⭐ 1940s Sunday Farmhouse Chicken

Written By Steve Thaman

Authentic German Catholic Midwestern Farm Recipe (1940–1959)
Recommended Pan: Wagner Ware Sidney O — #8 or #9 skillet
Cook Time: 45–55 minutes
Difficulty: Easy
Feeds: 4–6

A true 1940s Midwest Sunday dinner wasn’t complete without a cast-iron skillet filled with fried chicken. This dish was almost always served after Mass, prepared in large farm kitchens using lard or rendered drippings, and seasoned simply. It was economical, filling, and deeply rooted in the Catholic rhythm of Sunday as a day of rest, family, and tradition.

This version recreates the exact technique used in German Catholic farm families across Ohio, Indiana, and Missouri during the 1930s–1950s.

⭐ Ingredients

For the Chicken

  • 1 whole chicken, cut into 8–10 pieces

  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour

  • 1 tsp kosher salt

  • 1 tsp black pepper

  • ½ tsp paprika (optional but period-correct)

  • ¼ tsp garlic salt (optional — became common in the 1940s)

  • ¼ tsp dried sage or poultry seasoning (regional, optional)

For Frying

  • ½ cup lard (historically correct)
    —or—

  • Bacon drippings (very common on 1940s farms)
    —or—

  • Vegetable shortening (post-WWII modern option)

For Serving (Traditional Sides)

  • Mashed potatoes

  • Country green beans with ham

  • Skillet gravy

  • Homemade rolls or bread

⭐ 1940s Authentic Method

1. Prepare the Chicken (Traditional Farm Style)

Place the chicken pieces in a bowl or tray.
Pat dry — this helps the coating stick and brown properly.

1940s cooks did NOT marinate or brine.
The chicken went straight from the butcher block to the flour bowl.

2. Season & Dredge

In a large bowl or brown paper bag, mix:

  • Flour

  • Salt

  • Pepper

  • Paprika

  • Optional garlic salt or sage

Add chicken pieces one or two at a time and shake until well-coated.

Tip: Farm wives commonly let the coated chicken rest 10 minutes.
This creates a more rustic crust — NOT extra crispy, just authentic.

3. Heat the Fat (The Key to 1940s Flavor)

Use a Wagner #8 or #9 skillet.

Add:

  • ½ cup lard OR drippings
    (You want ~¼ inch of fat in the pan.)

Heat over medium until the fat shimmers.

To test:
Drop a tiny pinch of flour into the fat — it should sizzle immediately.

4. Fry the Chicken

Place chicken pieces skin-side down.

Do NOT overcrowd — this lowers temperature and ruins texture.

Fry:

  • 8–10 minutes on the first side

  • 6–8 minutes on the second side

  • Turn pieces once more near the end

  • Total time: ~20–25 minutes per batch

Adjust heat to keep a steady sizzle but avoid burning.

1940s fried chicken is golden brown, not deep brown.

5. Finish Low & Slow (Traditional Farm Method)

After browning, lower heat to medium-low and cover the skillet:

  • Cover for 5 minutes → this steams and tenderizes

  • Uncover and cook 5 more minutes → crisps the coating again

This step is authentic and creates the perfect balance:

  • Tender inside

  • Crisp outside

  • No raw spots

6. Rest the Chicken

Remove chicken to a warm platter.

Cover loosely with a cloth towel or parchment — NOT foil.
(1940s cooks never used foil, and foil softens the crust.)

⭐ Optional: Make Skillet Gravy (Highly Authentic)

Keep 2–3 tablespoons of drippings in the skillet.

Add:

  • 2 tbsp flour

  • Stir until lightly browned

Then add:

  • 1 ½–2 cups milk

Stir and simmer until thick.
Salt & pepper generously.

This gravy was served over:

  • Mashed potatoes

  • Biscuits

  • The chicken itself on weekdays

⭐ Serving Tradition (How It Was Done in the 1940s)

A typical 1940s German Catholic Farm Sunday Dinner:

  • Fried chicken

  • Mashed potatoes

  • Green beans cooked with ham or bacon

  • Rolls with butter

  • A simple dessert such as apple brown betty

The entire family ate together after church — this was a ritual meal.

⭐ Historical Notes

  • Lard was the most common frying fat until the mid-1950s.

  • Chickens were smaller than modern birds — thighs and breasts cooked faster.

  • Frying pans were almost always #8 or #9 size.

  • Garlic salt became common only after WWII.

  • Covering the chicken mid-cook is a legit period technique.

  • The recipe did NOT include soaking in buttermilk (a Southern tradition, not Midwestern farm).

This recipe is recreated directly from oral histories, period cookbooks, and farm kitchen documentation from 1935–1959.

⭐ Museum Connection

This recipe is historically matched to:

  • Wagner Ware Sidney O — No. 8 Skillet (1058T)

  • Wagner Ware Sidney O — No. 9 Skillet (1059D)

Steve Thaman