Julia Reed's Fried Chicken

Ingredients

• 1 frying chicken, about 3 to 3 1/2 pounds, cut into 8 pieces
• 2 teaspoons salt plus more for seasoning chicken pieces
• Black pepper
• 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon hot paprika
• Lard, vegetable shortening or vegetable oil for frying

• Nutritional Information

  • Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

    1612 calories; 125 grams fat; 42 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 54 grams monounsaturated fat; 20 grams polyunsaturated fat; 36 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 0 grams sugars; 77 grams protein; 356 milligrams cholesterol; 1437 milligrams sodium

  Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.
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4 servings

Preparation

1. Place chicken in bowl of cold water and soak for a few minutes. Drain chicken and dry well with paper towels. Season chicken with salt and black pepper.
2. Mix flour, 2 teaspoons of salt, cayenne and paprika in a brown paper or Ziploc bag. Add a few chicken pieces at a time and shake until well coated. Remove and shake off excess flour mixture.
3. Over medium-high heat, melt lard, vegetable shortening or oil to a depth of about 1 1/2 inches in cast-iron skillet. When fat has reached about 350 degrees, slip in chicken pieces, dark meat first, being careful not to crowd them. (To test temperature, use a candy thermometer or dip a corner of a chicken piece into the fat; if vigorous bubbling ensues, the temperature is right.) Turn heat down and cook chicken for 10 minutes. Turn pieces with tongs. Cook until other side is browned, another 10 to 12 minutes. Drain on a wire rack over paper towels.

• To season a skillet: Preheat oven to 200 degrees. Wash new cast-iron skillet with soap. (This will be the first and last time skillet will be touched by soap.) Rinse and dry thoroughly. Rub inside generously with lard, olive oil or vegetable oil. Place in oven for one hour. Turn off oven and leave overnight. The next morning, wipe skillet out. Repeat process. The skillet is ready for cooking. After each use, wipe it out, rinse if necessary and wipe dry. If food sticks to pan, use a nonabrasive plastic scrubber or salt to get rid of it. Rub spot with olive oil.

1 hour