Southern Fried Buttermilk Chicken

8-12 pieces of chicken, bone in (I use breasts

and legs, because that's what my crew eats)

2-3 c flour

2 tsp cayenne

2 T each: salt, pepper, Cajun seasoning, garlic

powder, onion powder, paprika

2 c buttermilk

1/4 c hot sauce (optional; we use Frank's)

Lard for frying

Heat 3/4" of lard in frying pan, bringing heat to 350°.

In a shallow bowl, mix together flour and all spices thoroughly. Divide half into another bowl.

In a third shallow bowl, add buttermilk and hot sauce. I usually sprinkle a little pepper in here too, but that may be a little too much pepper for some. Mix together.

Make a dredging station in the following order: flour mixture, buttermilk mixture, flour mixture, followed by an empty platter.

Place another platter, layered with paper towels, on the counter beside your pan of hot lard.

Using a large fork or tongs, coat your chicken (all sides, one piece at a time) in flour, then do the same in the buttermilk, and again in the second flour. Using a utensil will keep your hands from getting clumpy flour all in your fingernails. Place battered chicken on unlined platter.

Preheat oven to low or 200° to keep chicken warm until all chicken is fried.

When all your chicken is battered, and lard has melted completely and reached 350°, place several pieces in the pan. Do not touch. If chicken is not fully submerged: Let sit 6 minutes, then turn once and fry another 6 minutes, until internal temp is 165-170°. If chicken is fully submerged, do not flip your chicken, just keep it in the hot grease the entire 12 minutes, 165-170°. Your chicken will continue to cook a tiny bit after taken out of the grease, plus we'll be placing it in a warm oven to keep it warm while the rest of the chicken fries.

When you remove your chicken from the grease, use either a large fork, sturdy tongs or a large slotted spoon. Place the chicken pieces on the lined platter to drain the grease. After a couple minutes, place fried chicken pieces in a pan in the warm oven.

Repeat frying until all chicken is done. Remove paper towels from the lined platter and plate chicken. Serve hot.