Meet Elizabeth Karmel, the trailblazing woman who single-handedly conquered two male-dominated arenas of the food world through sheer determination and talent. She followed up her hugely successful barbecue empire, anchored at New York’s incomparable Hill Country, with Hill Country Chicken, which is dedicated to immaculately fried and expertly seasoned birds. Elizabeth’s chicken combines elements of her mother’s classic recipe, but the seasoning is all her own; make sure to sprinkle it on while the bird is still hot so it adheres well and really permeates the chicken. The cheesy, long-cooked grits are worth the constant stirring, and the candied ham is what Elizabeth calls “the bow on a package,” balancing the savory components in the grits and chicken to create the optimal salty-sweet experience.
Ingredients
- 1 cup kosher salt
- 1 cup (packed) dark brown sugar
- 3 large sprigs fresh rosemary, or 2 tablespoons dried
- 1 generous teaspoon cracked black peppercorns
- 2 cups ice cubes
- 4 cups cold buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1 whole chicken, washed, patted dry, cut into 8 pieces, and trimmed of excess fat
- 2 ½ cups White Lily flour (or all-purpose flour)
- 1 tablespoon kosher salt
- 2 teaspoons coarsely ground black pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 2 teaspoons smoked Spanish paprika
- ¹⁄³ cup (packed) dark brown sugar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons smoked Spanish paprika
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon freshly ground white pepper
- 2 teaspoons garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons onion powder
- 1 teaspoon celery salt
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- Peanut oil, for frying
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Make the Brine
- In a large saucepan, bring the salt, sugar, rosemary, peppercorns, and 3 cups hot water to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar and salt. Remove from the heat and cool for 15 minutes. Add the ice cubes, buttermilk, and cayenne pepper; whisk to incorporate, and let rest until the brine is cool to the touch. Transfer the brine to a heavy-duty brining bag or a nonreactive food-safe container with a lid. Submerge the chicken in the brine; cover and refrigerate for 2 hours—no more, or the chicken will be too salty. Make the Seasoned Flour
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, and paprika. Make the Chicken shake Seasoning
- In a medium bowl, whisk all the ingredients together. Fry the Chicken
- Fill a large (12-inch) cast-iron skillet with a tight-fitting lid with about 1½ inches oil and heat to 325°F. Arrange 2 racks over 2 rimmed baking sheets and set aside. Remove the chicken from the brine; shake off the excess liquid and coat evenly in the flour mixture. Let sit for 5 minutes on a rack, coat again with the flour mixture, and immediately place the chicken, bone side down, in the skillet. Cover and fry until the bottom is golden brown and the top is beginning to cook, about 10 minutes. Remove the lid, flip the chicken, and then cover the skillet and let cook until the chicken is almost done, an additional 5 minutes. Remove the lid and fry uncovered until the skin is crisp, an additional 3 to 4 minutes. (It will take a total of 15 to 20 minutes to cook, depending on the size of the chicken pieces. If you turn only once, larger pieces may take longer.) To Serve
- Drain the chicken on the second rack, sprinkle with the Chicken Shake seasoning to taste, and keep warm in the oven until ready to serve. Serve the chicken with the grits; sprinkle the candied ham on top or serve it on the side.