Lard-Fried Chicken
By Morgan BollingPublished on June 11, 2020
Time
1¼ hours, plus 30 minutes chilling
Yield
Serves 4
Ingredients
Before You Begin
Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more for this recipe. We developed this recipe using John Morrell Snow Cap Lard, but you can substitute 1 quart of peanut or vegetable oil, if desired, although the taste will be different. If you're breaking down a whole chicken for this dish, a 4½-pound chicken would yield the necessary pieces. If you're using table salt, reduce the amount by half. To take the temperature of the chicken pieces, take them out of the oil and place them on a plate; this is the safest way and provides the most accurate reading.
Instructions
- Sprinkle chicken all over with 2 teaspoons salt and pepper. Whisk flour, baking powder, and remaining 1 tablespoon salt in large bowl until combined. Place water in medium bowl.
- Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, dredge chicken in flour mixture, shaking off excess; dunk in water, letting excess drip off; then dredge again in flour mixture, pressing to adhere. Transfer to large plate and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and line half of rack with triple layer of paper towels. Melt lard in large Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees.
- Add all chicken to lard, skin side down, in single layer (some slight overlap is OK) so pieces are mostly submerged. Fry for 10 minutes, rotating pot 180 degrees after 5 minutes. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 300 and 325 degrees.
- Carefully flip chicken and continue to fry until golden brown and breasts register 160 degrees and drumsticks/thighs register 175 degrees, 5 to 9 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to paper towel–lined side of prepared rack and drain for about 10 seconds per side, then move to unlined side of rack. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve.
Time
1¼ hours, plus 30 minutes chillingYield
Serves 4Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
In Indiana kitchens, chicken pieces are seasoned with salt and plenty of black pepper, dunked in a light coating of flour, and then cooked in bubbling lard. The result is fried chicken that is crisp (not craggy) in texture on the outside, super- juicy on the inside, and uniquely savory. To make our own version with a light yet substantially crisp crust, we dipped the chicken pieces in flour, then water, and then back in flour. For fast frying, we cooked the chicken all in one batch. Keeping the lard between 300 and 325 degrees ensured that the coating on the chicken became golden brown all over without developing any off-flavors (which can happen when lard is heated to higher temperatures). Draining the fried chicken on paper towels wicked off any excess lard to make for juicy, not greasy, chicken.
Before You Begin
Use a Dutch oven that holds 6 quarts or more for this recipe. We developed this recipe using John Morrell Snow Cap Lard, but you can substitute 1 quart of peanut or vegetable oil, if desired, although the taste will be different. If you're breaking down a whole chicken for this dish, a 4½-pound chicken would yield the necessary pieces. If you're using table salt, reduce the amount by half. To take the temperature of the chicken pieces, take them out of the oil and place them on a plate; this is the safest way and provides the most accurate reading.
Instructions
- Sprinkle chicken all over with 2 teaspoons salt and pepper. Whisk flour, baking powder, and remaining 1 tablespoon salt in large bowl until combined. Place water in medium bowl.
- Working with 1 piece of chicken at a time, dredge chicken in flour mixture, shaking off excess; dunk in water, letting excess drip off; then dredge again in flour mixture, pressing to adhere. Transfer to large plate and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes or up to 2 hours.
- Set wire rack in rimmed baking sheet and line half of rack with triple layer of paper towels. Melt lard in large Dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat to 350 degrees.
- Add all chicken to lard, skin side down, in single layer (some slight overlap is OK) so pieces are mostly submerged. Fry for 10 minutes, rotating pot 180 degrees after 5 minutes. Adjust burner, if necessary, to maintain oil temperature between 300 and 325 degrees.
- Carefully flip chicken and continue to fry until golden brown and breasts register 160 degrees and drumsticks/thighs register 175 degrees, 5 to 9 minutes longer. Transfer chicken to paper towel–lined side of prepared rack and drain for about 10 seconds per side, then move to unlined side of rack. Let cool for 10 minutes. Serve.
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