The Farmer Family Cookbook

< Picture 1 of 1 >

Ingredients

• 20.5 cups buttermilk plus 6 additional tbsp
• 20.5 tbsp salt
• 10.25 whole chicken, cut into 8 pieces (don't use wings and backs)
• 30.75 cups flour
• 20.5 tsp baking powder
• .750.1875 tsp dried thyme
• .50.125 tsp pepper
• .250.0625 tsp garlic powder
• 51.25 cups vegetable shortening or peanut oil

Steps

1. Whisk 2 cups buttermilk and salt in bowl until salt is dissolved. Add chicken and stir to coat. Cover with plastic and refrigerate for 1 hour.
2. Whisk flour, baking powder, thyme, pepper, and garlic powder together in a large bowl. Add remaining 6 tbsp buttermilk, with fingers, rub flour and buttermilk together until it resembles coarse wet sand.
3. In 2 batches, drop chicken into flour mixture and thoroughly coat, gently pressing flour into chicken. Shake excess flour from each piece of chicken and transfer to wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet.
4. Heat oil (should measure 3-4 inches deep) in large heavy Dutch oven to 375F. Place chicken pieces, skin side down in oil. Cover and fry until deep golden brown, 8-10 minutes. Remove lid after 4 minutes check for even browning. Adjust if necessary. When ready to turn, use tongs to flip chicken and finish cooking with lid off, 6-8 minutes. When chicken is done, transfer to plate lined with paper towel and drain for 5 minutes. Serve.