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Special Southern Fried Chicken Lesson |
Southern Fried Chicken
Have frying or roasting chickens weighing between 2 to 5 lbs. cut into desired size pieces. Was thoroly under cold running water. Place in a heavy utensil with a tight cover (on a trivet, if available), adding enough hot water to cover chicken. Add a stalk of celery and several slices of onion, and cook slowly between 30-60 minutes depending on tenderness of the chicken. Less water may be used if chicken is served without gravy. 1 cup is sufficient for steaming, adding more if it evaporates toward end of cooking. Add ½ teaspoon salt for each pound chicken. Turn several times. Test with metal skewer and when done, remove and drain well. If using large chickens, it is better to cook the things an few minutes longer. Prepare batter as follows and dip chicken into it:
1 cup of chicken stock, 1 whole egg, 1 ½ teaspoons salt, little pepper, 1 teaspoon baking powder, about 1 cup sifted bread flour (more or less). This amount of batter will cover about 5 pounds of chicken.
Combine above ingredients in a bowl and beat with Dover Beater only until smooth. Cover and allow batter to stand about ½ hour in room temperature. Dip pieces of chicken into batter and deep fry in desired shortening at 375 Fh. until golden brown and crisp. Arrange on cake cooler and keep warm in a 250 Fh. oven until all chicken is fired. Serve a quickly as possible.Cream gravy may be made with rest of chicken stock, using 2 tablespoons of flour with 2 tablespoons butter for each cup of stock. Cook until thick about 7 or 8 minutes.
Broilers weighing 2 lbs. or less may be deep fried without steaming. Cut chickens into fourths or desired pieces, pour boiling water over it, drain, dry on towel, season with salt and pepper, then dip into above batter. Deep fry about 15 minutes at 250-275 for thighs, and 10-12 minutes at 275-300 for breasts.
Instead of above batter, chicken may be rolled in light bread crumbs, or flour, then dipped into beaten whole egg, then into crumbs again. Place on wax paper, let stand about 20 minutes, turning several times. Deep fry as above.
Broiled Chicken:
Brush your split boilers, weighing not more than 2 lbs. each, with soft or melted butter. Place under broiler set at 325 Fh. On a flat baking sheet, about 3 inches from heating element, and broil on Skin side first about 15-20 minutes. Turn over and broil about 15 more minutes. Turn chicken around if necessary, so that it will brown evenly. Season before turning and when almost done. To test, separate thigh from body and if it separates easily, chicken is done.For larger chickens up to 3 lbs. Place on a rack on Dripping pan uncovered, and let bake in oven set at 350 Fh. About ½ hour. Then brush with melted butter on both sides and broil about 15 minutes on each side, as above. Season, etc.
Pan-Fried Chicken in the Rough:
Broilers, spring chickens, roasting chickens or small young turkeys may be prepared this way. Split small broilers into halves, cut larger chickens into desired size pieces. Brown well in 1/8 inch half butter and half lard over medium flame, keeping pan covered to prevent splattering. When chicken is brown, arrange it with skins and flesh side up, cover and let cook over low flame for about 30 minutes for broilers; 1 hour for larger chickens; and about 2 hours for small turkey; turning several times during cooking period, having skin and flesh side up most of the time. When chicken is tender, season with salt and pepper. Cook uncovered with flesh side up most of the time over moderate flame until it takes on a fried appearance, for about 7 or 8 minutes. While cooking chicken, if drippings appear scant, add several tablespoons of hot water from time to time, especially if preparing a small amount. If browning chicken, always place skin and flesh side down first.Breaded Pan-Fried Chicken
Season uncooked pieces of chicken with salt and pepper, roll in light bread crumbs or flour, then into beaten whole egg, then in crumbs again. Press crumbs well onto chicken, place on wax paper and let stand about 30 minutes, turning over several times. Brown on all sides in about 1/8 inch shortening, over medium flame. Add about ¼ cup hot water, cover pan and steam until tender about 30 minutes for very young frying chickens or broilers and 1 hour for roasting chickens. Turn several times during cooking period, having skin and flesh side up most of time. Cook uncovered last few minutes. Use trivet, if available. Have flame only high enough to produce steam, otherwise chicken will stick to bottom of skillet and will be less tender.Crunchy Crust Fried Chicken
Steam chicken as for Southern Fried. Drain thoroly. Season with salt and pepper, roll in bread flour, then dip into mixture made with 1 tablespoon cream or heavy buttermilk and 1 beaten egg. After dipping into egg and cream mixture, allow excess batter to drain; then roll each piece into crushed corn flakes, being sure to cover entire surface, pressing cornflakes onto chicken. Let stand on wax paper about 30 minutes, turning several times. Deep fry at 350 Fh., only until golden brown. Watch closely, as this type of crust browns very quickly. Takes only several minutes.Deep Fat Frying
A deep fat frying thermometer is the most reliable method of determining the temperature of the fat. If the thermometer is not available, the next best thing is the bread test. Drop a 1 inch cube of day old bread into the hot fat or oil, and then count the time required to bring it to a golden brown. If it takes too long, or the bread browns too quickly adjust the heat, put in another cube and check fat again.
