11.093
7 (Tue) April 2020
Extra-Crunchy Fried Chicken
3.0
by me
at home
-Dasmariñas Village, Makati, Metro Manila, Philippines-
with the Family
Generally, I trust the advice of America’s Test Kitchen (Cook’s Illustrated), which I find to be straightforward, practical, reliable, effective – an excellent resource for something as technically challenging as American-style fried chicken.
First breakthrough: marinating in seasoned milk to infuse flavor, tenderize, and preserve juiciness. The recipe calls for traditional buttermilk, but the store didn’t have it, so I used regular milk, which doesn’t have as much acidity or tanginess, but it worked.
Second breakthrough: adding baking powder to the flour coating to facilitate a crunchy crust. The book explains that the baking powder releases carbon dioxide to leaven the crust and increase surface area, making it light and crisp.
Third breakthrough: covering the pan to retain heat and accelerate the cooking process.
However, I did a poor job of regulating the proper oil temperature – starting at 375F/190C, maintaining at 310F/155C – so that the crust browned before the meat had cooked through. I had to finish some of the pieces in the microwave.
Nevertheless, it was a promising new beginning.
I am reminded of KF’s “thoroughly” cooked fried chicken (see 9.344 Sangria-Sozzled Grapes)