This superb style of fried chicken, found in southeastern Indiana, relies on heavy use of black pepper. My version stays true to the fried chicken at Wagner’s Village Inn, a bar and restaurant in Oldenburg, Indiana, where the cooks use the old-school method of skillet-frying in lard.

This juicy, crispy, vaguely-tastes-like-Thanksgiving fried chicken makes an exciting stand-in for the usual turkey The recipe takes every step to maximize moisture and flavor, so no dry poultry arrives at your table, holiday or otherwise: Start with bone-in, skin-on chicken legs, submerge the pieces in a brine for at least 24 hours, fry low and slow to allow all the fat and connective tissue to render and finally, shower over a boxed stuffing-inspired seasoning As an optional touch, dredge the chicken pieces in Italian 00 flour instead of all-purpose — its ultra-fine texture makes the crust simultaneously extra crispy and less greasy.

Yangnyeom dak, or Korean fried chicken, known for its crunchy exterior and spicy-sweet glaze, became popular in South Korea when fast-food places opened there after the war Along with budae jjigae, tteokbokki and corn cheese, it’s part of a category of food known as “anju,” or dishes typically eaten with alcohol, but it's a crispy, sticky delight no matter what you're drinking This five-star version, which was adapted from “Quick & Easy Korean Cooking” by Cecilia Hae-Jin Lee (Chronicle, 2009), can be made with boneless chicken thighs or bone-in wings.