While she has many fond memories of growing up on a farm, there are some things, like killing her own chickens, SARAH SMITH (Tupelo, Mississippi) is glad she no longer has to do! “We always had fresh chicken made with our own lard because we raised chicken and hogs. We had a large lard pail that I still remember—back then it was called a lard stand. And I still have the big black iron skillet and dome lid that my mother and grandmother, SALLY LANGSTON (Saltillo, Mississippi), used to use. Sometimes we’d even have fresh fried chicken for breakfast on Sunday mornings with homemade biscuits. If it was made for lunch or dinner, we’d enjoy the crispy fried chicken with turnip greens, butter beans, okra, or any other fresh vegetables from our garden,” Sarah recalls.
1 whole chicken
2 large eggs
1 cup whole milk or buttermilk
1 ½ teaspoons salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 ½ cups self-rising flour
3 cups lard
1 Rinse the chicken thoroughly and cut into pieces. Place in a baking pan.
2 In a small bowl beat the eggs. Stir in the milk, salt, and pepper. Pour the milk mixture over the chicken pieces and allow to sit for 15 minutes.
3 Scoop the flour into a shallow dish with sides or into a plastic bag. Roll each piece of chicken in the flour, completely covering each piece. Set aside to dry.
4 Place the lard in a large cast-iron skillet and heat on medium to melt. When the fat reaches 350 degrees, it is ready. (Drop a pinch of flour in the hot grease to test. If it floats to the bottom, it’s not hot enough. If it sizzles and floats on top, it’s ready.)
5 Add chicken pieces to the skillet in a single layer and not touching each other. Reduce the heat to medium-low and fry the chicken slowly until golden brown, 12 to 14 minutes for larger pieces, or 7 to 8 minutes for smaller pieces, such as wings. Turn the chicken over and continue cooking until golden brown on the second side, 12 to 14 minutes for larger pieces, or 7 to 8 minutes for smaller pieces. (A meat thermometer should reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees, and juices should run clear.) When finished cooking, remove from the grease and drain on paper towels before serving.
MAKES 4 SERVINGS.
NOTE: Cook the chicken in batches or use two skillets, if necessary. If cooking in batches, keep already cooked chicken warm in a very low oven (150–200 degrees), covered with foil.