Why Grandma’s Fried Chicken Was Always Juicier (Her 3-Step Secret)
No air fryer. No thermometer. Just flavor and soul.
🔥 You Could Smell It Before You Walked In
The sound of hot grease popping. The smell that hit the porch before the door opened. You knew what time it was — Grandma was frying chicken, and it wasn’t basic.
🥣 Step 1: She Always Soaked It First
Before it hit the flour, the chicken sat in a bowl of buttermilk — sometimes overnight. Why? Because buttermilk tenderizes the meat and helps the flour stick better later on.
No buttermilk? She made her own with milk + vinegar or lemon juice.
🧂 Step 2: Season the Flour (Not Just the Chicken)
That flavor didn’t just come from the meat. The flour was seasoned like a full recipe:
- Salt + black pepper
- Garlic powder
- Paprika
- Onion powder
- And if she felt bold — cayenne or mustard powder
She didn’t measure. She just knew.
🍳 Step 3: Hot Grease, Cast Iron, and Patience
She used lard, Crisco, or vegetable oil — never olive oil. And always in a cast iron skillet.
The oil had to be hot — but not too hot — and she tested it with a pinch of flour, not a thermometer.
Then she laid the chicken away from her, flipped it once, and never crowded the pan.
👵 That’s Why Her Chicken Hit Different
It was juicy inside, crispy outside, and full of flavor in every bite. No shortcuts. No hacks. Just real cooking passed down through hands, not videos.
📌 Bonus Tip
After frying, she let it rest on a brown paper bag — not a paper towel — so it stayed crispy and never soggy.
Now you know why Grandma’s fried chicken was legendary. Try it like this — and see if your family says, “You cooked this?”