#MEwx Sun, above freezing again and delicious Southern Fried Chicken

Good morning Augusta

This morning we have partly sunny skies with highs in the lower 40s. Light and variable winds, becoming southwest around 10 mph later this afternoon.

Tonight we have a chance of rain showers during evening hours. Mostly cloudy with a chance of snow showers. Lows in the mid 20s. Light and variable winds.

The readings from my weather instruments are:

The outdoor temperature is  17.4°F, Humidity is 65% and the Dew Point is 7.7°F. 

The wind direction is Northwest between 0.1 MPH and 0.5 MPH with a Wind chill of 17.4°F.

The Relative pressure is 30.24, the Absolute pressure is 30.04 and rising with a weather graphic indicating sun.

Visibility is 10.0 miles / 16.1 Kilometers with clear skies.

The UV rating is 1 out of 16, Sunrise is 6:55 A.M., Sunset is 6:42 P.M., Moonrise is 10:44 A.M., Moonset is 12:53 A.M. and the moon phase is waxing crescent.

Augusta’s RAW METAR readings are:

METAR KAUG 131053Z AUTO 29003KT 10SM CLR M07/M12 A3029 RMK AO2 SLP263 T10721117

We’ve had 0.00 of an inch of snow melt here over the past 24 hours.

As temps continue to warm up it’s important to note that it’s still pretty serious “cold and flu” weather out there. So, as winters debris becomes more visible in the yard for you to pick up, have a hardy meal to keep you warm out there.

Southern Fried Chicken

2 cut up fryer chickens in 16 pieces

4 1/4 cups buttermilk

5 cups all-purpose flour

3 tablespoons seasoned salt, such as Lawry's

2 teaspoons paprika

2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper

2 teaspoons ground dried thyme

1 teaspoon cayenne pepper, plus more for seasoning

1/4 cup milk

Canola or vegetable oil, for frying

Directions

Thoroughly rinse the chicken, then cover all the pieces with 4 cups buttermilk and soak in the fridge overnight or up to 24 hours. When you're ready to fry the chicken, remove the bowl from the fridge and let it sit on the counter for 30 minutes, just to take off the chill.

In the meantime, preheat the oven to 360 degrees F and mix up the breading. Place the flour, seasoned salt, paprika, pepper, thyme and cayenne (extra cayenne if you like heat) in a very large bowl. Stir together well.

In a small bowl, combine the 1/4 cup buttermilk and the milk. Pour the milk mixture into the flour and, with a fork, gradually mix until there are little lumps throughout. This will adhere to the chicken and make for a crispier breading. If necessary, add a little more flour or milk to the bowl in order to make it slightly lumpy.

Heat 1 1/2 to 2 inches of oil in a deep skillet over medium high heat until a thermometer reaches 365 degrees F. Lower the heat slightly, if necessary, to keep the oil from getting hotter.  Working in batches, thoroughly coat each chicken piece with the breading, pressing extra breading onto the chicken if necessary. Place the breaded

pieces on a plate. Add the chicken to the oil 3 or 4 pieces at a time. Make sure they aren't sticking together, then cover the pan and fry for 5 to 7 minutes, checking occasionally to make sure the chicken isn't getting too brown. Turn the pieces over, cover again, and cook 3 to 5 minutes more. All the while, monitor the temperature of the oil to make sure the chicken doesn't burn.

Place the chicken on a baking sheet and continue frying the rest of the chicken. When all the chicken has been fried, remove the wings and legs to a plate and keep covered. These should be cooked all the way through by now but always check, if any pink juice or meat is visible. If so, return to the hot oil for another minute or so until fully cooked. Leave the thighs and breasts on the baking sheet.

Bake the thighs and breasts for 15 minutes to finish the cooking process.  Sometimes I'll cut into the thicker part of one of the larger pieces, just to make sure the chicken is cooked through. If any pink juice or meat is visible, the chicken needs to continue cooking in the oven.

This Recipe is courtesy of Ree Drummond