Paper Palate

This recipe can be found in the February/March 2007 issue of Cook’s Country magazine. Although I’m not much of a frier, as a rule, this shallow-fried chicken sounded so tempting that I had to give it a go.

The chicken itself turned out quite well. I probably underdid the chicken seasoning of mustard, garlic powder, and salt. Conversely, my uneven sprinkling technique overdid the Old Bay seasoning in places. Not having a large Dutch oven, I made do wth a smaller enamelled pot; this meant I had to cook the chicken in four batches, and the pieces were probably more deep-fried than shallow-fried (smaller pot, higher oil level). I used a thermometer to judge the oil’s temperature, but I admit that sometimes I opted for a near approximation of the temperature listed in the recipe rather than the exact number.

I was happy to find that the recipe was forgiving enough to take these slights in stride and produce tasty fried chicken. The Cook’s Country article talks about, “…crisp, mahogany chicken that, with a gentle tug, sheets off the bone with its deliciously brittle skin still intact.” As someone who usually gets my fried chicken fix in a restaurant (or worse, fast food) these days, I found this home-made chicken was worlds apart from the mass-produced stuff (even given my rudimentary frying skills). I cooked a mix of drumsticks, thighs, and split breasts; the smaller portions of the split breasts came out dry because they were cooked with other chicken pieces that required more time to cook. The drumsticks were great but disappeared too quickly; the thighs were just right in the combination of moist, tender meat and flavor (from a modicum of fat and deliciously seasoned skin). The next time I make this (and there will be a next time), I think I’ll just use thighs.

Unfortunately, the gravy was not as successful; it was tainted by too much detritus in the oil left over from the frying process. I should have poured out 1/4 cup of the oil from the top without the extras that lurked at the bottom of the pot after I had drained most of the oil.

To make matters worse, I went on to burn the flour while making the roux; although the temperature recommendations are exact in the chicken portion of the recipe, this is not the case in the gravy part of the recipe. The consistency was thick and creamy as desired, at least, but otherwise it didn’t work for me.

This is probably due more to the cook’s limitations than those of the recipe.

Four pounds is a lot of chicken. Luckily, it keeps well in the refrigerator and the leftovers are easily as good as the piping hot, freshly fried chicken. It should be mentioned that the article featuring this recipe in Cook’s Country describes the recipe-testing process and how certain decisions regarding ingredients and methods were made.

Maryland Fried Chicken (serves 4 to 6)

Fried Chicken
4 pounds bone-in, skin-on chicken pieces
1 tablespoon dry mustard
1 tablespoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon salt
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon baking powder
3 cups peanut oil or vegetable shortening
Old Bay seasoning

Cream Gravy
1/4 cup pan drippings (from frying chicken)
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup heavy cream
1 teaspoon pepper
salt

1. For the chicken: Pat chicken dry with paper towels. Combine mustard, garlic powder, and salt in small bowl and sprinkle evenly over chicken. Combine flour and baking powder in shallow dish and, working one piece at a time, dredge chicken parts until well-coated, shaking off excess. Refrigerate on plate for 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours).

2. Adjust oven rack to middle position and heat oven to 200 degrees. Heat oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat to 375 degrees. Arrange half of chicken in pot, skin side down, cover, and cook until well browned, about 5 minutes per side. Lower temperature to medium, adjusting burner as necessary to maintain oil temperature between 300 and 325 degrees. Cook uncovered, turning chicken as necessary, until cooked through, about 5 minutes. (Internal temperature should register 160 degrees for white meat and 175 degrees for dark meat.) Transfer chicken to wire rack set over baking sheet, season with Old Bay, and transfer to oven. Bring oil back to 375 degrees and repeat with remaining chicken.

3. For the gravy: Pour off all but 1/4 cup oil in pot. Stir in flour and cook until golden, about 2 minutes. Slowly whisk in broth, cream, and pepper. Simmer until thickened, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and serve with chicken.