Need advice from you good ole southeners

[JohnT]

Sorry to post this here (and not the food forum), but I though I might get better viewership here.

So, after many years and considerable coaching, I have perfected my fried chicken recipe. My Aunt-in-Law Pat (A northern Georgia peach, may she RIP) showed me and now I have folks just begging for it.

Long story short, I promised my niece some fried chicken on Sunday. I asked her what side dishes she wanted and she asked me "what do they normally have?".

I got to tell you, she stumped me on that one. So I put it to you. Help a nice Yankie out. What side dishes do you normally have with a Sunday dinner of fried chicken?

Any advice would be appreciated, but please remember that I live in New Jersey and the stores might not sell traditional things like grits or greens.

 

[Just-a-Guy]

A lot of it would depend on the specific location, and the specifics of the family. Working class? Middle class? Farmers? Townpeople? North Carolina (East or West?)? Georgia? Etc. It would be a combination of what is locally and readily available, and what the family's traditions might be.

In our family, for example, we would always have string beans, black-eyed peas, corn and mashed potatoes. And also almost always, corn bread.

The string beans would often be from my Great Aunt's farm - I can remember many an afternoon "snapping" them at my grandma's house, a routine that was part of the chores of the kids.

The corn would also be local, either from one of our family farms or just picked up somewhere (I'm from central North Carolina, corn is abundant). We would usually have it served as "creamed corn", meaning cut off the husk and cooked with sugar and cream and butter. I can't remember about where the black-eyed peas came from, but they were a staple, we always seemed to have them. There would be several big pots with these vegetables in them on the stove, you would usually have a little of each.

I know creamed spinach would also be very common, but I never liked it (I do now, as an adult) so I don't really remember much about eating it back them (I live in NY now, have for many years).

Corn bread -- speaks for itself, and you should make some. My grandma would also always have hush puppies - look that up! They were delicious the way she made them, in the deep fat fryer. Of course, the only real way to make fried chicken is in a deep fat fryer -- but I don't expect it's done much any more.

Desserts would typically be an apple pie, maybe a rhubarb pie, or sometimes a peach cobbler. Damn, I loved those cobblers, this is making me hungry!

When I go home to NC now, my Mom always makes a big meal around fried chicken. It's one of my favorite things. It's nice of you to cook up some for your niece. Save a little for me...

JAG

 

[Deezil]

While I'm not from the South, one of my best friends is, and with his family being just an extension of my family, I've fallen in love with southern dishes.

They will not, under any circumstances, give up their collard greens recipe. I've tried for over a decade, they just wont.

Mashed potatoes, corn, collard greens, fried chicken, baked mac and cheese, corn bread.. And good luck making it to dessert! Lol

 

[ibglowin]

Had many a Sunday dinner at my grandparents farm house in South Texas. Large family gatherings.

Absolutely must have mashed potatoes & country gravy made from the drippings. No substitution there.

After that, possibilities include:

Green beans, with bacon crumbles
Collard greens
Turnip greens
Black eyed peas
Squash casserole
Fried okra
Corn or corn on the cob
Glazed carrots

 

[Just-a-Guy]

I forgot about collard greens, definitely a common side. Also fried okra, although with us it was not as common (not sure why, maybe seasonal). I remember the first time I saw "boiled okra" - actually in NJ, when I moved north with a girlfriend from there (Exit 52 ha ha). I nearly cried. Boiled okra? Are you nuts?

Oh, and Texas is not the South.

 

[ibglowin]

We had Okra Gumbo as well. Kinda like Louisiana gumbo without the shrimp or sausage or boudin (tomato based)

Oh and 55,000 Texans died in the Civil War…….. Fighting for the South.

I forgot about collard greens, definitely a common side. Also fried okra, although with us it was not as common (not sure why, maybe seasonal). I remember the first time I saw "boiled okra" - actually in NJ, when I move north with a girlfriend from there (Exit 52 ha ha). I nearly cried. Boiled okra? Are you nuts?

Oh, and Texas is not the South.

 

[GaDawg]

Some things may not translate. In the South green beans, string beans, etc. are cooked, not blanched, and corn bread is not sweet!

 

[JohnT]

Thanks folks!

Ok, so I am thinking..

Green Beans, Mac-n-cheese, and corn bread.

Can I ask if you kind folks have good recipies for mac-n-cheese or corn bread (I like it sweet, but if this is not traditional I will go with unsweet).

 

[Just-a-Guy]

Interesting combos - fwiw (which ain't much), I never saw mac-n-cheese as a side dish until I moved North. I do love it, though. Goes to show, there's many different things happening in "the South", many variations. Shall we talk about barbeque? (Hint, in Texas those idjits think barbeque is made from cows.)

JAG


Edit: John, to be honest, I use Joy of Cooking for most recipes any more. Or the internet. And yeah, corn bread should not be sweet.

 

[JohnT]

Interesting combos - fwiw (which ain't much), I never saw mac-n-cheese as a side dish until I moved North. I do love it, though. Goes to show, there's many different things happening in "the South", many variations. Shall we talk about barbeque? (Hint, in Texas those idjits think barbeque is made from cows.)

JAG


Edit: John, to be honest, I use Joy of Cooking for most recipes any more. Or the internet. And yeah, corn bread should not be sweet.

OK, Change of plan..

Green Beans, Mashed potatoes, and cornbread...

Joy of cooking??? Got to say that this kinda bursts my bubble. I had dreams of old southern family recipies, that were handed down and enjoyed for 100s of years!

