Preheat the oil to 350 degrees over medium-high heat, using a deep-frying thermometer to check the temperature.If you're using an electric tabletop fryer, fill the unit to its MAX line. In a large Dutch oven, heat about 3 inches of oil.Set an oven-safe wire cooling rack inside the sheet and set aside. Meanwhile, preheat the oven to 175 degrees Fahrenheit.If marinade times exceed 30 minutes, place the bowl in the refrigerator. Cover the bowl lightly with plastic wrap or a lid and let it sit for 30 minutes, or as long as overnight. Add the chicken to the buttermilk bowl and toss to coat.Meanwhile, in another large bowl, whisk together the buttermilk and egg, mixing until they're well combined.In a large bowl, combine the flour with the herbs and spices and set aside.I settled on using a mixture of lime zest and juice to pack in flavor without turning my chicken tough. I tried making a completely acid-free marinade, but missed the brightness it brought. Modern chicken is pretty darn tender to begin with, so there's no real need for acid-based tenderization techniques. Used with a heavy hand, it can denature meat proteins, causing them to turn chalky or dry, even before you've started cooking them. When used sparingly, it can balance flavors and mildly tenderize tough, connective tissue in the outer layers of a piece of meat. I tried adding sugar in various forms-plain sugar, orange juice concentrate, honey-and settled on brown sugar, which also adds a faint touch of bitterness. A touch of sugar also balances salt nicely. Sugar, when used in moderation, will help the meat brown better on the grill, creating strong smoky, charred flavors.In a side-by-side taste test, a marinade made with soy sauce instead of straight-up salt actually made my chicken taste meatier. Not only does the soy sauce add salt, but it's also a strongly concentrated form of glutamates, the molecules responsible for triggering our sense of savoriness. Surprisingly, in Jamaica, it's often added in the form of soy sauce. It's one of the few ingredients that penetrate and season meat past the outermost layer. The oil will help spread these flavors evenly across the surface of the meat, as well as lubricating and protecting the meat when it first hits the grill. Many aromatic compounds, such as those found in garlic, are soluble in oil but not in water. Oil is often a primary ingredient in marinades.
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