Fried chicken talk

vernplum

vernplum

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Hello

Recently I've been trying to perfect fried chicken. I may have said before, I'm not really very adept at deep frying, but with the acquisition of a thermometer I feel things are improving greatly, though my results to date have been 'OK' but not yet my 'dream' home-fried chicken. I've also been using a method whereby I deep fry first, then finish in the oven to get consistent doneness (from The Food Lab book).

While I'm not one of these obsessives trying to recreate KFC, I am interested in making that style of chicken. I tried a few online recipes that started with buttermilk marinating (some with egg) but these tend to turn out to have a hard crunchy 'shell' of coating whereas a bit more research showed that KFC uses a quick brine before going into the flour mix - that's what I'll be trying next. I also see a bunch of recipes that seem to have way too much paprika.

Do you make fried chicken? What do you usually do?

Top: Crispy Southern Fried chicken from The Food Lab book
Middle: Chicago Tribune 'KFC secret recipe'
Bottom: Some other mix where I added Jerk seasoning

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I fry chicken, mostly wings. I do wings in the deep fryer. I'm usually making buffalo wings, so I don't go for a thick crust. I just put my wings and flour into a zip-lock bag, shake it well to coat all the wings, and put it in the fridge for an hour or two to really get the flour adhered to the chicken. Then I deep fry them at 350F until the biggest pieces read over 160F internal with probe thermometer. I don't brine for wings.

For Southern (US) fried chicken, I do brine, about two hours. I double dip my chicken (flour, eggwash, flour), and let sit on a rack in the fridge for 20 minutes, or so to firm up the flour coating, and then I shallow fry in a cast iron pan, turning the chicken half way through the cook. In the picture below, I did it on the kitchen stove. VERY messy, as you can see in the picture. Now, I do it outside, on one of my grills.

Chiken01.jpg


I turns out with a crispy crunch, and very tender and juicy meat.

Chicken02.jpg


To get more "crunchy bits" on your crust, sprinkle some of your eggwash into your flour before the second dip. It will create some "lumps" of flour/egg that will give you those bits. I don't care about that, myself, so I don't do that.

CD
 
caseydog That looks really good - and without excessive coating. I think in my next attempt I will try flour mix only, and flour/egg/flour as you do to see the difference.

What about seasoning - do you have a particular mix of herbs/spices in your flour?
 
vernplum said:
caseydog That looks really good - and without excessive coating. I think in my next attempt I will try flour mix only, and flour/egg/flour as you do to see the difference.

What about seasoning - do you have a particular mix of herbs/spices in your flour?
Click to expand...

I have found that it takes a lot of seasoning in order to taste it if you put it in the flour -- seems wasteful. I season my chicken first, then do the flour/egg/flour. If you brine, you probably don't need to salt the chicken. I generally season the meat with some black pepper and granulated garlic, and sometimes some paprika or cayenne if I want it spicy. No eleven herbs and spices. :wink:

CD
 
Vernplum, I'm usually a purist about jerk chicken but I like your idea of adding jerk seasoning to a fried chicken recipe, maybe I'll try that one day. Your fried chicken looks perfect to me!

I have been fascinated over the last few years with a different KFC: Korean Fried Chicken! Similar to Japanese "Karage" they do two things we do don't in western fried chicken: they use potato starch instead of flour (gives a lighter batter) and they double-fry for an extra crunch. For a quick and even cook, I usually do nuggets made from skinless boneless thighs.
 
vernplum said:
Hello

Recently I've been trying to perfect fried chicken. I may have said before, I'm not really very adept at deep frying, but with the acquisition of a thermometer I feel things are improving greatly, though my results to date have been 'OK' but not yet my 'dream' home-fried chicken. I've also been using a method whereby I deep fry first, then finish in the oven to get consistent doneness (from The Food Lab book).

While I'm not one of these obsessives trying to recreate KFC, I am interested in making that style of chicken. I tried a few online recipes that started with buttermilk marinating (some with egg) but these tend to turn out to have a hard crunchy 'shell' of coating whereas a bit more research showed that KFC uses a quick brine before going into the flour mix - that's what I'll be trying next. I also see a bunch of recipes that seem to have way too much paprika.

Do you make fried chicken? What do you usually do?

Top: Crispy Southern Fried chicken from The Food Lab book
Middle: Chicago Tribune 'KFC secret recipe'
Bottom: Some other mix where I added Jerk seasoning

View attachment 65192
View attachment 65193

View attachment 65194
Click to expand...

[Mod.edit: For health and safety reasons a section of text has been edited to remove reference to using pressure cookers for deep frying (MG)]

An important thing about deep frying anything, is to preheat the oil and ensure the items are thawed and allowed to approach room temperature. Frying is quicker when the oil is preheated and if you toss cold stuff into the oil, it lowers the oil temperature. When frying is quicker, more moisture is retained in meats like breaded chicken.


If you start frying in low temperature oil or try frying a frozen or cold item, it will result in very oily results. If you do it right, the oil left on the item will largely vaporize when the item is removed from the oil. Use a towel to place the item on when it is removed to absorb more oil. A drip rack may seem adequate, but I find the towel is a better alternative.


Deep frying and broasting oil temperatures is no less than 350F.

Pan frying chicken is a different matter, but again, thaw the meat to room temperature and preheat the oil to about 350F, before pan frying. Use a lid to ensure even heating.
 
