Claritha's Fried Chicken Wings

Total Time: 72 hrs 20 mins Preparation Time: 72 hrs Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 3 lbs chicken wings (16 to 18)
• 1 cup coarse salt, plus
• 2 tablespoons coarse salt
• 2 onions, sliced
• 3 cups buttermilk
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons cracked black peppercorns
• 1 teaspoon cayenne
• 2 cups vegetable shortening
• 1/2 cup unsalted butter

Recipe

• 1 cut off chicken wing tips, and reserve them for another use (stock).
• 2 arrange wings in one layer in a 9x13 inch glass baking dish and sprinkle them evenly with 1/2 cup coarse salt.
• 3 turn wings over and sprinkle with l/2 cup more salt.
• 4 chill wings for 2 hours.
• 5 rinse wings in a colander under cold running water and drain.
• 6 (an alternative to this is to soak chicken wings overnight in a brine solution, using one cup salt and enough water to cover wings.) arrange wings in one layer in a baking dish and thinly slice onions.
• 7 arrange onions over wings and pour buttermilk over onions.
• 8 chill wings, covered, at least 12 hours and/or up to one day.
• 9 discard onions and drain wings in a colander.
• 10 tear off an 18 inch sheet of wax paper and set aside.
• 11 in a large shallow bowl, whisk together flour, peppercorns, cayenne, and remaining 2 tablespoons salt.
• 12 working with no more than 2 wings at a time, dredge wings evenly in flour mixture and shake off the excess.
• 13 arrange wings with the flat sides up, a few inches apart on wax paper and let stand 15 minutes.
• 14 get out a rack, brown paper bag, or paper towels, and set on a baking pan.
• 15 in a large fish fryer set over two burners (or two heavy skillets), melt 2 cups shortening and 1/2 cup butter over high heat, just until butter begins to turn golden.
• 16 add the wings, flat sides down, and reduce heat to moderately high.
• 17 cook wings, covered, until deep golden, 8 to 10 minutes.
• 18 turn wings and cook, uncovered, until deep golden, about 8 minutes.
• 19 with tongs, transfer wings to a rack set over pan, to drain.