Looking for a couple of recipes

One for fried chicken and the other for fish and chips.

We have friends from the south coming and I guess it is kind of a bet in a way that people in Colorado can not make fried chicken so please, no healthy recipes. I need a good old southern recipe including the skin.

At the end of July we have friends one coming one of them is from England and would like some good fish and chips.

I really do not have time to try a bunch of recipes from the Internet looking for a good one so I am hoping one of you has a family recipe you would share.

:memorial:

[rant] I am hesitant to post this recipe mostly because of the current fire danger, when I deep fry I do it outside in my Dutch oven over a propane burner. Boiling oil is close to its flash point and it only takes a second for a pot of oil to overflow and catch on fire. Close attention is required at all times when deep frying and I never leave a pot of hot oil unattended. Unless and until we get some significant moisture I won't be deep frying anything, I encourage everyone else to do the same. [/rant]


Southern Fried Chicken

I prefer beef and pork especially slow cooked in a smoker, even so there are few foods I enjoy as much as properly prepared and cooked home made Southern Fried Chicken. Buttermilk marinade is mandatory and it has to be over night, nothing else will produce the same results.

What You Need:

Buttermilk Marinade:

2 cup(s) buttermilk
1 tablespoon(s) Dijon mustard
1 teaspoon(s) salt
1 teaspoon(s) dry mustard
1 teaspoon(s) cayenne pepper
1 teaspoon(s) cracked black pepper

Fried Chicken:

1 3 1/2-pound-ish chicken, cut into 8 pieces
2 cups all-purpose flour
1 tablespoon baking powder
1 tablespoon garlic powder
Salt to taste
Black pepper to taste
Cayenne pepper to taste
Sufficient quantities of Peanut oil to fill a Dutch oven or large heavy pot HALF FULL

Hot Sauce:

2 tablespoons of honey
1 stick of butter
2 cups hot sauce (I like Franks or Texas Pete's)

Git'r Done

Buttermilk Marinade: In a gallon-sized plastic bag or a large bowl with a tight-fitting lid, combine the buttermilk, mustard, salt, dry mustard, cayenne, and black pepper. Add the chicken pieces and turn to coat. Seal and refrigerate overnight.

Frying the chicken: Mix dry ingredients in a large bowl (use your paws, no need to increase the number of items to clean up later). Add chicken pieces and turn to coat thickly. Let the chicken stand 10 minutes, turning occasionally to re-coat with the flour spice mix. Shake off excess flour spice mix before frying.

In a Dutch oven or heavy pot with a deep-fry thermometer attached, heat the Peanut oil, bringing it to 375 degrees F. Now think back to High School Physics and remember that stuff about thermal dynamics; the larger pieces of chicken are going to take longer to cook AND when you put the raw cold chicken into the oil the temperature will drop. Four pieces at a time fit nicely in my Dutch oven, slowly place the the chicken pieces into the oil and do so in a way that you are pushing the chicken away from you - OR - don't and enjoy getting splattered with hot oil. Pay close attention to the level of the oil, never put in so much chicken that the oil rises higher that 3/4's up the side of your Dutch over or heavy pot!

Reduce the heat after 3 or 4 minutes (once the crust begins to brown on the chicken) lower the temperature to 325 degrees F. Maintain temperature and continue to fry until chicken is golden brown and cooked through, about 20 more minutes.

Transfer chicken to a wire rack with a paper plate underneath and serve while piping hot (yes Virgina, we might not all get to eat at the same time). Cook the rest of the chicken in the same manner, recipe can be doubled and tripled if you are feeding a lot of people.

Hot Sauce:

Put the butter in to a sauce pan and melt it, add hot sauce and honey. Stir until all ingredients are combined and simmer for 3 or 4 minutes until heated through. Serve on the side (also makes a pretty good wing sauce, refrigerate the left over sauce if wings are in your immediate future).

Sounds yummy Thank You!!!

I have a fryer that I use so will give it a try.

I have to admit that despite the years I spent as a teen working and learning under chefs and line cooks, I can't make a batch of fish and chips that is better than what you can get at the Celtic Tavern at Riverside Downs or the Celtic Tavern in downtown Denver. Outside of a proper Glasgow chippie it is my opinion that you won't find better fish and chips in Colorado outside of the Celtic Tavern.

That being said, here's a recipe that produces very good fish and chips (just not the best I have ever had).

Proper Fish & Chips

What You Need:

For the Fish:
Peanut oil for frying
2 cups all purpose flour
1 12 ounce bottle Bass ale (minus a swig or two...)
2 pounds large Cod fillets, cut into 6-ounce pieces
Sea Salt and White Pepper

For the potatoes:
Peanut Oil for frying
8 large red skinned potatoes, skinned and cut into chips (fries) about as thick as your index finger
Sea Salt and Malt Vinegar

Git'r done!

Preheat oil in Dutch oven to 360 degrees F. Whisk together 1 1/2 cups of flour and the beer until thoroughly mixed. Dust the fish pieces in flour (shaking off excess), then dip in batter, covering completely. Drop fish in oil being careful not to crowd the Dutch oven. Fry the fish until golden brown on both sides. drain thoroughly on a screen or paper towels, then salt and pepper to taste. If not preparing the chips at the same time, then keep warm in oven while preparing chips.

For the Chips: Preheat the fryer to 325 degrees F. Allow chips to sit in water with a small amount of vinegar or lemon juice while you bring the oil in the Dutch oven up to temperature. Drain the potatoes of water completely, then lower in the oil, shaking often. Cook for 10 minutes, Potatoes should be cooked through, and moist to the center. Let them drain as you heat the fat to 375 Degrees F. Working in batches, return them to the fryer for 3-4 minutes, or until golden and crisp. Allow to drain, then add Salt and Vinegar to taste.

I cook alternating batches of fish and chips so everyone can get a few bits of both as the I cook off the rest. I guess I could break down and set up two Dutch ovens and cook a batch of fish and a batch of chips at the same time... This is another one of those dishes that has to be eaten right after it's done cooking, never as good as when it comes out of the oil and cools just enough that you can eat it with out burning your mouth.

I use the same recipe but add cornstarch to the flour, about a quarter. Chickin not fish