Down Home Fried Chicken-In The Kitchen With David

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I remember when I used to walk into my Grandmother’s house and instantly feel at home. Everything seemed so welcoming and she would always be there, with her arms outstretched for a big hug. That is almost the way you feel when you start watching In the Kitchen with David on QVC. David Venable is a larger than life personality with a big heart and a welcoming demeanor that makes you feel like you visited home every time you watch the show.

I remember the first time I watched David and his happy dance. My Mom, an avid QVC watcher (almost from the beginning), came running in the room saying “You have to come here and watch this guy on QVC. He is the male version of you.” I sat down and for one hour I was transported into foodie heaven. He had on steaks, desserts and kitchen gadgets you would just go ga ga for. We normally watched QVC for electronics, makeup, skin care and of course jewelry, but my Mom got the time wrong for jewelry and instead we were introduced to David. We try hard not to miss a show now and David has become like a part of our family!

Like most foodies, David has a cookbook called (of course) In the Kitchen with David. I was so excited to receive my copy and as soon as it came I tore the package open and for 3 hours I immersed myself in a foodie experience like no other. There are no frills, fancy whistles or recipes you just go “Uh?” over. This is straight up, down home cooking David style. This is what I like to call family cooking. The recipes are ones that you want to make and invite your entire family for a meal. David’s sense of humor and true love of food shines in each page. I giggled out loud over “whomp em’ biscuits” and even shed a tear when he talked about Grandma Mimi’s Chicken and Dumplings. My Grandmother made those all the time for me and they are still my favorite!

David’s Down Home Fried Chicken is very easy to prepare! Here are some tips to get you started ( these are from my experience and you may want to do something different)

• Do not skip the buttermilk brine! I did on the first batch and it didn’t turn out the same. The buttermilk not only helps the flour mixture stick but it also tenderizes the chicken. It leaves you with a moist, burst of flavor. David said not to in is cookbook but what can I say? I am a Rebel.
• If you are not using a deep fryer make sure you are using a deep, heavy pan. I am using my girlie crush, Rachael Ray’s Saute Pan, pictured above.
• Make sure you us a high quality oil with a high heat index. Lower quality, olive oil and other light oils will smoke with the high heat. If you are really worried about frying in oil use a high quality grapeseed oil such as Pompeian like I did.
• Always use a deep fry/candy thermometer when frying chicken. Your heat must stay at a constant 350 degrees. If it gets to low it will be greasy and take longer to cook. To high will cook it to quickly and burn it. ( want to guess how I learned that? Yep, one time I burnt donuts so bad it took two days to air the house out. True story.) If your heat gets to low, stop adding the chicken and wait for it to rise, then continue. If it gets to hot, take it off the burner and wait. I always fry my goodies at medium heat.
• Do not be afraid to strain your oil if it starts getting burnt pieces or looks gross. Yes, it may take longer but it will make a difference in the taste of your chicken.
• Throw out the oil once it is cooled. Some people say you can use oil twice but I don’t like too because it changes the flavor of your food. I have heard foodies say that adding a piece of raw ginger will draw out the flavor in the oil and you can reuse it. I have not tried that and if you do let me know how it works!

I just want to say a quick shout out to David for coming into our home each week and for letting me review his cookbook! It is going to be a treasured item for years to come! Here’s to many more years Happy Dancing!

Down Home Fried Chicken

Down Home Fried Chicken-In The Kitchen With David

 

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Author: Bobbie Seacrist

Recipe type: Chicken

Serves: 4 to 6

Ingredients

Buttermilk Brine

• 4 cups Buttermilk
• 2 tbsp. hot sauce ( optional)
• 1 tbsp. of kosher salt
• 1 tbsp. freshly ground pepper

Chicken

• 1 3 to 4 pound chicken cut up into 8 pieces ( or you could cheat like I did and get a pack of thighs and legs.)
• 2 cups of all purpose flour
• 1 teaspoon of dried thyme
• 1 teaspoon of dried marjoram
• 2 tsp. onion powder
• 1 tsp. of garlic powder
• ½ tsp. cayenne
• 1 tbsp. kosher salt
• 1 tbsp. of freshly ground pepper
• Canola oil ( or a high quality grapeseed oil) for frying

Instructions

1. To make the brine, whisk together the ingredients in a dish shallow enough to hold the chicken in a single layer. Add the chicken pieces, cover and refrigerate for at least 3 hours. ( I did it overnight) Turn the chicken once while marinating.
   

To make Chicken

1. Pour the chicken into a colander and allow the brine to drain.
2. Place the flour, thyme, marjoram, onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt and black pepper in a resealable bag. Put two to three pieces of chicken in the bag, close and shake well to coat. Remove the chicken from the flour and shake off any excess. Repeat with the remaining chicken. Place chicken on a wire rack while heating the oil.
3. Heat 2 to 2½ inches of oil in a heavy duty cast iron skillet or other large skillet. The skillet should be large enough to hold the chicken in a single layer without touching. Add the chicken to the hot oil and cook for 7 to 9 minutes. Using tongs turn the chicken and cook for another 7 to 9 minutes. Remove the chicken and drain on paper towels. Let the chicken rest 5 to 10 minutes before serving.

Notes

Don’t forget to check out David’s cookbook HERE.

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