Instructions

1. Place the food that you're frying in a resealable plastic bag and pour marinade over it. Use your favorite marinating method, whether it's a combination of buttermilk and seasonings, sweet tea or another type of marinade.

2. Seal the bag after removing any extra air and place it in the refrigerator for one hour if you're marinating delicate items such as fish or shrimp, or a minimum of three hours for chicken or other firm-fleshed foods and vegetables.

3. Take two wire racks and set each on top of an individual baking sheet. Remove the food from its marinade and place it in a single layer on one rack. Let it drain for roughly 30 minutes. Set the other rack aside.

4. Pour your dry coating ingredients into a shallow bowl. This can be all-purpose flour with or without seasonings, such as salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder and cayenne pepper. Alternatively, you can create a combination of cornmeal and flour to coat your food.

5. Grab another shallow bowl and add your wet coating ingredients. You can use pure buttermilk, or whisk baking soda, baking powder, egg and buttermilk together.

6. Heat a cast-iron skillet or a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add enough oil to come halfway up the side of the pan or pot and let it heat to 350 to 360 degrees Fahrenheit.

7. Toss pieces of food in the flour mixture, coating them and shaking off any excess flour before dipping each into the egg mixture.

8. Remove each from the egg mixture, draining it to remove any excess before adding it back into the flour mixture, pressing the item into the flour to help the second coating adhere even better. After you finish each piece, place it on the second wire rack.

9. Drop the double-dredged pieces into the oil once it's reached the optimal temperature. Add each to the pan, one piece at a time, waiting one minute before adding another piece.

10. Cover the pan and let it fry for roughly four minutes, until the bottom of the first piece that you put in the pan has become golden.

11. Turn each piece, waiting one minute between turning. Continue cooking on the second side for about six to seven minutes for chicken, or two to four minutes for fish, shellfish or vegetables.

12. Remove the food from the pan and transfer it to a plate lined with paper towels. Wait for a few minutes to let the oil heat back up before continuing with your next batch.