Nashville Style Hot Chicken

November17

If you love spicy food, I mean, really, really LOVE all things fiery and flavorful, then you’re ready for Nashville Style Hot Chicken.

What makes Nashville Style Hot Chicken so unique is the “sauce” that is brushed, dipped or poured over the chicken just before serving.

I’m telling you, this atomic fried chicken is guaranteed to burn your face off. Ah, the eye-watering pain. The mouth-burning agony. It hurts (and tastes) so good.

Yes, there are a lot of spicy fried chicken recipes out there. But what makes Nashville Style Hot Chicken so unique is the “sauce” that is brushed, dipped or poured over the chicken just before serving. That sauce is so delicious; you have to serve it with a slice or two of good old-fashioned white bread to soak up all the drippy goodness.

Oh, and you definitely need some good pickles to gussy-up the plate. That’s part of the presentation. You don’t want to go to all the trouble of making Nashville Style Hot Chicken and leave off a traditional garnish!

Several (now famous) places in Nashville have been serving Hot Chicken for decades. But as we all know, it only takes one hip website or famous food show star to get the rest of the country clamoring for the next BIG THING RIGHT NOW.

But what in the world is Nashville Style Hot Chicken anyway? How it came into being is absolutely fascinating, but, then again, I love food history and how it defines our culture, and in this case, a city.

Give a read to Dr. Rachel Martin’s post on the website The Bitter Southerner to understand how Nashville’s so-called signature dish stayed hidden in plain sight for so long before exploding into the mainstream.

What makes Nashville Style Hot Chicken so unique is the “sauce” that is brushed, dipped or poured over the chicken just before serving.

Hattie B’s in Nashville, which offers five heat levels, including “Shut the Cluck Up”, inspired my Nashville Style Hot Chicken recipe. I’ve changed it a bit by adding some spices to the flour. Like Hattie B’s recipe, I dredge the chicken pieces (breasts, thighs and legs only) twice in the flour before frying.

But I don’t add quite as much cayenne pepper as Hattie B’s because, well, I may be a little high strung, but I’m not crazy.

Read this recipe all the way through before you begin. I just heard you gasp. That’s right, one of the ingredients in the secret sauce is one cup of the hot oil from the skillet where the chicken is fried.

But, like I always say, you don’t eat like this every day, and I know how much you love fried chicken!

What makes Nashville Style Hot Chicken so unique is the “sauce” that is brushed, dipped or poured over the chicken just before serving.


Fresh Green Salsa

May4

Don't wait for Cinco de Mayo to enjoy this delicious tomatillo-based Fresh Green Salsa. Great with scrambled eggs, grilled meat and even on Mac and Cheese!

Salsas are one of the saviors of the kitchen.

Baptize anything in a little salsa and you’ll up the flavor quotient and make it sing… as well as help stretch a meal. Fresh Green Salsa (also known as salsa verde) and leftover ground beef make a great taco filling. Eggs, salsa and cheese: Breakfast of Champions.

Fresh Green Salsa  is my favorite cooked salsa because the tomatillos (also called husk tomatoes) have such a distinctive flavor. The citrus balances the sharp bite of the Serrano or jalapeño chili peppers and the herbal, grassy flavor of the cilantro.

This recipe makes a big batch… share it, freeze it or grab a big bag of chips and park yourself in front of television! Kidding. Not kidding.

 

Don't wait for Cinco de Mayo to enjoy this delicious tomatillo-based Fresh Green Salsa. Great with scrambled eggs, grilled meat and even on Mac and Cheese!


Game Day Guacamole Dip

January26

So… you’re in charge of making the Guacamole Dip for the big game? 

Well, if you plan on making fresh Guac (and not squeezing it from a little packet), you need to buy those avocados TODAY, so they’ll be ripe and ready on Sunday.

This is my basic recipe for Guacamole Dip. From here, you can get your freak on by adding anything you like: cilantro, tomatoes, pomegranates, shredded cheese, chopped bacon… even mayonnaise (although that always makes me shudder). If you need tips on how to pick out the perfect avocado, click here. Also, my good friends at Avocados From Mexico offer this step-by-step video guide on how to open an avocado without cutting off your finger.

Now, unless you want to serve some lame plastic-tasting guacamole, get to the store now! (You can also speed-ripen those avocados by placing them in a brown paper bag with a banana or apple).

 

 

How to Make Drawn Butter (Tutorial)

December26

King Crab Legs: http://mom.me/food/16627-king-crab-legs-drawn-butter/If you’re having a small New Year’s gathering (or if it’s just the two of you), I’ve got a great suggestion: King Crab Legs with Drawn Butter.King Crab Legs: http://mom.me/food/16627-king-crab-legs-drawn-butter/

Easy. Elegant. Oh, yes, a bit expensive (which makes it extra special!).

King Crab is sweet and delicious, and unless you live in Alaska or further up north, it’s already cooked (and frozen) when you buy it. All you have to do is thaw, reheat and eat!

There are several ways to prepare King Crab, but I like to steam-reheat them in the oven. For a step-by-step tutorial on how to do it, click here.

Because this is a special night, I like to serve them with drawn butter (also called clarified butter). Drawn butter is butter that has been melted with the milk solids removed. You can also season it with herbs or lemon juice if you like. Drawn butter is also great to drizzle onto steamed vegetables.

Here’s a step-by-step tutorial for How To Make Drawn Butter:

Clarified Butter

prep: 5 minutes
cook: 15 minutes

serves 6, 2 tablespoons each

you’ll need… 

½ pound butter

let’s get to it…

1. Melt butter in a heavy saucepan on low heat.

How To Make Drawn Butter... a step-by-step tutorial! http://mamashighstrung.com/blog/?p=11073

2. Milk solids (in the form of white foam) will cloud the top: DO NOT STIR.

How To Make Drawn Butter... a step-by-step tutorial! http://mamashighstrung.com/blog/?p=11073

3. When butter is completely melted and small bubbles  begin to form around the edge, turn off heat. Let stand 3 minutes.

How To Make Drawn Butter... a step-by-step tutorial! http://mamashighstrung.com/blog/?p=11073

4. With a small ladle or spoon, skim off the milk solids.

How To Make Drawn Butter... a step-by-step tutorial! http://mamashighstrung.com/blog/?p=11073

5. You’ve made drawn butter! Try not to disturb any milk solids remaining on the bottom of the saucepan when you pour it bowls for dipping the crab.

How To Make Drawn Butter... a step-by-step tutorial! http://mamashighstrung.com/blog/?p=11073

 

For more Kitchen How-To and Tips, Check out my Extra Helpings Tab!

 


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Hi…
I’m Christina Chavez

I was a TV journalist for many years, but with a house full of kids I decided to come off the road, go to culinary school and follow my passion for cooking. Mama’s High Strung is all about food… everything from creative recipe ideas to some really cool kitchen gadgets and cooking tips. I live in Chicago, but I love to travel and write about my food discoveries! You can reach me by email: mamashighstrung@gmail.com