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Whisk together the first six ingredients in a small bowl.
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2
Set half of this mixture aside.
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3
Divide the remaining seasoning mixture between two large mixing bowls, and pour the buttermilk evenly between the two bowls, whisking to combine.
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4
Put half of the onion and thyme in each bowl.
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Place three game hens in each mixing bowl, and turn to coat.
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6
Cover the bowls with plastic wrap, and leave in the fridge for 8 hours or overnight (the longer the better; allow the seasonings and flavors to permeate the game hens).
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7
Heat the peanut oil to 375 degrees F in a large Dutch oven or deep-fryer.
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8
(For tips on deep-frying, see page 19.)
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Preheat your oven to 200 degrees F, and cover two heavy-duty sheet trays with wire racks.
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Remove the game hens from the buttermilk mixture while the oil is heating.
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11
Whisk together the flour and the remaining seasoning mixture in a large casserole.
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Working with one game hen at a time, put one game hen in the flour and toss to coat, then shake off the excess.
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13
Slip the coated game hens, in batches according to the size of your fryer, into the hot oil, and fry for 13 minutes, until beautifully golden brown.
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14
Place each fried hen on the wire-rack-fitted sheet tray, and hold in the warm oven.
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15
Repeat with remaining hens.
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16
Heat the oven to 400 degrees F. Cover two heavy-duty rimmed sheet trays with wire racks, and spray with nonstick spray.
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17
Drain the hens from the buttermilk marinade, and pat dry.
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18
Place the hens on the sheet trays, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper.
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19
Put the pan in the oven, and roast for 45 minutes, or until an instant-read thermometer inserted into the thickest part of the thigh registers 165 degrees F and the juices run clear.
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20
One of the things I think people really dont know about me is that I was frying food before I was grilling!
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21
(Nowadays my love of fried food comes second only to my love of grilling.)
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22
Fried food in the South is like pizza in Chicago: if you grew up in Memphis, you grew up with it.
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23
My grandfather used to fry whole rabbits, and my grandmother used to fry chicken for breakfast, served up with biscuits!
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24
CHOOSE YOUR OIL Neutral oils like peanut, safflower, canola, and vegetable oil all have a high smoke point, so they work well at high frying temperatures.
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25
We often like to use peanut oil, because it adds a very subtle peanut flavor; the flavor of canola oil is less pronounced.
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PICK YOUR POT If you dont have an electric fryer, select a heavy-bottomed Dutch oven for deep-frying.
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27
Youll usually need at least 3 or 4 inches of oil in the bottom of the pan, but more if youre frying something larger, like Cornish game hens or chicken.
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FILL IT UP Be careful not to overfill your pot!
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29
If you dont leave room for the items youre frying, the oil may spill over the sides, causing a mess or, even worse, a fire.
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30
To check how much oil you need, you can first do a test run with water.
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31
Fill the pot up with water, then slip in the food youre going to fry.
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32
Wherever the water rises to, thats how high your oil is going to goso mark that place on the pot, and dont fill it too high!
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HEAT IT UP If the temperature of your oil is too low, youll be left with a greasy, pale crust minus that great crunch we all love.
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34
If its too high, youll have a dark brown, burnt crust thats undercooked on the inside.
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35
Its always best to use a deep-fry thermometer for accurate cooking, but if you dont have one, test the temperature by slipping into the oil a little corner or edge of the food youre planning to fry.
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If the oil is at the right temperature, it will bubble up and sizzle around the food.
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37
SLIP IT IN Using caution, gently slip the food into the oil, so you dont splatter and burn yourself.
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38
Dont plop it in!
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39
TAKE THE FOODS TEMPERATURE Be sure to have a meat thermometer handy when cooking poultry of any kind.
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40
(Ive been served fried chicken that looked beautiful on the outside but was raw on the inside.)
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41
Insert the thermometer into the thickest part of the breast or thigh, and make sure it comes to around 160 degrees F before you pull it from the oil.
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42
Onion rings, potato chips, and French fries are easier to gauge by sight; with something like hush puppies, its best to break the food open and test for doneness.
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43
DRAIN AND SALT Remove the food with tongs or a spider sieve, and let the food drain on a paper-towel-lined plate or sheet tray to remove the excess oil.
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44
Season while the food is still hot.
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45
(You want the salt to stick to the oil!)
