The secret to making perfect fried chicken and waffles, according to a golf-club chef

Welcome to Clubhouse Eats, where we celebrate the game’s most delectable food and drink. Hope you brought your appetites.

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Fried chicken and waffles. When made well, they’re foods that are delicious on their own but even better paired together. That being said, Todd Phillips, the executive chef at Stonebriar Country Club, acknowledges that a great chicken and waffles dish is more than just the sum of its parts. It requires attention to detail and an understanding that both main components of the dish can’t just be good by themselves; they have to complement one another.

Phillips has been elevating simple, low country, Southern soul food for years, and at Stonebriar, he often likes to make savory waffles, like cheddar and chive (recipe below), which pair well with his fried chicken. That chicken, however, is no ordinary fried bird.

“The quality of chicken is a must,” says Phillips, who exclusively uses Poulet Rouge. “These chickens are bred to be the Kobe beef of chickens. If you taste them next to any other chicken, it’s not even comparable.”

Long before Phillips drops bone-in cuts of Poulet Rouge into scalding oil, he first brines the chicken for a full 24 hours, which he says infuses flavor into the meat and keeps it juicier. And when it comes to batter, the chef uses a wet mix that features beer and creole seasoning, among other spices. “Because it’s a wet batter, the spices adhere to the whole chicken,” he says, “which gives you a nice juicy, crispy, flavorful bite of chicken.”

Even the cooking vessel makes a difference, and in that regard, Chef Phillips is loyal to a cast-iron Dutch oven. “It’s the best way to go,” he says. “Nothing beats cast iron for flavor.”

Food

As for the waffle, Phillips emphasizes the importance of using good, fresh eggs, and to also make sure your waffle iron is extremely hot. That guarantees a crunchy outer layer to the waffle, which is important since Chef Phillips’ composed dish includes a generous pour of bourbon maple syrup, as well as a hearty addition of cracked pepper cream gravy. “You’re adding moisture with the gravy and the maple syrup, and the chicken is going to give off some moisture, too,” he explains. “So your waffle needs some crispness to hold up. You don’t want a soggy waffle.”

Stonebriar Country Club’s Fried Chicken

Ingredients:

1 Poulet Rouge chicken, cut into 6 pieces
4 cups wet batter (recipe below)
2 cups All Purpose Flour
1/2 gallon water
1/2 cup granulated sugar
1/2 cup, Kosher salt
6 whole peppercorns
2 dried bay leaves
4 sprigs of fresh thyme
3 garlic cloves
3/4 quart peanut oil
3/4 quart canola oil

Preparation:

In a large plastic food storage container, combine water, salt, sugar, peppercorns, bay leaves, thyme, and garlic.

Add chicken to brining liquid, cover and chill in refrigerator for 24 hours.

Remove the chicken from the brining liquid and place on a wire rack to dry (the skin should become slightly tacky as the chicken dries).

In a cast-iron Dutch oven over medium-high heat, add peanut and canola oils, and, using a fry thermometer, heat the oil to 350 degrees.

Dip each piece of chicken into the batter, then dust with flour, and carefully add the chicken to the hot oil. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan.

Cook the chicken until crispy and well-browned, about 16 to 18 minutes, turning if necessary.

Remove the chicken from the oil and place on a wire rack.

Season with salt and pepper and serve immediately.

Food

Stonebriar Country Club’s Fried Chicken Batter

Ingredients:

2 cups All Purpose Flour, divided
1 tbsp. garlic powder
1 tbsp. cracked black pepper
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
1/2 tsp. Tony Chachere’s Original Creole Seasoning
1/2 tsp. red chili flakes (crushed red pepper)
2 tbsp. Kosher salt
1/4 tsp. cayenne pepper
18 oz. lager beer
2 egg yoks, beaten

Preparation:

Whisk together 2 cups of flour with all other ingredients until the mixture is smooth.

Stonebriar Country Club’s Cheddar & Chive Waffle

Ingredients:

2 cups All Purpose Flour
2 tsp. baking powder
2 tsp. Kosher salt
1 ½ cups whole milk
1/2 cup sour cream
2 large eggs
1/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
10 fresh chives, minced

Preparation:

In a medium bowl, combine flour, salt and baking powder.

In a separate medium bowl, combine eggs, milk and sour cream, whisking until smooth. Then add in the flour mixture, whisking until well combined.

Pour in melted butter and mix until smooth, then stir in chives and cheddar cheese.

Pour batter into a pre-heated waffle iron and cook until the iron stops steaming. (Waffle should be crisp and golden brown.)

Serve immediately, or place on a wire rack until needed.

Food

Stonebriar’s Bourbon Maple Syrup

Ingredients:

2 cups pure maple syrup
2 oz. bourbon
1 tsp. cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp. red chili flakes (crushed red pepper)
2 tbsp. cold butter, cubed

Preparation:

In a medium saucepan over medium-high heat, combine maple syrup, bourbon, pepper and chili flakes and bring to a summer.

Whisk in cold butter until fully incorporated, then remove from heat and reserve until needed.

Stonebriar’s Cracked Pepper Cream Gravy

Ingredients:

4 oz. butter
2 oz. canola oil
1 cup All Purpose Flour
1 quart whole milk
1 tbsp. cracked black pepper
1/2 tsp. Kosher salt

Preparation:

In a medium saucepot over medium heat, add the butter and oil.

When the butter has melted, whisk in the flour, creating a roux (this should look like wet sand).

Continue to cook until the roux gives off a nutty aroma, then add the milk, continuing to stir.

Bring the mixture to a simmer, then season with salt and pepper to taste.

Remove from heat and serve hot.