Celebrating the Men in our Lives on Father’s Day

To me, Father’s Day is a day to celebrate the men in my life. My Father lives in Georgia.  Sadly, I will celebrate him in a phone call.  We won’t be together.  I will send him a gift and try to convey my gratitude for his influence in my life over the phone.

Most of the men I love are fathers of some sort: My Dad, Steve, my brothers, friends, my stepson, son in laws, etc. Even if they aren’t fathers to children there are cats and dogs in the picture.  This is the month we celebrate them.

Father’s Day is interesting in the fact that instead of being pampered, Steve wants to gather everyone he loves around him.  This Fathers Day he has already announced he wants to spend the day on the boat with a dinner of Fried Chicken.

Steve loves Fried Chicken.  It is one of his comfort foods that he thinks of as a unique food group, like Tuna Salad, Bacon, and a good Steak on the Grill.  Of course I will round out the menu with salads, chips, cole slaw, potato salad, etc.

On Saturday we will soak the chicken in buttermilk, this tenderizes it and gives us a good base to keep the seasoning mix and flour on the skin.  Sunday morning we will drain the chicken, shake the seasoning mix evenly over it on both sides then dredge in flour.  To escape the mess of frying, Steve takes his cast Iron skillet out to the grill, adds peanut oil and heats it to a shimmer.

Last Christmas I bought him a 17” cast iron skillet to encourage this passion.  It works like a charm, because when Steve fries chicken it is at least 16 – 24 pieces at a time.

Fried Chicken is the perfect thing to serve on a boating excursion.  This is a food that you serve with a napkin.  Practically no mess, spills, etc.  That, my friend, is the perfect picnic food when you are on the water.

I’m sure we will stop at one of the establishments along the way and toast him and the other fathers on board.  I think Steve has planned the perfect day!  Here’s to sunshine and calm seas.  I think he deserves it on his special day.

Here is Steve’s special recipe:

Steve’s Fried Chicken

Serves: 4-6

Steve has tried just about every recipe there is for Fried Chicken, then he watched Alton Brown video and a light bulb went off. This recipe is essentially his but we have modified some of the ingredients to suit our tastes. Seeing the video before you attempt this recipe is a big help. This recipe works well with gluten free flour so anyone with a gluten intolerance can enjoy this – just make sure to fry the pieces dredged in gluten free flour first so you don’t get any of the gluten in the oil.

Ingredients

• 1 broiler/fryer Chicken, cut into 8 pieces
• 2 cups low fat Buttermilk
• 2 tablespoons Kosher Salt
• 1 tablespoons Hungarian paprika
• 1 tablespoon Spanish Smoked Paprika or Pimenton de la Vera
• 1 teaspoons garlic powder
• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon Cayenne Pepper, depending on your taste
• Flour, for dredging
• Peanut Oil, for frying

Instructions

1. Place Chicken pieces into a bowl/container and cover with Buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate for 12 to 24 hours.
2. Heat enough Peanut Oil (over low heat) to come just 1/3-inch up the side of a 12-inch cast iron skillet or heavy fry pan. Raise heat to 325 degrees F. Do not allow oil to go over 325 degrees F.
3. Drain Chicken in a colander. Combine Salt, Paprika, Garlic Powder, and Cayenne Pepper in a shaker, mix well. Liberally season Chicken with this mixture. Dredge Chicken in Flour and shake off excess.
4. Place Chicken skin side down into the pan. Put thighs in the center, and breast and legs around the edge of the pan. The oil should come half way up the pan. Cook chicken until golden brown on each side, approximately 10 to 12 minutes per side. More importantly, the internal temperature should be right around 180 degrees. (Be careful to monitor oil temperature every few minutes).
5. Drain Chicken on a rack over a sheet pan. Don’t drain by setting Chicken directly on paper towels or brown paper bags. If you need to hold the chicken before serving, cover loosely with foil but avoid holding in a warm oven, especially if it’s a gas oven.

Enjoy! Do you have a favorite Father’s Day recipe? Tell us in the comments below!