Blue Water Navy

Now remember, I was doing these recipes for an online emagazine, so this is a copy and paste from my recipe folder. just as it went into them.

PAPAW’S
SOUTHERN FRIED CHICKEN

Southern women have a special recipe for Southern fried chicken (and Papaw’s that paid attention to their Mother’s cooking) that has been passed down in their family for generations. This here recipe is a pretty dern good one. The buttermilk is optional, replacing with the milk of your choice. When I was growing up, we used fresh milk a lot, with the cream still sitting on top. I’m sure some of ya’ll remember the gallon jug in the icebox, with the wax paper held on with a rubber band.
INGREDIENTS:
• 10 pieces fresh chicken
• 2 C. buttermilk (or milk of your choice)
• Lard or oil (if’n you’ve a mind to, use peanut oil)
• 2 Tbl. sp. bacon grease (don’t add if using peanut oil)
• 2-3 C. self-rising flour
• salt
• pepper (I usually add pepper til the flour is well covered, then add the salt til its kind of white on top, then add pepper again, then mix well.) It is always to your tastes, though.
PREPARATION:
Wash chicken well, dry, place in bowl with the buttermilk. Cover and refrigerate 2 hours. Put 1 inch of oil in frying pan. Heat oil to 350 degrees. Add bacon grease at this time. Remove chicken from the buttermilk and dredge in mixture of flour, salt and pepper. Place in hot oil, covered.
Chicken should be turned just once while cooking. Fry ten minutes each side (or until nice golden brown) Dark meat takes a tad longer to cook, than the white meat, so pay attention.
Smashed taters (or fried taters and onions) and white chicken gravy, made with the crispies from the chicken, Green Beans, and cathead biscuits will round out this meal nicely.