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Comfort Food, Poultry


One 3- to 3.5-pound free-range chicken, back removed, cut into 10 pieces (2 legs, 2 thighs 2 wings, breast quartered)
Chile Apple Brine, recipe follows
4 cups cornmeal
2 cups flour
1 cup Rib Rub, recipe follows
1 gallon (16 cups) canola oil, for frying
Chile Apple Brine:
8 ounces dried pasilla negro chiles, seeded
3 Granny Smith apples
1 quart (4 cups) apple cider
1 cup molasses
1 cup kosher salt
1 cup sugar
1/2 cup peeled garlic, chopped
Rib Rub:
12 ounces kosher salt
8 ounces sugar
5 ounces paprika
3 ounces onion powder
3 ounces garlic powder
3 ounces ground black pepper
2 ounces anise or fennel seed
2 ounces ground yellow mustard

Chile Apple Brine:
Soak the chiles in hot water until softened. Transfer them to a food processor and process to a paste. Strain the paste, then transfer to a large container with a lid.
Put the apples in a food processor, skin and core included, and pulse to chop. Transfer to the container with the chile paste and add the apple cider, molasses, salt, sugar, garlic and 8 cups (1/2 gallon water).
Rib Rub:
Combine the salt, sugar, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, black pepper, anise seed and mustard in a bowl.

Place the cut-up chicken in the Chile Apple Brine and refrigerate overnight.
To make the chicken fry mix, add the cornmeal, flour and Rib Rub to a large bowl.
Drain the brined chicken well and add to the bowl with the chicken fry mix. Mix the chicken well with the breading to get a good coat. Let set in the mix for 20 minutes.
In a large heavy pot, add the canola oil and heat over medium heat to 275 degrees F.
Give the chicken a final mix and, using tongs, carefully place each piece of chicken into the hot oil. Fry until cooked through, about 14 minutes. Remove to a platter lined with paper towel and let drain before serving.

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