Ruth's Sunday Fried Chicken

Serve when

Serve it the moment Frank walks in the door — the home-cooked plate that's the one thing about that house that isn't cruel.

In the movie

Theatrical

00:40:46 Frank Bennett comes home to Ruth's table and lights up at the sight of it — 'All right, fried chicken! My favorite' — a rare warm beat in an otherwise frightening marriage.

It's an ordinary Sunday plate in an extraordinary house — Frank's genuine delight at "his favorite" is one of the only unguarded moments the film gives him before Ruth's story turns dark. The chicken itself is innocent; everything around the table isn't.

Ingredients

1 chicken, cut in 8 pieces
2 cups buttermilk
2 cups flour
1 tablespoon salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon paprika
Lard or shortening, for frying

Method

Soak the chicken in buttermilk at least 2 hours.
Whisk the flour with the salt, pepper, and paprika.
Dredge each piece heavy, pressing the crust on. Let the dredged pieces rest on a rack 10 minutes before frying — the crust sets and won't slide off in the fat.
Fry in 325°F lard, turning once, 12–15 minutes to deep gold and cooked through — 165°F at the bone on an instant-read thermometer.
Drain on a rack and serve hot, table already set.

Beyond the recipe

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