4 Secrets to Amazing Fried Chicken

                                      Reposted by: Raquel Pelzel 

The chefs behind some of the best fried chicken in the country share their tips

Best Fried Chicken

Crispy, crunchy, juicy. Delicious hot from the frying pan or cold from the fridge, fried chicken pleases with every mouthwatering bite. But it’s not just Southern home cooks enamored of its charms. New fried chicken joints are opening up around the country, and chefs are having a ball putting their own stamp on it. I asked a few pros, all of whom either have a fried chicken place or are in the throes of opening one, to share their best recipes. Robert Stehling from Charleston, South Carolina, Christine Cikowski and Joshua Kulp from Chicago, and Ed Lee from Lexington, Kentucky, happily obliged.

Which was my favorite? Whichever one I was eating. Prepare to get hungry.

The three recipes vary in dramatic (and delicious) ways, but the chefs behind them all agree on these basic fried chicken tenets:

Brining is critical 

Brining is critical not only for creating the juiciest chicken, but also for seasoning it to the bone. Though salt is a constant, the brine can take several forms. One recipe uses a liquid brine scented with citrus and spiked with red pepper; another offers a dry brine packed with spices; and a third calls for semi-poaching the chicken in a brine-like broth before frying.

A coating adds crunch

Another key component (and for many fried chicken lovers, the most important) is the crisp coating. Not only does it add another layer of flavor, but it also helps keep the chicken juicy. All of the chefs do this step a little differently, but they agree that it’s important to let the coated, uncooked chicken sit for a little bit before frying so that the coating sets up and sticks to the skin rather than sliding off into the hot oil.

Frying in batches prevents greasy chicken

There are two ways to fry chicken: deep-frying, in which the chicken is fully submerged in hot oil, and pan-frying, in which the chicken is partially submerged and flipped during cooking. With deep-frying, it’s easy to fry chicken evenly, but you end up with a lot of leftover oil. Pan-frying uses less oil, but because the oil spatters more, it can be messier. No matter the method used, it’s important to fry in batches so the oil’s temperature doesn’t drop too much when the chicken is added to the pot and to adjust the heat to maintain a hot frying temperature. If the oil cools down, the fried chicken will be greasy and soggy (and so sad!).

Cooling on a rack keeps it crisp

All the chefs recommend elevating the chicken on a rack after frying so that it doesn’t get soggy while it cools. Not that it’ll be cooling for long. Once these juicy fried pieces come out of the oil, they’ll go fast.

The original Crispy co. Camden Market

Few months ago I was in London for my summer vacation. A friend of mine was telling me everyday to go to a place called Camden Market that sells the best fried deserts. I wasn’t very thrilled about going and postponed the trip to Camden to the day after since it’s wasn’t very close to where I live. Until one day my friend dragged me with her to try what she says the “Best” thing she ever tasted. When I arrived I saw how crowded and busy the place was with the smell of the pancake batter that was killing me from the inside, I knew that it was worth every bite.

The original Crispy Co

After standing in line for an hour it was finally our turn to order, and i ordered the fried Oreos since it's my favourite.  The only thing I could say is TAKE ME TO LONDON!! I regret not listening to my friend when she told me about it, because indeed it's the best thing I ever ate. The fluffiness of the batter with the melted chocolate inside and coated with powered sugar is the definition of comfort food. 

How to order

Fried Oreos

Fried Creeemey Egg

Camden Market Directions - google maps 

You know what they say " A picture is worth a thousand words."  

Incredible Demand For Fast Food Restaurants.

One reason for the high demand for fast food restaurants is the advertisement. A majority of advertisements on television and other advertising outlet have attractive images of fried food that attract the attention of consumers. Most notably the rises in demand for fast food restaurants is the low prices that almost everyone can afford. A busy lifestyle is another reason for high demand for fried food restaurants. The busy  lifestyle is another reason for high demand for fried food restaurants. 

Talabat

What is Talabat?

Who doesn't know Talabat nowadays? Talabat's website made our lives easier. People are busy moving up and about and have many different commitments that they cannot have time to prepare fried food themselves at home. Therefore, they tend to go to fried food restaurant to keep eating what they desire regarding fried foods.  The following link is a survey that is made to analyse the demand towards fried food. Contributing in this survey help with having a better understanding of people's desires towards fast food. https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/MZ563SS . Thank you!

Classic Italian Meat Sauce #SundaySupper

Reposted by  BY LIZ BERG

This Classic Italian Meat Sauce simmers all afternoon, fills your house with a marvelous aroma and will elicit groans of pleasure from all who indulge. Definitely worth the wait!

No Ordinary Meat Sauce

My typical spaghetti sauce recipe requires no recipe. It’s tasty, and on occasion even memorable. But I toss in cans of tomatoes, tomato paste and sauce. Sprinkle in some Italian herbs and a few glugs of red wine if there’s an open bottle. Usually, I add Italian sausage and sometimes meatballs. It’s never the same twice in a row. But on a chilly Sunday when I’m home for the afternoon, I pull out all the stops. That’s when I make a classic Italian meat sauce and simmer a pot of gravy like a real Italian mama. Starting with country ribs and sausage, there are layers upon layers of flavor which only intensify as the pot slowly cooks for hours. Those Italians knew what they were doing—this is a winner!

Gravy or Sauce?

I grew up in Iowa, daughter of a German father and Irish mother.  It was “sauce” that topped our spaghetti, not gravy. It wasn’t till I met foodies from across the US via the Internet that I heard that there was a sauce vs. gravy debate. It seemed to me that those of Italian heritage called this tomato based sauce a gravy. Whatever your preference, I know you’ll love this dish. It’s the perfect way to warm up on a chilly night.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 4 country style pork ribs
• 1 pound Italian sausage links, may slice or keep whole

For meatballs:

• 1 pound meatball mix (equal parts ground beef, ground pork, and ground veal) or all ground beef
• 2 eggs, slightly beaten
• 2 tablespoons fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• ¼ cup grated Romano cheese (or Parmesan)
• ½ cup bread crumbs
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• ½ teaspoon salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

For meat sauce:

• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small can tomato paste
• 2 large cans crushed tomatoes
• Freshly ground black pepper
• Salt to taste
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• A few pinches of Romano or Parmesan
• ¼ cup fresh Italian parsley, chopped
• 1 tablespoon dried basil
• 1 small can tomato sauce
• ½ cup dry red wine
• 1 small can water
• 
  

Instructions

1. In a Dutch oven, brown Italian sausage and pork ribs in a bit of olive oil. Pierce the sausage casings while the first side is browning. Remove and set aside.
2. Make meatballs by mixing all ingredients. Scoop out tablespoons of mixture and form into balls. Brown in oil left in the Dutch oven, adding more if needed. Remove when browned but not cooked through.
3. Add garlic to Dutch oven and sauté till fragrant; do not brown. Add tomato paste and cook for a few minutes. Add the rest of the sauce ingredients and bring to a simmer. Add meats. Simmer for about 3 hours with the lid partially covering the pan. Stir every half hour or so to prevent the bottom from burning.
4. Serve over spaghetti.