Rediscovering Lost Arts From Our Mothers: Granny's Fried Chicken

Sunday, October 21, 2012

Granny's Fried Chicken

Today's adventure was a lesson about Granny's fried chicken. My Granny was raised in the South and wherever she moved, she had chickens. My mom told me that Granny wouldn't eat her laying hens. Instead, every spring she would go and buy young chicks. Before they were ready to lay hens, when they were still young, called spring chickens, she would kill them and make fresh fried chicken.

Granny!

My mom said Granny would take the chicken by the head, and snap her wrist and twist. She told me that this would remove their head! GROSS! Granny would then let the dead chickens flop around on the ground. When they finally stopped moving, she would dunk the chicken in boiling water. Then she would hand the chicken to my mom who had the job of removing the feathers. She said that even when you thought you were done removing feathers, Granny would hand her some pliers and she would have to remove the pin feathers.

After that Granny would gut the chicken and keep it in cold water, until she was ready to cook it. Hungry now?

Right from the start, mom had a disclaimer. She said, "This will not be as good as Granny's. The fresh chicken made it better."

To begin, we put the chicken in a large bowl and covered it with buttermilk. The chicken should stay in the buttermilk for at least 2 hours - overnight is better.

The flour mixture is:

4 cups flour
3 tablespoons salt
1 1/2 tablespoons pepper
1 tablespoon paprika
1 1/2 tablespoon granulated garlic

Mix this really well. Take the chicken and dredge it in the flour mixture. Mom said that Nana liked to put a little corn meal in the flour for added texture.

Mom had me bring my cast iron skillet because she said that was how it was supposed to be done. While I was there, she dug out her cast iron skillet and said that it was Granny's. LOVE IT!

Mom put a little vegetable oil in the skillet. She heated the oil up and told me that the oil is ready when you put a little flour in it and it sizzles.

Once the oil is ready put the chicken in and don't touch it until you see brown going up the sides. That is how you know how to turn it.

Today's lesson was great. I loved hearing stories about mom and Granny, but most of all, today was about family. I hope that you are lucky enough to enjoy your family. God has truly blessed me! I have the best family in the world!