Glazed Fried Chicken With Old Bay and Cayenne

Ingredients for Glazed Fried Chicken With Old Bay and Cayenne

• 275g kosher salt (240ml Morton or 400ml Diamond Crystal)

• 80ml (packed) light brown sugar

• 180ml hot sauce (preferably Crystal)

• 2 (3 1/2–4-pound) chickens, cut into 8 pieces (legs and thighs separated, breasts halved), backbone and wing tips removed

• 500g plain flour

• 90ml Old Bay seasoning

• 725ml buttermilk

• 180ml lard

• 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning

• 2 teaspoons paprika

• 1 1/2 teaspoons cayenne pepper

• Vegetable oil (for frying

• about 3.8L )

• A deep-fry thermometer

Heat salt, brown sugar, and 950ml water in a large pot over medium, whisking, until salt and sugar dissolve, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in hot sauce and 1925ml ice water. Add chicken to brine, cover, and chill 4 hours.

Combine 250g flour and 45ml Old Bay seasoning in a shallow baking dish and toss with your fingers to evenly distribute seasoning. Place buttermilk in a medium bowl. Remove chicken from brine and pat dry with paper towels.

Working one at a time, dip 8 pieces of chicken in buttermilk, allowing excess to drip off, then coat in flour mixture, packing all around chicken and pressing firmly into cracks and crevices; shake off excess. Place chicken on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Discard flour mixture, which will be wet at this point, and repeat process with remaining flour, Old Bay, buttermilk, and chicken; place on another wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet. Chill, uncovered, 12–24 hours.

Let chicken stand at room temperature 30 minutes.

Heat lard, Old Bay, paprika, and cayenne in a small saucepan over low, stirring, until lard is melted, about 3 minutes. Set glaze aside.

Pour oil into a large pot fitted with deep-fry thermometer to come halfway up the sides. Heat over medium-high until thermometer registers 325°. Working in 4 batches, fry chicken, turning often with tongs and adjusting heat to maintain temperature, until skin is deep golden brown and an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of chicken registers 165° for dark meat and 160° for white meat, 10–12 minutes per batch. Transfer chicken back to wire racks and let rest 5 minutes. Brush lightly with glaze (reheat glaze, if needed) and let cool. Store on racks at room temperature up to 3 hours ahead.

Disclaimer

While every effort has been made to ensure the information is accurate and up to date, individual needs may vary and dietary requirements can differ based on personal health conditions. Always check food labels and allergen information before preparing or consuming any recipe. If you have specific health concerns, allergies, intolerances, or are following a medically prescribed diet, seek advice from your GP, pharmacist, or a registered dietitian before making significant changes to your diet or lifestyle.