2009.07.10
"Bied sicken"
Monday was National Fried Chicken Day. Considering that I have a Paula Deen day planner, I'm really not sure how I missed that.
I love me some fried chicken, especially with potatoes and white gravy. But I eat it very rarely now, mainly for health reasons. Growing up, it was an occasional treat. My mother could fry up some AWESOME chicken, but she always complained about what a mess it made of the kitchen, so she really only made it when we started whining that she hadn't made it in a long time.
My sister Kim loved the stuff from such an early age that she called it "bied sicken" until she could say it correctly. Sometimes I still call it bied sicken. Kim also called me "Yee-yee," but fortunately nobody says that anymore.
I'm going to include Deen's recipe for fried chicken below. And on a related note, I got an e-mail from blog reader Sherry this morning. Sherry says she has a mean hankering for some chicken-fried steak, but she doesn't feel like making it herself and doesn't know where she can get some good chicken-fried steak in the Roanoke area. Does anyone have a recommendation for her?
Thanks, and have a deliciously chicken-fried weekend.
Southern Fried Chicken
Serves 4
4 large eggs
1/3 cup water
1 cup hot pepper sauce
2 cups self-rising flour
1 tsp. pepper
One 2.5 lb. chicken, cut into pieces
House Seasoning (recipe follows)
Oil for frying, preferably peanut oil
In a medium bowl, beat the eggs with the water. Add enough hot sauce so that the egg mixture is bright orange. In another bowl, combine flour and pepper. Season chicken with House Seasoning. Dip seasoned chicken in egg mixture, then coat well with flour mixture.
Pour oil into a deep pot, making sure not to fill it more than halfway. Heat to 350 degrees.
Fry the chicken in oil until browned and crisp. Dark meat takes longer than white meat. It should take dark meat about 13 to 14 minutes, while white meat takes about 8 to 10 minutes.
House Seasoning
Makes about a cup and a half
1 cup salt
1/4 cup black pepper
1/4 cup garlic powder
Combine all ingredients and store in an airtight container for up to 6 months.
Source: Paula Deen's 2009 Calendar
I used to love chicken-fried steak and it was one of the first things I learned to cook when I was a kid. I never make it anymore because, well, I would be headed the wrong direction up the scale, but um-um, I do have fond memories of the dish.
Comment by Nona Nelson — July 10, 2009 @ 2:22 pm
HaHa - what a blast from the past! I still love some bied sicken but like you I rarely eat it. Maybe if we told Mom we'd scrub the kitchen afterwards we can get her to make some for us!!
Comment by Kim — July 10, 2009 @ 2:25 pm
I think Cracker Barrel has good Chicken fried steak. I usually don't order it, but my husband has it sometimes.
Comment by Pat — July 10, 2009 @ 3:03 pm
Drain off the oil. Add in flour to make a roux. Then throw in chopped tomatoes and then stir in milk to make a gravy. Serve on rice.
Comment by Henry — July 10, 2009 @ 3:26 pm
My mom can make some mean fried chicken too, best I've ever had! We went to Savannah in '07 specifically to visit Paula's restaurant, The Lady & Sons (my mom is a diehard fan), and had fried chicken there -- awesome! My mom has made this recipe several times since then, and it is some of the best fried chicken I've ever sunk a tooth in!
Comment by Leisa — July 10, 2009 @ 3:29 pm
Did your mama make it in a big iron skillet? When I got married our neighbor gave me a humongous 16" one, it fried a lot of chicken in the early years of marriage. I don't fry as much as I used to, but when I do, I lug that thing out. Makes some good fried fish and taters, too.
Your blog makes my stomach growl!LOL!!
Comment by Kathy — July 10, 2009 @ 3:57 pm
I'm pretty sure she did, Kathy. Which reminds me that I need a cast iron skillet myself. I have a Dutch oven but everyone ought to have a cast iron skillet.
Hey Nona, would you share your recipe for chicken-fried steak?
Comment by Lindsey Nair — July 10, 2009 @ 5:16 pm
My mom used to make great fried chicken too. She cooked hers in a big cast iron skillet. She had to tell us to get out of the kitchen because when she would plate the chicken, we'd start picking the crispy skin off before she could take it to the dinner table. I don't cook it partly for health reasons, and mostly because I hate the mess it makes with the splattering grease.
Comment by Debbie — July 10, 2009 @ 8:21 pm
My grandmother use to make fried chicken nearly every Sunday and she lived to be 83. I think the used a cast iron skillet but that has been 15 years since I had some of her chicken. No one has matched her chicken yet. The Home Place comes the closest.
I have a cast iron skillet I use camping. Best thing I ever got for cooking while camping. I use it on the stove for the most part but have been know to put it on the grate on the fire ring when I'm low on propane. Love that most of the time you can just wipe it out and it's good to go again.
Comment by Mike D — July 11, 2009 @ 11:58 am
My wife and I had a wonderful Margarita pizza yesterday at Ledo's in Lynchburg. Is there any place in Roanoke that serves a Margarita Pizza? Thanks
Comment by Al T — July 12, 2009 @ 6:36 pm
I know that Corned Beef & Company has a pretty good Margherita pizza. A friend also suggested checking Grace's in Grandin Village and Fork in the Alley or Fork in the City.
I'm writing a story this week about a mobile wood-fired pizza business called Dogtown Pizza. They set up on the Blacksburg Farmer's Market on Wednesdays from 3-8 p.m. and at the Floyd jamboree every Friday night. They have a Margherita pizza.
Comment by Lindsey Nair — July 13, 2009 @ 11:00 am
I had a delicious Margarite Pizza at Carabas in Myrtle Beach. Actually one of the best I've ever eaten. I assume they have one on the menu here in Roanoke as well.
Comment by Rebecca — July 13, 2009 @ 11:29 am
According to the Carrabba's Web site, they do serve a Margherita pizza at the Valley View location. Thanks, Rebecca.
Comment by Lindsey Nair — July 13, 2009 @ 1:34 pm
It has been many years (more than I am going to admit to) but as I recall we always used round steak and I would whack it with a tenderizer (that was fun.) I cut the steak into small pieces (a couple of inches square) and each piece was salted, peppered and doused heavily in white flour.
I heated up the skillet (I don't think I used the cast iron for this one) with a couple of heaping spoonfuls of Crisco (cringe; it was the 1970s) and fried the steak until it was crispy on the outside. I also sprinkled in extra flour in the grease to make the gravy.
I added water, enough to just cover the meat, and a little more pepper, turned the heat down and covered the pan.
I don't remember how long it would simmer, but I am guessing at least 20 minutes to get the gravy to reduce to a thick consistency. I would stir it occasionally to make sure it didn't stick and to get all the brown bits up off the bottom of the pan and into the gravy.
We served it with mashed potatoes usually, but I like Henry's suggestion of rice.
Comment by Nona Nelson — July 13, 2009 @ 1:43 pm
This recipe is EXACTLY why you can buy Texas Pete in 32 ounce jars. I can't wait to try it.
Comment by Rich — July 16, 2009 @ 4:22 pm