Deep frying chicken

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oldrustycars

Senior Cook
Joined
Mar 7, 2009
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160
Location
Naperville, Illinois
My mom was telling me she wishes she had her mothers cast iron Dutch oven. She told me she made the best fried chicken in it. I showed her my 5 quart Lodge, she said my grandmas was the same size. I commented it must have taken forever making fried chicken for 8 people, I make it 4 pieces at a time, thats about what fits without crowding. She assured my Grandma used lots of lard, and packed the dutch oven full, and the chicken came out great. Anyone made fried chicken this way? I know Grandma made great fried chicken, but I was young at the time with no interest in how she did it. Can I fill up with oil and pack it full with 8 pieces at a time?
 
Obviously you don't want to fill it up so full the oil spills over when adding all that chicken!! Maybe it could hold a couple/few more pieces? Certain chicken pieces weren't so big way back when either...:ermm:
 
My mom was telling me she wishes she had her mothers cast iron Dutch oven. She told me she made the best fried chicken in it. I showed her my 5 quart Lodge, she said my grandmas was the same size. I commented it must have taken forever making fried chicken for 8 people, I make it 4 pieces at a time, thats about what fits without crowding. She assured my Grandma used lots of lard, and packed the dutch oven full, and the chicken came out great. Anyone made fried chicken this way? I know Grandma made great fried chicken, but I was young at the time with no interest in how she did it. Can I fill up with oil and pack it full with 8 pieces at a time?


There's no better way IMHO :) But it's very unhealthy, that's the only consideration I give other options like peanut oil or canola oil. I have to watch my cholesterol, so I don't do the lard or Crisco method (only occasionally ... gotta have the flavor sometimes :rolleyes:)

The best way is the fresh way too ... cut their heads off, hang 'em to bleed 'em, boil 'em, feather 'em, FRY 'EM :pig:
 
oldrustycars said:
Can I fill up with oil and pack it full with 8 pieces at a time?

It entirely depends on the "Horse Power" of your Heat Source (Stove) Once you reach frying temperatures...365*- 375* and drop in the Chicken the oil temperature will fall rapidly...Here is where you will need a lot of "Horse Power" BTU's to recover to frying temperatures quickly!!! I don't believe most consumer grade stoves can handle that much oil, and chicken at one time.....In a 5 Qt. oven --- 4 inches deep --- Suggest you fill only to slightly over half...2.5 inches --- Slowly add 1 piece at a time --- Cook two batches...

Enjoy!
 
I've seen Alton Brown fry a whole cut up chicken in a cast iron skillet at one time. It was a smaller fryer chicken and he used lard. He did not deep fry it and had to turn the chicken over to cook both sides.

Here's how he did it.
 
Alton's recipe is pretty much how fried chicken works. Whether you have a "chicken fryer"--a cast iron 4 qt saute pan with lid, or a 12" "griswold" this was the low level of hot fat and a turn it once. Yes the chickens were fryers...about 2 1/2 to 3 lbs. so they would cook in 10 min per side. You cannot do this with a 7 pound roaster! You are also working with room temp chicken not ice cold from the fridge.

It is an easy recipe, but it requires attention. You don't walk away from the stove while doing this one. And be prepared to clean the kitchen after dinner. Hooded outside ventilation helps, but even then, you will need to clean the residue off everything. BUT IT'S WORTH IT...such good home fried chicken.
 
"The oil should come half way up the pan"

A 12 in. CI Skillet is 2 in deep...How does one achieve this when only 1/8 in. of oil is used....Displacement?? I don't believe 1/8 in water would turn into 1 in. Much less oil...
 
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