Education

Hopocalypse Shake n’ Bake Hop Fried Chicken

Recipe compliments of Sean Z. Paxton- The Homebrew Chef

Hopocalypse Marinade Ingredients:
4 Cornish game hens, washed and dried
2 cups buttermilk
22 ounces Drake’s Hopocalypse IIPA
1 bunch fresh thyme, washed, dried and chopped
1 bunch fresh Italian parsley, washed, dried & chopped
1 bunch fresh chives, washed, dried & chopped
6 cloves garlic, peeled
2 tbsp kosher salt
1 tbsp black pepper
4 tbsp Chinook hop powder*

Shake Ingredients:
2 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
1 cup barley flour**
2 tsp kosher salt
2 tsp Chinook hop powder*

Bake Ingredients:
6-10 cups vegetable shortening or lard

Directions:
Remove any necks or organs from the game hens and rinse the birds under cold water. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Let rest.

In the pitcher of a blender, add the buttermilk, thyme, parsley, chives, garlic, salt, pepper, and hop powder. Turn on high and puree until the mixture is smooth.

Take the Cornish game hens and place on a cutting board. Butcher the fowl into 6 pieces, traditional (2 legs, 2 thigh, 2 breast/wings). Place into a container large enough to hold all of the pieces, and pour the buttermilk mixture over the top. Cover and refrigerate at least 12-48 hours. This will give the buttermilk and Drake’s Hopocalypse time to tenderize the meat and infuse the flavors throughout.

When you can’t wait anymore, drain the herbed buttermilk/IIPA mixture from the fowl using a colander. In a sealable plastic bag, add flour, barley flour, salt & hop powder; seal and mix well.

Place a large cast iron pan (dutch oven) over a medium heat burner. Add shortening, oil or lard and heat to 325 degrees F. This temperature will prevent the coating from burning and the inside of the fowl from being raw.

Take a piece of Cornish game hen, one at a time, add to the flour bag, seal and shake, baby! Using tongs, remove the poultry piece and shake off any extra flour (it will burn in the oil).

Place in the oil. The oil level should come up about 1/2 to 3/4 of the way up the sides, when all the poultry is in the pan. Fry the fowl on each side for about 8-10 minutes. The crust on the outside will be a nice golden brown. Try not to move the poultry very much during cooking, as it will break apart the crust, creating a more oily fried chicken.

Once cooked, remove from the oil, letting drain for a few seconds, and place onto a rack over a sheet pan lined with paper towels to cool and drain. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Then EAT!

We suggest serving with a 22-oz bottle of Hopocalypse- if you can handle all of those hops!
Cheers!

* You can make hop powder by buying dried hops from your local homebrew store and grinding them up using a clean coffee grinder.

** You can find barley flour at your local natural foods grocery store.

For more beer recipes from Sean Paxton, visit his website, www.homebrewchef.com.