Fat or oil at 325-350 Fh. will brown a 1 inch cube of bread in 90 sec.
Fat or oil at 365-375 Fh. will brown a 1 inch cube of bread in 60 sec.
Fat or oil at 375-400 Fh. will brown a 1 inch cube of bread in 40 sec.Swift's Bland Lard, vegetable fats and oils may be used for deep fat frying. Given proper care, fat or oil can be used over and over again for deep fat frying. It is better to strain in after each use to get rid of food particles. Strain it, when cooled a little but still warm, through a cheese-cloth or Kleenex laid in a wire mesh strainer. Allow to cool and store in refrigerator or very cool place, in a covered container.
Approximate time for Roasting Poultry at 325 Fh. Weigh after it is Stuffed
For large chickens weighing 4 to 6 lbs….. 25-30 min. Per Lb.
For medium chickens weighing 3 to 4 lbs..35 minutes per lb.
For very small birds weighing 1 ½ to 3 pounds, it is better to cover them part of time because they are deficient in fat.Preparations Preliminary to the Actual Roasting
Unless the bird has been purchased full drawn or ready to cook, request the marketman to remove the leg tendons, to cut off the feet, to leave the wing tips on, to remove crop from the back. By making an incision down the center back of the neck skin and pulling the skin away from the neck, the neck may be cut off close to the body, and the crop and windpipe are easily removed from this opening. Be sure to have marketman cut back of the neck skin instead of front, as this leaves the skin over the breast unbroken.Remove pin feathers, singe, and wash the bird thoroly under cold running water with a soft brush or cloth, and dry thoroly. The oil sac at the back must be cut away. Kidney and lung tissues embedded inside on either side of the backbone are to be removed. Store in refrigerator until ready to be roasted.
Just before stuffing, pour large amount of boiling water in body and between thighs.
Salting the outside is almost a useless operation. It tends to blister the skin and penetration through the skin is slight. Rub about 1 teaspoon of salt into flesh from the inside before stuffing.
Moist Dressing for Bird Weighing about 5 Lbs.
½ cup shortening, or ¼ pound bacon cut into small pieces
1 cup onions sliced thin
1 cup celery cut fine
½ loaf white bread, toasted golden brown and thoroly dried, covered with cold water until it swells and then pressed until very fluffy
About 1 teaspoon sage or poultry seasoning, ¼ cup chopped parsley
About 2 teaspoons salt (more or less), ¼ teaspoon pepper
2 small eggs
Chicken livers and hearts chopped fine
Melt shortening or fry bacon slowly until medium done. Add chopped livers and cook about 5 minutes, then add onions and celery. Cover pan and stream about 15 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Pour this mixture over bread that has been pressed dry; season with salt, pepper, sage, and parsley. Last, add the eggs, and mix lightly with two forks.Stuffing the bird:
Fill the cavity at the neck end lightly; fold skin over the back, and hold it in place with a steel skewer. Fold wings back so that wing tips may help to hold the neck skin in place. Fill body from lower end. Place filling in lightly so that room is left for its expansion. Fasten this opening with steel skewers by placing them across the opening at regular intervals. With heavy beef twine bring the skin edges together by "lacing" the twine around the pins, thus closing the opening.Trussing the Bird:
Fold the wings to form a triangle, with the wings caught under the back of the bird. (Hold each wing in position with metal skewer if necessary). Tie a strip of cheese-cloth or cord around lower end of each drumstick. This prevents the muscle and skin from drawing away from the leg bone during roasting. Push drumstick close to body, but not too compact, thy leg ends to the tail piece. Pull the string firmly so that the bird will retain its shape.Weigh the stuffed and trussed bird so that total cooking time may be approximated. Brush with melted butter or oleomargarine. Place it on a rack in a 325 Fh. oven. Roast uncovered in a shallow pan on its side, about 1/3 of total time. Turn over and roast other side one more third of time. Last third of roasting period, turn breast side up. Baste bird at end of each roasting period to keep it moist.
