[boar_d_laze]

Fried chicken is very good served warm or at room temperature -- maybe even best. That's why it's such wonderful picnic food.

I'd pick it up, last possible minute, on Saturday. That leaves about 2 - 2-1/2 hours, which isn't very long.

When you get it to your site, you could hold it covered with paper towels, on baking pans lined with paper towels, in a warming oven for awhile. Can you say, "Alto-Scham?"

It depends on what type of service your customes are planning, but you could hold for the whole 2-1/2 hours or any portion of it in cloth-towel lined and cloth-covered, inexpensive, woven baskets. Go gingham, of course. That's about as southern as it gets.

BDL

[shroomgirl]

yep, smart to have someone else fry it......honestly that's a huge part of catering. Finding resource/suppliers that can do the yucky things that take specific equipment and is just a huge pain to be making prior to an offsite event.

[greyeaglem]

You have a 4 hour time frame to serve a product that has not been temp. controlled. What ever happened to the cold fried chicken we used to eat on picnics? Now that's southern!

[BillRchef]

ok, I have two ideas here. first off fried that is not hot and crispy is just simply "leftovers quality". Fried food transported in a cambro or covered at all will steam and not be crisp.
Best option, find a source for the fried chicken close to your event, either "pickup or delivery"the holding time will be much less and crispness will be much better. second option find someone who can pick-up the chicken about 1 1/2 hrs. before the event to deliver it at the last minute while you are finishing sides, set up and other details.

[hollygspencer]

thanks for everyone's input! here's what i finally did: I forgot to mention that these had to be locally raised TN free range chickens, so i couldn't buy my chicken from just anywhere

• after talking to my fry-guy--he said he'd be more comfortable if we fryed it on Friday and reheated it, just for food safetly issues since his name would be on it too. I went with his suggestion.
• Fried Chicken late Friday evening, put in cooler.
• Transported cold, then reheated in the home oven on site (nice double oven) on sheet pans lined with parchment. 4 shelves at a time, 325 for about 20 minutes, took about an hour and 15 minutes to do it all
• Kept it in an uncovered chaffer, and in the ovens on 170 til serving time
• All in all, i was pleased with the result. It was warm, nice crunch and not dried out.

[Just Jim]

Thanks for following up! (many don't).
Glad it all went well.

[boar_d_laze]

What Jim said.

BDL

[shroomgirl]

Thanks Holly, come back anytime.