Foods, their selection and preparation

Some "fried chicken" has a heavy coat¬ ing of flour or corn meal and after it begins to brown it is covered and the heat is low¬ ered. This method, technically, is braising. It is the better method, however, for most chickens of three pounds and over, since covering tightly holds in the steam and make the meat more tender. In some cases a small amount of water is added to the pan before it is covered. In braising, tenderness is obtained at a sacrifice of crispness. Since many people like crispness in fried chicken, it may be recrisped by uncovering for about the last 10 minutes of cooking. Chick¬ ens which need this method to make them tender may need a total of 35 to 60 minutes of slow cooking. Another variation in the method of preparing so-called "fried chicken" is to cook it in the oven after browning. This method may be more convenient, especially when a large quantity is being cooked, since it requires less watching. When pieces are uniformly and delicately browned in the frying pan, transfer them to a covered roasting pan or casserole, cover closely, and cook in a 300° to 325° F. oven until tender. Uncover for the last 10 minutes for re¬ crisping, if desired. Or if the chicken is young and tender it may be finished in the oven in an open pan. For cream gravy to serve with fried chicken, blend 3 tablespoons flour with 3 tablespoons drippings and all the little browned bits in the frying pan. Add grad¬ ually, with constant stirring, one pint cold whole milk. Cook slowly and stir until the gravy reaches a hard boil and is very smooth, except for the brown bits of crumbs. Season with salt, pepper, and paprika. Serve hot. To fry chicken or other poultry in deep fat, cut the bird into pieces, as desired, according to its weight and the number to be served. If the joints are broken, the pieces will cut apart easily when cooked. Before cooking, dip the pieces into diluted egg and fine crumbs or into a thin batter (1 cup flour, 1 cup milk, 1 egg, and J tea¬ spoon salt) to add flavor and to make a coating which prevents the meat from dry¬ ing out. Allow the coating to dry a bit before cooking. Heat fat, suitable for deep-fat frying (see page 146), to 350° F., having enough in a deep kettle to cover the chicken. A fry¬ ing thermometer which can be clipped to the side of the kettle is very helpful in keeping the fat at the proper temperature. Lower the pieces, one at a time, into the hot fat, taking care not to overfill the kettle. Regulate the heat so as actually to fry the chicken at 300° to 325° F. At this tem¬ perature, the quarters of a two-and-one-halfpound bird will need approximately 15 min¬ utes to cook well done to the bone. When the fat is too hot, the pieces brown before the thick portions are cooked through. Deepfat frying cooks the chicken more rapidly than pan-frying, since both sides are cooked at once. Drain the cooked chicken on paper toweling, and keep hot in a heated pan until served. If desired, chicken may be lightly browned in deep fat, drained, and finished in the oven at 300° to 350° F. for 20 to 30 minutes. The oven cooking may be done either open or covered, depending upon the weight and tenderness of the bird. There is no gravy to accompany the deep-fat fried chicken. [232]