Y'all want it.

Y'all know how our African-American brothers and sisters want it. Smothered and deep fried. Every time I watch their movies and there are scenes of them dining and stuff, aaaaah! I want to stuff that chicken in my pie hole and drown in gravy. Oh yes, I've been wanting that a long time. I usually just bread my chicken but since I'm from the South, I want authentic "southern" experience even if it's actually from a million miles away.

As the saying goes, once you go black you can never go back!


I have a little collection of cook books and I actually own one that features recipes from the best restaurants all over America. I'm not really sure if they gave their secrets away, maybe they withheld a key ingredient or two. I have come across this fried chicken recipe all the way from Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House in Lynchburg, Tennessee. The book said, it's a big white house built in 1908 and Miss Mary was the one who cooked for her boarders and locals.

Today with Miss Mary no longer around but her recipes still alive, people need to reserve early to actually dine there so I thought it must be good enough to try. Roll up your sleeves!


Traditional Southern Fried Chicken
(Adapted from Miss Mary Bobo's Boarding House, 
Lynchburg, Tennessee)


Ingredients:

1 (2-2 1/2 lbs) Chicken, cut into parts
2 Eggs
1 cup Milk, evaporated or fresh
1 1/2 tsp Salt
1 tsp ground black Pepper
1 1/2 cups self-rising Flour
3 cups Lard

How-to:

1. In a shallow bowl, beat eggs and stir in milk, salt, and pepper.

2. Soak chicken in milk mixture for 5 to 10 minutes.

3. Roll chicken in flour, being sure to completely cover each piece. Set aside to dry.

4. In a large cast-iron skillet (or as I call them, heavy metal pan \m/), melt lard over medium heat. When fat is very hot, add chicken parts, and cook for several minutes. (Hint: Always use heavy skillets for deep frying. It regulates heat better than aluminum pots or pans.)

5. Add other pieces, being careful not to overcrowd the skillet. Cook until chicken is golden brown on one side, about 5 minutes.

6. Turn and brown on the other side. Reduce the heat to medium low. Cover the pan, and cook for 10 minutes.

7. Turn the pieces, cover, and cook for 10 minutes longer. Uncover for the last 5 minutes so crust will be crisp and voila! :)

It ain't Popeye's but it's the shiznit! ~_~

Till the next eats,
Shak ♥