🍗Florida Fried Chicken

To make fried chicken for dinner in a Dutch Oven while camping your prep time begins just after you have eaten lunch start the process to brine the chicken in buttermilk ¼ cup of salt and sugar in a sealed container and refrigerate / put on ice (not under the ice) in the cooler.

90 minutes before dinner

90 minutes before dinner time, remove the chicken from the brine. Discard the buttermilk brine and pat dry the chicken. Rest the chicken bringing it to room temperature. This could take more than an hour. You do not want to fry ice cold chicken. Before you start cooking get the oil hot in your Dutch Oven. About three inches of oil. I prefer a high smoke point oil. This is why in backcountry cooking I choose vegetable oil. The ideal oil temperature is 300 F. A thermometer makes this easy. Otherwise, a little bit of math and observations will be required.
• Dutch oven size 8 inch = 15 charcoals underneath
• Dutch oven size 10 inch = 19 charcoals underneath
• Dutch oven size 12 inch = 23 charcoals underneath
• Dutch oven size 14 inch = 30 charcoals underneath
• Dutch oven size 16 inch = 37 charcoals underneath

30 minutes Before Dinner

Add cornstarch and Everglades Fish and Chicken Seasoning into the flour. Blend it and split the flour into two trays. Then coat the chicken in the seasoned flour. Dip the chicken into an egg wash and then into the second tray of seasoned flour. Place the chicken onto a rack.

Do not drop the chicken into the oil. Also do not overcrowd the Dutch oven with chicken. Too much food in a fryer will drop the oil temperature. Use a basket or a mesh ladle strainer to slowly lower the chicken into the oil. Observe the frying and roll over the chicken occasionally to even out the golden-brown texture. This will take about 15 to 20 minutes.

The internal temperature of the chicken needs to reach a minimum of 165F.
Have a pot with a draining basket inside. Place the fresh fried chicken into the basket within the pot near the campfire. This allows the oil to drain. To allow the chicken to rest and remain crispy.