Buttermilk fried chicken drumsticks

Measure the salt, garlic powder, black pepper and buttermilk into a medium bowl, stir to combine and submerge the drumsticks.

Marinate at least four hours, preferably overnight, about 12. The buttermilk's acidity tenderizes, but the point is to give the salt time to penetrate and season the meat throughout.

Combine the flour, salt, paprika, black pepper, onion powder, garlic powder and baking soda for the breading; it can be made a day ahead.

Move the drumsticks a few at a time from the brine into the flour without draining them much, so some buttermilk hydrates the flour into clumps that stick and make the craggy crust.

First coat is just a toss; transfer to a lined baking sheet.

Drizzle about half a cup of the buttermilk brine into the leftover flour and crumble it into little shaggy pebbles.

Dip each drumstick in buttermilk and roll it one at a time in the craggy bits, squeezing them on; add more flour if the mixture gets too wet.

Rest the breaded chicken to hydrate while you set up: a draining rack, a thermometer and a slotted spoon on one side, raw chicken on the other.

Heat three to four cups of neutral oil in a 12-inch Dutch oven to 375, running high because a lot of cold chicken will drop the temperature.

Fry in batches of no more than five or six pieces, about five minutes per side, to a golden brown with a firm, brittle exterior.

Transfer to a wire rack on a sheet tray and preheat the oven to 400.

Dark meat is technically done at 165 but is better at 185, where the fat renders further and the connective tissue breaks down.

Put the whole tray into the 400 oven for about 10 minutes; the instant read should crest around 180 and carry over to about 185.

Cool all the way down. Cold fried chicken is not going to be very crisp and should be judged on its own.