Editor's note: The recipe and introductory text below are excerpted from The Dooky Chase Cookbook by Leah Chase and are part of our story on Mardi Gras. Chase also shared some helpful tips exclusively with Epicurious, which we've added at the bottom of the page.
I remember going to Mardi Gras parades and seeing fried chicken being sold on the street. There really wasn't any Mardi Gras in Madisonville — everybody left for New Orleans in hay trucks. Sometimes I could go, but usually my father wouldn't let us miss school.
We would go to see the Zulu parade, which was on Claiborne Avenue from Canal Street to St. Bernard Avenue. Claiborne was lined with beautiful oaks then. Some of the people held open houses on Claiborne, for their friends. The street was full of booths, with blacks selling fried chicken, fried fish, and red beans. My favorite thing about Mardi Gras was that we could eat in the street. My father never even let us eat candy outside normally.
I also thought it was so fun to dress in costume. But a lot of Creole ladies used the occasion to bring out their first spring suit. They would wear violet corsages, and walk with canes with a celluloid feathered doll on top. I thought it was a shame to get all fancy on Mardi Gras, instead of playing like the other maskers.
The Zulu parade mocked the white parades. The "African King" would wear a huge crystal doorknob as a ring. They were very funny. They wandered all over, passing households that paid them to go that way. Now Mardi Gras is so big that organized routes need to be followed. That's good to impose some kind of order where so many people are involved.
One group put on a Mardi Gras Breakfast Dance that was very fancy. The invited guests — usually teachers and professionals — would go in hats and gloves. I got invited eventually and wasn't so impressed. I was just happy to be watching the parade, finally able to eat some fried chicken in the street.
Leah Chase shares her tips with Epicurious:
· Pet is a brand of evaporated milk commonly found in southern Louisiana. If you can't find Pet, any brand of evaporated milk will do — "it works better and it just tastes better," Chase says. If you do not have or cannot find evaporated milk, substitute half and half. Regular milk, Chase says, is too light and thin, and it will not yield the same perfect crust. · Chase's secret to perfect fried chicken is to make sure it is "perfectly dry before it hits the fryer. If there are any wet spots," she says, "your crust won't stick." After dipping the chicken in the egg wash and dusting it in flour (making sure to knock off any clumps or excess), let the chicken sit for about 10 minutes before putting it in the oil to fry. · Magnalite is a brand of heavy cast-steel cookware. Any other such brand of cast iron or steel cookware can be used instead.
FAQs
Fried chicken, also known as Southern fried chicken, is a dish consisting of chicken pieces that have been coated with seasoned flour or batter and pan-fried, deep fried, pressure fried, or air fried. The breading adds a crisp coating or crust to the exterior of the chicken while retaining juices in the meat.
What oil is best for Southern fried chicken? ›
Peanut oil is the best for frying this recipe but canola or vegetable work as well. I deep fry my chicken in a deep fryer but you can also do this in a large cast iron pan as well.
What type of flour is best for frying chicken? ›
All-purpose flour gives the buttermilk and seasonings something to stick to, while ensuring a wonderfully crispy crust. This crispy fried chicken recipe calls for paprika (which helps with browning), salt, and pepper. You can add more spices and seasonings to taste.
Is Kentucky Fried Chicken and Southern Fried chicken the same? ›
Kentucky fried chicken is cooked in a “pressure fryer”, which uses little oil. Southern fried chicken is usually fried in a deep fryer. Pan fried chicken is cooked in a pan containing a small amount of oil. Southern fried chicken is sometimes cooked in a pan.
Why do you soak chicken before frying? ›
The process of soaking the chicken in a saltwater solution before cooking keeps the meat moist and infuses it with flavor. The salt in the brine solution draws out moisture from the chicken, which is then reabsorbed along with the salt, sugar and flavors from the added spices.
Do you do egg or flour first for fried chicken? ›
You should always start with a layer of flour. This helps absorb moisture on the surface of the chicken, which would keep the breading from sticking and make a mess in the hot oil. The flour also gives the egg something to cling to—otherwise it would slide right off the chicken.
Why is Southern fried chicken pink? ›
Chemical changes occur during cooking. Oven gases in a heated gas or electric oven react chemically with hemoglobin in the meat tissues to give it a pink tinge. Often meat of younger birds shows the most pink because their thinner skins permit oven gases to reach the flesh.
Can you buy southern fried chicken seasoning? ›
Southern Fried Chicken Coating 450G Of Seasoning Mix : Amazon.co.uk: Grocery.
What oil does KFC use? ›
KFC products are fried in oil which may contain the following: Canola Oil and Hydrogenated Soybean Oil with TBHQ and Citric Acid Added To Protect Flavor, Dimethylpolysiloxane, an Antifoaming Agent Added OR Low Linolenic Soybean Oil, TBHQ and Citric Acid Added To Protect Flavor, Dimethylpolysiloxane, an Antifoaming ...
What oil does Popeyes use? ›
It Uses Palm Oil For Frying
If you've noticed that Popeyes fried chicken has a different oil flavor compared to other fried chicken places, it's likely because Popeyes uses palm oil for frying.
You can certainly fry chicken without brining the parts, but we recommend against that. It's very little work, and adds tremendously to the finished flavor.
Are chicken fried chicken and country fried chicken the same? ›
Chicken fried vs. country fried, for some Southerners the dishes are one in the same, for others the difference is in the taste. While the cooking methods vary slightly, we can all agree these are both classic Southern comfort foods.
Why is it called Southern Fried chicken? ›
From the 17th to 19th Centuries, conventional wisdom designated the American South as fried chicken's native habitat. Southerners made it a centrepiece of their regional cuisine and boasted that only African Americans, mostly enslaved, could make “authentic” fried chicken.
Is Southern Fried chicken meant to be pink? ›
The USDA says that as long as all parts of the chicken have reached a minimum internal temperature of 165°, it is safe to eat. Color does not indicate doneness. The USDA further explains that even fully cooked poultry can sometimes show a pinkish tinge in the meat and juices.
