this recipe for Maple Bacon Turkey that I believe is totally wonderful. Nice over potatoes, biscuits, to dunk your fried hen into…actually I may eat it with a spoon; for those who’ve by no means made it, you could attempt it!
Right here’s to my outdated man and what my neighbor Casey referred to as, the very best fried hen he had ever had outdoors of Popeye’s. I’ll take that!
Favourite Hen Recipes
PIN IT! ‘Buttermilk Pan Fried Hen’
Buttermilk Pan Fried Hen
Quaint pan-fried hen with a buttermilk soak and a crispy seasoned crust.
For the Buttermilk Combination
- 3 cups buttermilk or milk with the juice of 1 lemon
- 2 to three teaspoons scorching pepper sauce I used Tabasco
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 4 kilos bone-in hen items legs and thighs ideally
For the Flour Combination
- 1 cup unbleached all-purpose flour
- 1 cup cornstarch
- 1½ teaspoons salt
- 1½ teaspoons black pepper
- 1 teaspoon white pepper
- 1 Tablespoon paprika
- 1 Tablespoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon dry mustard
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
To Fry
- 2 cups vegetable oil or roughly ½” in your frying pan
- ¼ cup bacon drippings
For the Cream Gravy
- ¼ cup Pan drippings
- 3 tablespoons seasoned flour
- 1½ cups milk
- 1 cup hen inventory
- ¼ cup half-and-half
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- Salt to style
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Combine the buttermilk, scorching pepper sauce, and 1 teaspoon of salt in a container that can maintain all the hen. Add the hen components, turning to coat them properly. Cowl and refrigerate for at the very least 2 hours and as much as 12 hours, turning often.
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For the flour coating, mix all the flour, cornstarch, and seasonings in a big brown paper grocery bag or massive plastic bag (put aside 3 Tbsp of combination for gravy if making).
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Place a wire rack over paper towels for draining the hen close to the cooking space.Warmth the oil in a 12-inch to 14-inch cast-iron skillet over medium excessive warmth. Add the bacon drippings to the skillet. When the oil reaches 375°F, scale back the warmth to medium and start to arrange the hen.
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Pull the hen items, one by one, out of the buttermilk and let any extra liquid drain again into the bowl. Drop a few items of hen into the seasoned flour and shake the closed bag to coat it.
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Place every bit within the skillet, pores and skin facet down. Solely match as many items as will match snugly collectively in a 12-inch skillet, shut however not touching. (For my 5 thighs and 6 legs, I needed to do two separate processes to cook dinner all items).
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Regulate the warmth as wanted to keep up a temperature of about 300°F (including the hen to the oil will drop the temperature to this already) and fry for quarter-hour.
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After the allotted time, take away the lid and switch the hen. Greatest to make use of tongs to keep away from piercing the crust. Fry uncovered for 13 to fifteen extra minutes, till the crust is a wealthy golden brown and the meat is cooked via however nonetheless juicy.
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Flip up the warmth to medium excessive, flip over and cook dinner the unique facet a couple of minute or two to crisp up the crust. Verify the inside temperature; for darkish hen I wish to cook dinner to 170; it will not dry out and pulls away from the bone simpler. If it meets that temperature, drain the hen on the rack; pores and skin facet up.
To Put together the Gravy
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Pour off the pan drippings via a strainer and go away about ¼ cup of the drippings within the skillet. Return any brown cracklings from the strainer to the skillet and discard the remaining drippings (let cool utterly earlier than throwing out).
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Return the skillet to medium warmth. Whisk within the flour and cook dinner for one minute. Add the milk, inventory, and cream, whisking as you pour them in. Convey to a boil, then simmer till the gravy is thickened and the uncooked flour style is gone, about 3 minutes.
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Stir the gravy up from the underside incessantly, scraping up the browned bits. Add salt and pepper to style. Switch the hen to a platter and put the gravy right into a serving dish. Serve instantly.
I do know it is a bit of a ache however I discovered I wish to pressure the oil after I fried the primary batch so I may take away all of these crispy items and never have them burn as I fried the second batch. One other resolution can be to make use of two skillets and fry one batch in every. In the event you do pressure it, watch out with the new oil!
Please observe, the dietary information is routinely generated from the listing of substances and for this recipe consists of all the buttermilk within the soak. Because of this the calorie depend per serving for this hen is just not correct.
Vitamin Info
Buttermilk Pan Fried Hen
Quantity per Serving
% Every day Worth*
* % Every day Values are based mostly on a 2000 calorie food plan.