 

[A2]

I forgot about collard greens, definitely a common side. Also fried okra, although with us it was not as common (not sure why, maybe seasonal). I remember the first time I saw "boiled okra" - actually in NJ, when I moved north with a girlfriend from there (Exit 52 ha ha). I nearly cried. Boiled okra? Are you nuts?

Oh, and Texas is not the South.

You say that like it's a bad thing...

Well I'm a proud Texan who's family comes from the south (Georgia, Mississippi, Arkansas). I also spent a long time cooking commercially.

Mashed Potatoes - With Gravy
Corn on the Cob very common
Green Bean Casserole
Mustard Greens (Should not be hard to find)
Cornbread

That's enough to have the "Southern" experience.

Tea, needs to be sweet, but I hate sweet tea, so your call on that one.

 

[Just-a-Guy]

OK, Change of plan..

Green Beans, Mashed potatoes, and cornbread...

Joy of cooking??? Got to say that this kinda bursts my bubble. I had dreams of old southern family recipies, that were handed down and enjoyed for 100s of years!

Sorry, I realize it's kind of a letdown. Most of this stuff people just make from memory. I could call my Mom and get recipes galore, but her brother just passed away and it's not a great time there. The things you're gonna have as sides are very simple (as it should be). We always have our mashed potatoes very light and fluffy, smashed all to hell. Cornbread is easy. Make sure the string beans (only yankees call them "green beans" are fresh, and make someone snap and string them.

And don't forget a pie, and some homemade ice tea.



JAG

 

[Just-a-Guy]

You say that like it's a bad thing...

Well I'm a proud Texan who's family comes from the south (Georgia, Mississippi, Arkansas). I also spent a long time cooking commercially.

Mashed Potatoes - With Gravy
Corn on the Cob very common
Green Bean Casserole
Mustard Greens (Should not be hard to find)
Cornbread

That's enough to have the "Southern" experience.

Tea, needs to be sweet, but I hate sweet tea, so your call on that one.

Funny little story - Some years ago, I had a trial in Texas (kind of a big case, lots of publicity). Judge called the case and asked for opening statements. I gave mine, and a former Texas AG for the other side gave theirs. As he stood up, the first thing he said was, "Your Honor, Mr. Just-a-Guy here, he comes down here from New Yo-uck, thinks he can tell this Court what to do!"

I immediately jumped to my feet, and said, "Objection! Your Honor, I'm from North Carolina!"

The whole courtroom laughed, and it was easy sailin' from there.

(Well, for lawyers, humor is hard to find....)

 

[JohnT]

Great story guy.

OK, time for my next question..

If you are frying chicken, and have no pan drippings, how do you make your gravy?? Do you use canned chicken stock?

 

[GaDawg]

For a true Southern experience that should be Collard greens and in the South we call it sweet tea (the house wine of the South)

 

[Just-a-Guy]

If you are frying chicken, and have no pan drippings, how do you make your gravy?? Do you use canned chicken stock?

How are you frying it? If you are doing in a large pan, as I do when here in New Yo-uck, just take some of the oil/misc that's in the pan when you are done cooking the chicken, and put it in the flour and mix it up that way. Another thing that I sometimes do is, take the giblets and chop them and add them in to some of the oil, in a separate pan, and heat that up and use it to make the gravy. I would never use canned chicken stock. Bleh.

BTW, be sure to wash all this down with a nice, cool glass of Welch's wine!

JAG

 

[Deezil]

I've had gravy made with chicken stock, where you'd never know the difference, but the secret is to start with about 2x as much as you'd need, and reduce it down..

That said, I would deep fry 98% of the chicken, and pan fry a few pieces that you can eat while cooking the rest, to get some goodness in a pan to make gravy with. We feed a lot of people on a tight budget more times than not, so we usually add a little chicken stock to the drippings anyway. Helps to not run out of gravy when folks go back for 2nds, or the take-home plate

 

[physics911]

Don't forget the nanner pudin' for dessert (Banana pudding). Cobblers are perfectly acceptable, especially if it is rhubarb and strawberry, but you are unlikely to find rhubarb right now.

Homemade pickles are a nice side too; cucumbers and/or onions.
You can do a green salad with hot bacon dressing too. Always a big hit.

As someone already pointed it, it really depends on what you call "southern". As a native son of the Smokey Mountains of NC, I can tell you there are a lot of different parts of the south, each with their own culture and heritage.

 

[physics911]

Regarding the gravy, how are you going to fry chicken and not end up with drippings? If you want absolutely authentic southern fried chicken, it is shallow-fried in a skillet, not deep fried. This really does make a difference. When done in a skillet you get a little deep brown spot on each piece where it touches the pan, which is ridiculously good, plus you are left with the fond for gravy.

If you absolutely can't pan fry, fry up some bacon and use the fond from it.

And if you want to throw a real curve-ball, make sawmill gravy made with cornmeal.

 

[DoctorCAD]

Remember, green beans are just a means to carry the fatback. They take green beans and boil them for hours, until they are mushy and add a big chunk of fatback. Fatback is the part of the bacon everybody north of the Mason-Dixon line throws away. The beans taste like mushy, salty bacon.

And "macaroni and cheese" is technically "a butt-load of cheese with some macaroni in it" The woman that taught my wife how to make macaroni pie said that when you think you have enough cheese in it, double it, and dont forget the huge chunk of butter.

Its a wonder that people that eat like that can live longer than 25 years!