If you’re looking for a taste of home, then look no further than Gram Gram’s fried chicken! This is hands down the best Dan fried chicken we’ve ever made, and its no secret why. Dan-O’s Original combined with buttermilk help infuse the chicken with savory flair, and make the meat plump and juicy. With a recipe like this, you’ll get the perfect bite with every bite. The best part is that if you want to kick to the heat up, you can just sub in Dan-O’s Spicy or Chipotle! Spicy is perfect for a little Nashville heat, while chipotle gives a smoky taste of the Southwest with just the right amount of heat. Feel free to experiment and figure out what’s the best Dan-O’s for your take on Gram Gram’s fried chicken!
The Science of Marinades and why we marinate Gram Gram’s fried chicken in buttermilk?
We’ve talked about marination before but it’s always a good idea to refresh the memory. When we talk about tenderizing meats we generally have two options: Pounding it with a tenderizer, and marinating it. Both have their place but there’s a lot of misconceptions about marinades. First, most marinades don’t penetrate the surface of the meat, and this can lead to a soft outside but chewy inside. You really gotta think about your marinade to ensure a good end result. Most marinades include vinegar, or citrus due to their acidity.
When you have a good balance, it can leave the meat perfectly tender but if you drag your feet around, you’ll just end up drying the meat or making it way too soft. Now for all y’all southern and midwestern folk, the concept of milk and buttermilk marinades probably ain’t a stranger. Milk marinades tend to do the perfect job tenderizing without the chewy or mushy bits. The acid we find in buttermilk for example, is mild enough to soak the meat for hours without damaging the surface. In the instant of Gram Gram’s fried chicken, you’d want to marinate your chicken for about 4 hours at minimum and 24 hours at maximum.
Ingredients
- 5 lb chicken drumsticks
- 4 cups buttermilk
- Dan-O’s Original Seasoning
- 3 cups Self rising flour
- 2 tsp salt
- 2 tsp pepper
Preparation Instructions
- Remove the skin from the chicken drums.
- Place chicken drums in a large bowl with buttermilk and Dan-O’s Original Seasoning.
- Let marinade for a minimum of 4 hours.
- In a 1 gallon freezer bag add flour, salt, pepper, and Dan-O’s Original Seasoning then mix together.
- Add chicken drums to freezer bag and shake until drums are covered.
- Add two scoops of Crisco to a frying pan (Any oil will do) and preheat to 350° F.
- Brown chicken on both sides, remove from oil, and place on baking pan with a drying rack.
- Bake at 350 degrees for 40 minutes. Let cool and enjoy!
For folks who don’t do ‘spicy’ what’s another alternative?
Can I do this with breast as well and would I cook the same time?
We think the cook time would be around the same for a chicken breast. After that time in the oven make sure to check the temperature of the chicken with a food thermometer and make sure it reaches 165 degrees Fahrenheit, if it’s not up to temp cook a little longer until it gets there.