Southern Buttermilk Fried Chicken

The day before frying the chicken, make the dry rub. Then combine the buttermilk and half of the dry rub (keep the remaining dry rub for the next day) in a large bowl. Add the chicken to the mixture and refrigerate for a minimum of four hours or up to 24 hours, the longer the better.

When you’re ready to fry the chicken, mix the remaining dry rub, flour, the salt, and sugar in a doubled brown paper bag. Add the chicken, a few pieces at a time, and shake the bag. Remove the chicken from the bag and shake off the excess flour. Place the coated chicken pieces on a wire rack over a foil-lined baking sheet. Repeat the process until all of the chicken has been coated. Let the chicken rest for a minimum of 20 minutes before frying.

Next heat the oil in a heavy stock pot or Dutch oven, using a candy/deep fry thermometer to track the temperature. When the oil reaches 300ºF, add the chicken legs to the oil. Make sure to keep the temperature of the oil below 350ºF. Fry for 20 minutes and then remove and place chicken on paper towels to drain. While the legs are draining, add the wings to the oil and fry for 15-20 minutes. Again remove and drain. Let cool for 5 minutes before serving.