All-Star: Fried Chicken (pickle-juice-and-buttermilk-brinded fried chicken)

"Pickle juice and buttermilk lend this fried chicken zippy tang and moist, tender meat. You can cut up a whole chicken, or buy any combo of skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces you like". Editor's note: Memorial Day to me is not about parties, picnics, or trips, it is about remembering our fallen Military Heros who gave their lives defending out GREAT Country. Note #2: Recipes are not cast in stone, if you read through one, trying to decide if you would like the finished culinary creation, and see some ingredient you do not like, leave it out, or substitute something you DO like. Note #3:When you see an asterisk* by an ingredient, it means something I would change or substitute. You do what YOU want to do! Note #4: this recipe calls for 4 hours of refrigeration or overnight.*
(serves 4-6)

1 cup pickle juice from 1 (16 oz.) jar petite kosher dill pickles (I like the garlic ones*),
     (reserve the remaining juice and pickles)
1 cup buttermilk (you can make buttermilk from whole milk, half and half or heavy cream - just
     add lemon juice or vinegar, stir, and it will turn into buttermilk*)
1 t. cayenne pepper (to your taste, or leave out*)
1 large egg
4-5 lbs. skin-on, bone-in chicken pieces (drumsticks, wings, thighs, and breast) (you can remove the
     the skin and bone when you dine, but there is more FLAVOR if you cook them this way*)
2" oil (canola, veg., EVOO - extra virgin olive oil*) - (you are going to fill your pot/pan with oil
     up to 2")*
1 cup flour or corn starch*
1/2 cup cornmeal
2 t. kosher salt (divided*)
Freshly ground black pepper (white pepper contains gluten*)

Drain the juice from the pickle jar to fill a 1 cup measure. Whisk together pickle juice, buttermilk, 1 t. salt, cayenne, and egg. Pour into a large heavy duty zip-top bag. Add the chicken parts. SEAL, turn bag to coat chicken. Refrigerate 4 hours or overnight, turning bag occasionally. Fill a large Dutch oven or pot with the oil. Heat to 375 degrees. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. In a shallow baking dish, whisk together flour, cornmeal, 1 t. salt, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Working with one piece at a time, remove chicken from brine, shaking off excess. Dredge in the flour mixture; add to hot oil. Fry 8-10 min or until golden and dine, turning to cook evenly (fry chicken in batches to avoid overcrowding the pan). Drain on paper towels. Serve with pickles.

"We often take for granted that which we should be grateful for."

Love,

Machete Milletti