# Buttermilk Brine for Fried Chicken



## Able Hands (May 19, 2009)

I'm going to try fried chicken for the first time tonight.  I've read through a bunch of posts, and many of them call for a one hour soak in a butter milk brine.

Hopefully I can get a quick answer to a noob question...

How much salt, etc. do you add?  Does anyone have basic proportions?

I've seen it said for a water brine to make it taste like sea water, a taste I have made myself forget.  Not to mention that I have never tasted buttermilk seawater.

I love the site, and I have already gained a lot from it.  I just wish it were easier to find recipes.  A search for buttermilk brine results in 265 hits on this site.  Searching for buttermilk brine recipes gives me 283 hits.  I don't plan far enough ahead to look through that many posts to see if I can find what I am looking for.  Perhaps I need to plan a little better, but you know how it is when you get an idea in your head.  And I don't have enough skill yet to just wing it.

HELP!!!

Matt


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## Andy M. (May 19, 2009)

Matt, you don't have to salt the buttermilk as you would water.  Just use enough buttermilk to cover the chicken and add whatever seasonings you want.  Try some garlic and onion powders and black pepper.  You can mix the same seasonings into the coating as well.  You'll want to season the buttermilk fairly heavily as most of the seasonings will stay behind in the buttermilk after you take out the chicken.


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## GB (May 19, 2009)

I think part of the confusion is coming from the terms you are using. I have seen brines using water and I have seen buttermilksoaks for chicken, but never a buttermilk brine. That is not to say that you can't do that of course. 

Like Andy suggested, don't try to season the buttermilk like you are making a water brine. Don't think of the buttermilk as a brine and you will be better off. Chicken soaking in buttermilk usually stays submerged for 24-48 hours. Chicken in a brine usually soaks for around 2 hours (for pieces). Each technique qill give you different results.


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## Able Hands (May 19, 2009)

*Confusion...*

My confusion actually comes from this forum...  Along with a healthy dose of ignorance.

In post #19 of "*My Ex used to make the best fried chicken..."  *(can't post links yet)

User Bacardi made mention of adding salt to the buttermilk to make a brine.

I also saw it mentioned in a few other posts, and on other sites as well.

I tried to post this once before, and had a lot more information, but lost it.  Sorry for the brevity.  I have something in the works right now, and if it works, I'll let you all know.

Matt

[EDIT - here is the link: My Ex used to make the best fried chicken ... - Michael in FtW]


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## Alix (May 19, 2009)

Able Hands, one tsp of salt to a cup or so of buttermilk is perfect. I add some chile flakes to mine too. Yummy.


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## Able Hands (May 20, 2009)

*Way undercooked*

Well,

I did the buttermilk brine:

Buttermilk, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, nutmeg.

That set in the fridge for about an hour and a half.

I used Paula Deans Southern Fried Chicken recipe, and cooked per those instructions.  I used a 13" cast iron pan filled about 2/3 with crisco.  Heated to 350*-375*.  I was cooking legs and thighs, so I went with the longer time of 14 minutes.  Because I could not fully submerge the pieces, I started at 7-minutes per side.  Wife took one of the early pieces and it was extremely undercooked.  I upped the time by about three minutes and all it accomplished was burning the breading.  I put all of the pieces into a 350* oven for 30 minutes, and they were done...  FINALLY!!

I checked my thermometer in boiling water before I started and calibrated it accordingly, so I know my temp was within a few degrees.  I only put 4 pieces in the pan to make sure I wasn't crowding.  But the chicken was still undercooked.  

So how can I fry chicken without having to go to the oven?  Not that I mind going into the oven, I'm just curious.  Since we both gagged at the site of the underdone food, I had leftover twice baked spuds, and I don't think she ate at all.  Another first time recipe that didn't quite work.  The breading was great, nice and crunchy with tons of flavor.  We'll have it for dinner tonight.


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## Uncle Bob (May 20, 2009)

Matt you will notice that the recipe you went by called for a 2 1/2 Lb. Chicken...If your chicken was larger....Say 3 1/2 to 4 lbs. then the 14 minute frying time would not work. Obviously it would take longer...

  Suggest you invest in an instant read thermometer and cook your chicken pieces to a minimum of 165* F... (Not By minutes on a clock)...The USDA says that some consumers, "for reasons of personal preference, may chose to cook poultry to higher temperatures." --- I personally will eat 160*/165* Chicken breast, but I want dark meat...thighs and legs cooked to around 180*....Again, until you gain experience frying chicken use a thermometer... not a clock....HTH

  Have Fun & Enjoy!!!


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## msmofet (May 20, 2009)

Uncle Bob said:


> Matt you will notice that the recipe you went by called for a 2 1/2 Lb. Chicken...If your chicken was larger....Say 3 1/2 to 4 lbs. then the 14 minute frying time would not work. Obviously it would take longer...
> 
> Suggest you invest in an instant read thermometer and cook your chicken pieces to a minimum of 165* F... (Not By minutes on a clock)...The USDA says that some consumers, "for reasons of personal preference, may chose to cook poultry to higher temperatures." --- I personally will eat 160*/165* Chicken breast, but I want dark meat...thighs and legs cooked to around 180*....Again, until you gain experience frying chicken use a thermometer... not a clock....HTH
> 
> Have Fun & Enjoy!!!


 i agree!! i cook breasts and wings to 170F, i watch the color for turning   and most of all i LISTEN. when the spitting and sizzling slows it's a good sign that the chicken is done or almost done (sort of like when you pop corn in the micro, when the popping soumds slows down it time to take it out). then i take it's temp.


btw i like to soak chicken with salt for 2 reasons 1 - to give deep flavor and 2 - it pulls most of the blood out. i hate biting into chicken and find cooked blood!! i don't do blood very well 

i almost passed out when i was a teenage candy stripper at the hospital and a nurse handed me a bag of warm blood to take somewhere.


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