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Some of the best fried chicken I've ever had, and I'm from the American south, was North Carolina fried chicken from either ATK or Cook's Country. It's a dipped chicken, but I normally eat it without the dip (hot sauce based). As it happens, we are having Korean fried chicken tonight and using the NC fried chicken recipe for the chicken part. The chicken is brined and then dipped in a shaggy coating, then refrigerated on a rack for 40 minutes to 2 hours to dry out the coating so it fries up nice and crispy.
 
I use an air fryer to cook my chicken now but I've done it on the stove for decades.

I season the chicken before putting it in the flour. I use seasoning salt and a little bit of pepper. I usually cut the breast into two pieces so they cook evenly with the other pieces. I find it easier and less messy to use a large pot instead of a skillet. That uses more oil but allows for more even cooking.

I like KFC (Kentucky Fried Chicken chain) but I find it a bit heavy on the coating (for crispy) and too greasy (original recipe).

I've never brined my chicken or put it in the oven after frying. The only reason I would do the latter is if something else I'm preparing takes a bit longer and I want to keep the chicken warm. That doesn't usually happen because I'm good at calculating times so everything is getting done at the same time.

Your photos look really good. I think you should give yourself more credit here. I'm guessing you aren't too far away from your ideal preparation. Around here, they tell me to keep trying so I'm passing along that sage advice!
 
BTW: Microwaving chicken will dry it out. And putting it in the oven after frying may also sacrifice juiceyness or moistness.
 
vernplum said:
Hello

Recently I've been trying to perfect fried chicken. I may have said before, I'm not really very adept at deep frying, but with the acquisition of a thermometer I feel things are improving greatly, though my results to date have been 'OK' but not yet my 'dream' home-fried chicken. I've also been using a method whereby I deep fry first, then finish in the oven to get consistent doneness (from The Food Lab book).

While I'm not one of these obsessives trying to recreate KFC, I am interested in making that style of chicken. I tried a few online recipes that started with buttermilk marinating (some with egg) but these tend to turn out to have a hard crunchy 'shell' of coating whereas a bit more research showed that KFC uses a quick brine before going into the flour mix - that's what I'll be trying next. I also see a bunch of recipes that seem to have way too much paprika.

Do you make fried chicken? What do you usually do?

Top: Crispy Southern Fried chicken from The Food Lab book
Middle: Chicago Tribune 'KFC secret recipe'
Bottom: Some other mix where I added Jerk seasoning

View attachment 65192
View attachment 65193

View attachment 65194
Click to expand...

What is wrong with THAT chicken?!! That looks good to me!! You're making it to please yourself. You'll get better as you go along. I don't eat it that often for health reasons. I had gall bladder surgery last year, so I'm not supposed to be eating fried foods. But a good couple of fried drumsticks won't hurt once in a while as long as it's in moderation. :whistling:
 
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#1 - everyone's idea of 'the perfect fried chicken' is different.
#2 - being a old geezer, I go with what is often called 'southern fried chicken' - i.e. cast iron fry pan, old about half way up the chicken, patience applied, grasshopper.....

regardless, the basic procedure for all of the methods is similar/same:
dreg in flour to ensure pieces are dry
(egg / other) wash
coat with seasoned flour

btw, people who actually have worked at KFC reveal, , , the chicken is not hot-from-cooker-to-bucket.
it is stored for 15+ minutes at temp to ensure it's evenly cooked and heated through. them that discount an oven finish....might be on the wrong side of the Colonel....

some things often left out that make way whole lotta difference.....
- allow the coated pieces to 'air dry' about 20 minutes prior to frying. this lets the coating set-up/adhere better

things to try, iffin' you're into good stuff.....
- use half/half rice flour to wheat flour; rice flour=key to crispy tempura.....
- instead of flour coatings, crunch a batch of corn flakes into fine bits, add equal amount of "half crunched" cornflakes.
season that mix and use vs. "flour&stuff) - works especially well with oven finished chicken. it's not "traditional" but wow is it good.


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Fwiw I soak in buttermilk overnight, then when ready I dip it in flour that has seasonings then fry in a deep frier set at 170 to 180 deg.
i can get you the list if you want.

Russ
 
FowlersFreeTime said:
Vernplum, I'm usually a purist about jerk chicken but I like your idea of adding jerk seasoning to a fried chicken recipe, maybe I'll try that one day. Your fried chicken looks perfect to me!

I have been fascinated over the last few years with a different KFC: Korean Fried Chicken! Similar to Japanese "Karage" they do two things we do don't in western fried chicken: they use potato starch instead of flour (gives a lighter batter) and they double-fry for an extra crunch. For a quick and even cook, I usually do nuggets made from skinless boneless thighs.
Click to expand...

The jerk seasoning one was definitely interesting! I've been trying to capture a taste that I got at a house party once. The host's mother made a spicy fried chicken. They were Caribbean, so I did some Googling and discovered that Jerk fried chicken is a thing. I'll be trying to improve my take on it.

I'm also a fan of Korean Fried Chicken but haven't tried to make it at home yet. I've eaten it in Seoul a few times - they like it with lots of sticky almost sickly sweet sauces. :)
 
flyinglentris said:
An important thing about deep frying anything, is to preheat the oil and ensure the items are thawed and allowed to approach room temperature. Frying is quicker when the oil is preheated and if you toss cold stuff into the oil, it lowers the oil temperature. When frying is quicker, more moisture is retained in meats like breaded chicken.
Click to expand...

Methods I've seen say to let the chicken sit for about 20-30 mins after it's been breaded - I assume partially for this purpose.
 
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