
Ingredients
1 whole chicken
1 quart brine (recipe follows)
2 quarts chicken fat
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups cornmeal breading (recipe follows)
Salt
Brine
2 teaspoons black peppercorns
4 bay leaves
1 quart water
¼ cup salt
3 garlic cloves
¼ bunch thyme, tied in a bundle
Cornmeal Breading
2 cups cornmeal
1 tablespoon cayenne pepper
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 tablespoon black pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme, chopped
2 teaspoons salt
Directions
- Remove skin from chicken and then cut into parts (breast, wing, thigh, and leg). Place in a baking dish and cover with brine, ensuring pieces are completely submerged. Cover dish and place in refrigerator for at least 3 to 6 hours.
- Remove chicken from brine and let dry on a paper towel-lined plate for 10 minutes.
- Heat chicken fat to 350 degrees in a large dutch oven.
- Pour buttermilk into a wide, shallow bowl and and cornmeal breading into another. Dunk chicken in buttermilk then toss in breading, ensuring each piece is evenly covered.
- Carefully lower each breaded breast into hot chicken fat. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes, then add legs, thighs, and wings. Fry until thickest part of each piece registers at least 165 degrees on a meat thermometer, 10 to 12 minutes. Carefully remove each piece and drain on a paper towel-lined plate. Sprinkle with salt to season.