Cut the wings from the breast halves and tuck them into a triangle. Detach the thighs from the drumsticks. Using a heavy cleaver, cut the breast halves in two, making pieces of white meat to haggle over. Whack the back section in half.

Heat the oil to shimmering hot, but not smoking, in a Dutch oven, chicken fryer, heavy sauteuse, or you can also use a spider (black iron skillet). The chicken will have to be turned often and carefully with tongs, never with a fork.

Wash the chicken, shake it dry and drop it, a few pieces at a time, into bag which contains the flour seasoned with the salt and pepper. Starting with the legs and thighs (they take longer to cook), drop a few pieces at a time in the bag and shake to coat them well. As you remove each piece, press the flour into the chicken with your hands. Put it into the hot oil and prepare another piece. This is important because if you flour all the chicken and add it all at once, the temperature of the oil will decrease and the crust will be greasy and soggy. After the legs and thighs have been frying for about 10 minutes, add the breasts and bony parts, again, one by one, regulating the heat to keep the oil temperature steady. Continue frying over medium heat 15 minutes, when the chicken should be a deep golden brown, crusty without and juicy within.

Drain the pieces on lots of paper towels and keep them warm in a low oven if you can't get all the chicken pieces in the pan at one time. Refrigeration ruins fried chicken, but if it's absolutely unavoidable, at least let the chicken cool completely at room temperature, then spread it out in a pan, and cover it with foil before refrigerating.