Re-Up BBQ's fried chicken

Make perfect fried chicken at home

Re-Up BBQ in B.C. obviously does barbecue, but its bucket of fried chicken is also a must-try. Here's how you can create it at home.

Some tips from Michael Kaisaris:

  • Leg meat tends to stay more moist. If you must use white meat, make sure to buy bone-in, skin-on pieces
  • Monitor the temperature constantly, and increase the heat if you notice it has dropped below 300 F for more than a minute or two. 

Batter

1 cup potato starch
1/2 cup rice flour
1/2 cup all-purpose flour
1 tsp baking soda

Add all ingredients into a fine mesh sieve, and sift together into a large bowl. The bowl should be big enough for the batter mix and as many pieces of chicken as you want to bread (suggested amount is eight or ten). Whisk the sifted batter together until there are no distinct pockets of any of the flours. 

Chicken

10 pieces chicken thighs or drumsticks, or fewer
1/3 cup Re-up BBQ spice rub or your favourite brand, enough to coat
1/3 cup French’s yellow mustard, enough to lightly coat
6 L rice bran oil, can be substituted with peanut oil or canola oil as a last resort
4 eggs

Dust each piece of the chicken on all sides with spice rub, and then toss the seasoned chicken with mustard. Seal the chicken in a zip lock bag and refrigerate overnight.

Before you fry

Note: Working with an open flame can be dangerous – we recommend placing a fire extinguisher next to the stove.

Fill a ten- or twelve-quart pot no more than half way with oil. Attach a candy thermometer to the pot, and heat the oil on the stove until it reaches 350 F. Adjust the burner for the pot until the temperature of the oil is stable.

Before you start frying, set a metal cooling rack on a baking sheet pan, and position it on the counter next to the stove. Place some of the leftover spice rub in a shaker or bowl nearby.

To batter and fry the chicken

Whisk eggs in a large bowl large. Add chicken pieces and coat by tossing with metal tongs. Remove each piece of chicken from the egg wash individually, and place in the batter bowl. Toss to coat, and immediately add each piece to preheated oil. Working in batches of 4 chicken pieces at a time, fry for approximately 15 minutes. You’ll know they are done when they float to the surface. Do not fry too many pieces at a time, or the oil will become too cool to crisp the chicken. Gently remove the pieces with your metal tongs (plastic will melt) and rest them on the cooling rack.