Use a cast-iron skillet over your barbecue to make these fried chicken sandwiches.Julie Van Rosendaal/The Globe and Mail
Eating outdoors is a Canadian summer pastime. It’s a fun change of pace – and when temperatures rise, cooking alfresco comes with the bonus of keeping excess heat out of your home.
And remember: Backyard barbecues can handle far more than grilling, particularly if you have a cast-iron skillet. Cast iron is perfectly suited to cooking over a flame, as it conducts heat evenly and won’t be damaged by intense, direct heat. (In fact, it’s the combination of heat and fat that keeps cast-iron pans well seasoned.)
A skillet also makes it easier (or possible) to cook more fragile or smaller pieces of food on a grill and allows for frying outdoors, keeping the mess and aromas out of your kitchen.
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When frying, food doesn’t have to be fully submerged in oil. This is particularly true for fried chicken, which is traditionally cooked in a deep cast-iron skillet. Often lard is used as the cooking medium, but canola, peanut or any neutral vegetable oil works perfectly. A depth of one inch is enough for the oil, and keeping the level low will help prevent splashing. (Just ensure, as with any backyard grilling, you have a fire extinguisher nearby.)
The oil can be reused a few times, depending on what you’re cooking. When you’re finished with it, let it cool completely, pour it into a compost bag and toss it into your compost bin.
Fried Chicken Sandwiches on the Grill
You can coat your chicken pieces (or mushrooms, if you prefer a vegetarian version) ahead of time and keep them refrigerated, uncovered, on a rack or a baking sheet to help them get nice and crisp. For chicken Caesar sandwiches, toss your slaw with Caesar dressing, or spread some on each bun.
Fried Chicken Sandwiches
- 8 skinless, boneless chicken thighs or oyster mushrooms
- 2 cups buttermilk or plain yogurt or sour cream, thinned with water
- 1 tbsp Tabasco or other hot sauce (optional)
- Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 2 tsp garlic powder (or any spice blend you like, such as barbecue), or to taste
- Canola, peanut or other neutral oil, for frying
- Soft buns, for serving
Pickle (or Lemon) Slaw:
- Bagged coleslaw mix or finely shredded cabbage
- 1-2 grated dill pickles (optional)
- Mayonnaise, to taste
- A splash of pickle brine or squeeze of lemon juice
- A few chopped chives
In a large bowl or storage container, stir together the buttermilk, Tabasco and a big pinch of salt. Add the chicken pieces or oyster mushrooms and turn to coat them well. Refrigerate for at least an hour, or overnight. (If you’re using mushrooms, no need to let them marinate.)
Put the flour into a shallow dish or pie plate and season generously with garlic powder (or your favourite spice blend), baking soda and salt and pepper to taste. Remove each piece of chicken from the buttermilk and dredge in the flour, then place on a wire rack set over a baking sheet. When they have all been coated, dip the pieces again in the remaining buttermilk and dredge in the flour, pressing on any damp bits of flour – those will become crispy bits. Leave the pieces on the rack for up to several hours (refrigerate if you’re not cooking them immediately).
Place a heavy cast-iron skillet on one side of your grill, pour in about an inch of oil, close the lid and turn the grill to medium-high. Aim for your oil to be between 350 F and 375 F – a scrap of bread (or bit of batter) should sizzle when added. Have another skillet or plate on the cool side of your grill, lined with paper towels.
Cook a few pieces of chicken or mushrooms at a time, without crowding the pot, for about eight minutes, turning as needed until deep golden. (If you have a meat thermometer, the internal temperature should register 165 F.) Transfer with tongs or a slotted spoon to the lined skillet or plate.
To make the slaw, toss shredded cabbage and grated dill pickles with mayonnaise, a splash of pickle brine or squeeze of lemon juice and chopped chives, making it as saucy as you like. Serve the fried chicken or mushrooms on soft buns, topped with some slaw.
Serves about four.