Maryland Fried Chicken II: That Steaming Thing

“The disservice done the public by commercially fried chicken is perpetuating the fallacy that Southern fried, by definition, is crisp, crunchy, and deep fried. There is more to it than that, for there are other ways to fry a chicken.

So how does a Southerner fry chicken at home? He coats the disjointed chicken with seasoned flour and browns it in hot shortening or oil on both sides. Now for the decision: to crisp or not to crisp? With lid on and heat lowered, the chicken becomes meltingly tender, not the least bit crisp, and as Southern as any other. This can be carried a step further when the chicken is done, excess fat may be poured off, and a little water added. Lid on again for five minutes of steam, and there’s Southern fried fit for the gods.” – Southern Heritage Cookbook Library, “Plain & Fancy Poultry”

Crispy Maryland Fried Chicken with creamy gravy served on waffles with roasted vegetables and peach slices

This week we will revisit Maryland Fried Chicken, briefly, to try out the dreaded “steaming” step.

First I will say that contrary to the above Southern Heritage quote, the steam step is far from conclusive.

I started to make a spreadsheet to track this. Here’s what I have so far:

Historical Maryland fried chicken recipes table showing contributors, regions, cooking methods, and publication years from 1815-1975

I also cross-referenced my two favorite Virginia cooks, Mary Randolph (1824) and Edna Lewis (1976) and found them both serving their fried chicken with cream gravy.

According to The Encyclopedia of American Food and Drink by John F. Mariani “The idea of making a sauce to go with fried chicken must have occurred early on, at least in Maryland, where such a match came to be known as “Maryland fried chicken.” By 1878 a dish by this name was listed on the menu of the Grand Union hotel in Saratoga, New York…“ (source) No mention of steaming.

This Serious Eats post explores the same subject, delving into whether to add that water to the pan, and coming to the conclusion “I don’t think [adding water is] a great idea, and I also don’t think it’s necessary: covering the pan for a portion of the frying traps more than enough of the steam generated by the chicken without pouring in additional water. I have a few theories about what this covering/steaming step accomplishes, the main one being that it helps the chicken cook more evenly despite its not being fully submerged in oil. “

Their final conclusion is: “Covering and steaming may seem antithetical to the goals of frying, but it’s pretty amazing how crispy the chicken ends up after the final minutes of cooking while uncovered.”

So its obvious that many Maryland cooks counted this step as a necessary part of their chicken cooking. I tried it and I found it tasty.. I mean it is fried chicken. It wasn’t as crispy but there was still a crispiness to the skin, and the meat was great. I think that tender fried chicken can be achieved without the water by attentive cooks and proper brining.

Recipe:

1 Cup flour
1 Teaspoon salt
.25 Teaspoon paprika
2.5 Lb cut up chicken, broiler-fryer
oil, vegetable
.25 Cup water
1 Tablespoon butter
1 Cup milk

Combine first three ingredients in a plastic or paper bag; shake to mix. Place two or three pieces of chicken in the bag; shake well. Repeat procedure with remaining chicken. Reserve two tablespoons of flour mixture for the gravy.

Heat ½ inch of oil in a large skillet to 325; add chicken. Cover, and cook 7 minutes. Turn chicken; cover, and cook an additiona 7 minutes. Reduce heat; drain off oil, reserving two tablespoons of oil and the chicken in skillet. Add water to skillet; cover and continue cooking over low heat 20 minutes or until tender. Drain chicken on paper towels; transfer to a warmed serving platter.

Add butter to pan drippings, and melt. Scrape sides of skillet with a wooden spoon to loosen browned crumbs. Gradually add reserved flour mixture, stirring until smooth. Cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually add milk; cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and bubbly. Serve gravy with chicken.

Adapted from “The Southern Heritage Plain and Fancy Poultry Cookbook,” 1983

Close-up of seasoned flour mixture with paprika and salt in bag for fried chicken coating

Oil and Candy Thermometer displaying 305.4°F next to a cast iron skillet for frying chicken

raw floured chicken pieces sizzling in oil in a cast iron skillet, seasoned and browning

Golden fried chicken pieces sizzling in cast iron skillet with oil and butter, demonstrating proper browning technique for Maryland fried chicken recipe

Golden fried chicken pieces cooking in oil on a dark skillet, showing crispy browned coating and juicy meat, with water being poured into pan for steaming

Cast iron Dutch oven with lid covering steaming fried chicken, demonstrating cooking technique for Maryland fried chicken recipe

Golden fried chicken pieces with crispy seasoned coating on dark serving plate, Maryland style recipe

Ingredients for Maryland fried chicken gravy recipe: milk in measuring cup with butter and flour mixture in small bowls on granite countertop

Close-up of fried cream gravy made with fond, cooking in cast iron skillet with butter and seasonings for Maryland fried chicken recipe

I suppose my next step would be to try the side-by-side comparison. I may have exhausted all possible chicken talk so please follow the Old Line Place Facebook page or twitter if you want to be updated on how that goes – or try it yourself and tell me about it!