Gravy and Glaze for Poultry:
Combine neck, gizzard, stalk of celery, 1 small carrot cut up, 2 tablespoons parsley, 1 very small onion sliced, and 1 small piece of bay leaf, in small saucepan. Pour about 2 cups of cold water over it and 1 teaspoon salt. Cook covered very slowly about 1 hour or until gizzard is tender. Strain stock and put aside. When chicken is done, remove from roasting pan. Add stock to drippings in pan, removing excess fat if necessary. For each cup of stock, add 1/12 tablespoons cornstarch with 2 tablespoons water. Cook all together until thick and clear. Let simmer about 5 minutes after it comes to boiling point. A few drops of Maggi Seasoning and Kitchen Bouquet may be added to gravy for additional color and flavor. If too thick, add a little water. Chicken may be brushed with this gravy just before serving to impart glaze.Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Filling
1 ½ cups cooked or canned pumpkin
½ cup granulated sugar (or ¾ cup brown sugar solidly packed)
Yolks of 2 eggs, combined with 2 tablespoons of cold milk
¼ cup of cornstarch and ¼ teaspoon salt
1 cup hot milk, 2 tablespoons soft butter
About 1 teaspoon of T and T pumpkin pie spices (or ½ teaspoon ginger may be used if a yellow filling is desired; the spices darken it), combined with 2 tablespoons of boiling water forming a paste. Stiffly beaten whites of 2 large eggs, to which ¼ cup of granulated sugar has been added and beaten like heavy marshmallow.
Combine sugar, cornstarch, and salt. Add the yolks of 2 eggs slightly beaten and combined with the 2 tablespoons of milk, forming a smooth paste. Add the pumpkin and mix well, then the spices. Mix until smooth. Add 1 cup of hot milk slowly. Cook until it comes to a boil; then continue to cook slowly about 5 minutes stirring constantly. Add 2 tablespoons butter and mix well.
While this mixture is cooling slightly (keep it covered) beat the 2 egg whites until stiff, add the ¼ cup granulated sugar, and continue to beat until like a stiff marshmallow (about 3 minutes with electric beater at high speed or 5 minutes by hand). Add the hot pumpkin mixture a heaping spoonful at a time to the egg whites and fold in quickly, being careful not to over-work it. Allow to stand several minutes until slightly cool, then pour into the shell. Place on cake cooler and allow to stand until cold; Finally decorate with whipped cream, using No. 27 tube. Keep in refrigerator on cake cooler. May be prepared hours in advance. Better to decorate with whipped cream shortly before serving. (if using Birdseye Pumpkin, reduce sugar to ¼ cup, and omit spices and salt).Recipe for 1 Pie crust for Pumpkin Chiffon Pie
1 ¼ cups sifted bread flour
¼ teaspoon baking power, ½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons butter and 4 tablespoons Swift's Silverleaf Lard or vegetable shortening (must be cold and firm but not too hard before combining with dry ingredients). (If using all lard, use 7 tablespoons but increase salt to ¾ teaspoon).
About 4 tablespoons of cold milk or ice water
Sift flour, baking powder, and slat together several times. With pie blender, cut cold shortening into dry ingredients until it looks like coarse meal, not too fine. Then gradually add about 4 tablespoons of cold milk or water, working the liquid into the dry ingredients thoroly with a knife, using pressure until it leaves the sides of the bowl. Do not use more than 4 tablespoons of liquid and not less than 3 if possible. Turn dough out onto a floured covered board and knead it only a few seconds to hold mixture together. Wrap in wax paper and place in refrigerator for about ½ hour, if necessary. Do not allow dough to become too firm as it will be difficult to roll. Dough may be used at once if desired. When ready to be baked, roll dough to fit 10 x 1 ½ inch pie plate. Place another greased plate of same size over it. Bake in a 400 Fh. oven about 20 minutes. Remove top plate and bake at 350 about 15 more minutes or until golden brown.Rhubarb Filling
5 cups unpeeled diced rhubarb (2 lbs.)
1 ¾ cups granulated sugar (more or less), ½ teaspoon salt
4 tablespoons bread flour, 3 whole eggs, 2 tablespoons soft butter
Mix sugar, salt, and flour and add to diced rhubarb. Beat eggs lightly with fork and stir into the mixture. Fill unbaked pie shell that has been sprinkled with 2 tablespoons of toasted bread crumbs, dot butter over the top of the rhubarb filling and top with lattice strips of pie dough. Brush lattice strips with egg yolks to which 1 tablespoon of milk has been added. Bake in a 450 oven for 20 minutes; then reduce heat to 350 Fh. and bake about 35-40 minutes longer.
Use two-thirds of pie dough for bottom crust and rest for lattice strips. Brush rim of lower crust with milk before placing lattice strips on it.To prepare rhubarb for pie, remove ends, wash thoroly, dry on towel. Cut into uniform lengthwise strips, then crosswise into 1 inch long and ¼ inch wide pieces.
Strawberry-Rhubarb Pie:
Proceed as above. Instead of 5 cups of rhubarb, use 3 cups rhubarb and 2 cups cleaned and hulled whole strawberries. This is a very delicious combination.Pie Crust for Rhubarb Pie
2 ¼ cups sifted bread flour, 1/3 teaspoon baking powder
½ teaspoon salt, 7 tablespoons of Swift's Silverleaf Lard, and 7 tablespoons of butter
About 6 tablespoons of cold milkBack to top | Previous Lesson | Next Lesson | Table of Measures | Back to Index