Preheat oven to 350°

1. Place the chicken parts in a medium-sized bowl and add enough buttermilk to submerge the chicken. Cover with plastic wrap and place in the refrigerator for 8 to 12 hours or overnight.

2. Remove the chicken from the buttermilk and shake off the excess. Discard the buttermilk.

3. Combine the flour, cornstarch, salt, cayenne pepper and freshly ground black pepper in a plastic bag. Add the chicken and shake to coat. Remove the chicken pieces from the bag, shaking off any extra coating.

4. Melt the butter and vegetable shortening in a large frying pan over medium-high heat.

5. Bring the temperature of the fat to 355 degrees. Brown the chicken in batches, cooking three or four pieces at a time until golden (three to four minutes). Make sure to bring the fat temperature back up to 355º before starting each new batch.

6. Remove the browned chicken from the fat (reserve fat for gravy), pat off excess grease with paper towels, and set the chicken on a cake rack placed over a cookie sheet.

7. Bake the chicken on the rack for 35 to 45 minutes until fully cooked. Serve hot or cold.

Chicken Gravy

1. Carefully pour off most of the chicken’s cooking fat, leaving only four tablespoons in the pan. Turn the heat to medium-high and whisk in the flour, forming a roux. Whisk vigorously to scrape up all of the flavorful bits from the bottom of the pan.

2. Lower the heat if needed and cook for several minutes, stirring often, until the nutty flour scent is gone and the mixture begins to turn golden brown.

3. Add the chicken stock to the roux in a thin, steady stream, whisking constantly to prevent lumps.

4. Bring the gravy to simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until it is reduced in volume by about half.

5. Add the salt, pepper, and cayenne pepper. Mix well.

6 Taste the gravy and adjust the seasoning if needed.

NOTE: Don’t panic if your gravy lumps up a bit. Just whirl it in the blender or run it through a strainer—perfection!