Buttermilk Fried Chicken

Ingredients:
3 cups buttermilk
2 T kosher salt
1 T freshly ground black pepper
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
4 pounds medium chicken wings, thighs and drumsticks
2 cups all purpose flour
2 teaspoons onion powder
2 teaspoons garlic powder
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons freshly ground black pepper
18 ounces crisp beer, such as lager or pilsner 2 1/4 cups
vegetable oil, for frying

Preparing the buttermilk marinade:
In a large bowl, combine the buttermilk with the salt, black pepper and cayenne. Add the chicken and turn to coat. Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours or refrigerate for 4 hours.

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Preparing the batter:
In a large bowl, whisk the flour with the onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne, salt and black pepper. Whisk in the beer to make a thin batter.

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Preparing the chicken:
Drain the chicken and thoroughly pat thoroughly dry with paper towels. Transfer the chicken to the batter, turning to coat.

In a large, deep skillet, heat 1 inch of oil to 350 degrees F. Set a rack over a baking sheet and line the rack with paper towels. Lift the chicken from the bowl, letting the excess batter drip back into the bowl. Fry the chicken in batches at 315 degrees F, turning once, until golden and an instant-read thermometer inserted in the thickest part registers 160 degrees F; about 18 minutes for wings and 20 minutes for thighs, breasts and drumsticks. Transfer the fried chicken to the rack and let stand for 5 minutes before serving.

Serves 6