I used to work for KFC, food prep division. This is not even close to the real recipe or preparation technique used. however, it does taste closer than any other copycat recipe I've tried. so, instead of saying this is the real recipe, because it isn't, I would definitely say this is as close as you can get. but great job on this recipe.
I went to this because I consider modern KFC a disappointment. Dry (healthy?) and unappetising, I would never bother again, but if you like it, then fine. That's my opinion because I believe the original KFC was so much better. So I followed this method and made it myself, not omitting or compromising on ANY of the ingredients or techniques. We turned the results into a party to get opinions, serving with baked potatoes and coleslaw. The decision=everyone agreed it was authentic and back to how they remembered KFC at its best. 100% success. The coating savoury, the chicken moist and delicious, finger-lickin' real southern fried chicken. So be hungry cos you're going to want to eat it all! To achieve this, organisation, preparation and faithful attention to detail is ESSENTIAL, and after the first time, doing again will be much easier. I would emphasise that getting the oil the right temperature and cooking for 20mins is critical to achieve that savoury crust and moistness within the chicken, the bit we all like about this classic dish. And always use clean vegetable or frying oil, a good heavy pan, and fresh ingredients throughout. Thank you Whats4Chow, you've cracked it!
Hi Guys from Tasmania, Australia Firstly I owe you an apology! I thought this was going to be just another failed copy-cat waste of time. Having looked closely at your recipe, I thought it just might work. So I gave it a try. To be honest I hate KFC with a vengeance! When KFC came out in Australia in the early 1960's, it was brilliant: crispy coating, juicy succulent chicken, then came the pressurized vats & for me KFC was DEAD & I have not eaten it for over 40 years. Even the Colonel himself was quoted as saying "It was the worst chicken he had ever tasted" as he left one of his franchised stores. So that's saying something. Now back to your recipe: After making my first batch of thighs, I found a couple of small issues: firstly the coating did not stay crispy for long and started to soften and the finished product was too dark for my liking. I like a "Light golden colour" on my crusts. So I hope you don't mind, I made three modifications to your recipe and that did the trick. I have been cooking for over 50 years & working with flour based coatings have found them to moisten up, so I overcame this by adding cornflour. So with your 2 cups of plain flour I added 1 cup of cornflour and that did it. The second was the oil temperature; I reduced mine to 150º C and thirdly increased the cooking time to 25 minutes. Might I suggest that you add these changes to your recipe and you'll have the perfect KFC. Feel free to use them, I'm too old for any credit. I was so impressed with what you guys came up with, I just wanted to give you the benefit of my years in the kitchen. Just as an afterthought: Have you ever thought of KFC Turkey!!!! you could have another winner. We in Australia don't eat a lot of turkey only at Christmas time. Our protein consumption mainly consists of beef, lamb, pork, kangaroo, chicken & fish. Keep up the good work & thank you very much as now I can have my 1960's KFC at home. Giles
Hi Giles --- sorry for the delayed reply, but my wife has been in hospital for 3 weeks following a major heat attack, fortunately she pulled through and is now home in bed. Thanks so much for your feedback and input. I will certainly give this a try. Thanks for the support, and thanks for watching!!!
Thanks so much for your prompt reply and for being so patient with each of your viewer's queries.. I have got Pink Himalayan Salt small mini rocks, will that be okay if I use it? After trying out this fab recipe I will definitely let you know how it went.. Thanks for your advice Chef.. Angel David.
Excellent KFC Recipe as is, but I played around with minor additions. I do not fear MSG, so I added 2Tbs to the flour mixture along with Cayenne. I also pressure injected some brine solution to the meat and brined the chicken in a vacuum marinading bowl for one hour. I deep fried the chicken, a few pieces at a time, in a low pressure fryer made for oil cooking and I used peanut oil. Injecting the meat allows accumulating cooked chicken in a warm 250 degree oven and still maintain a moist, crispy fresh taste. Frying time varies for type and size of pieces. Thank you!
So I finally did this.... Took forever to get my hands on saltpetre. All the comments you read about going to Home Depot or Lowes are a bunch of HOOEY! The only place I could find it was on Amazon. Pretty good experience making this recipe. It's not difficult it's just long. I was a bit over anxious and I tried for a home run right away by doubling the recipe. Big mistake. Chicken still came out amazingly close to KFC. My brine was off just a bit and you could tell as you tasted the meat of the chicken. It was juicy, consistent with KFC, but I could tell the taste was just off a bit. I couldn't tell what the spice was that I had a bit much, but there was something. The cooking part was tricky. Keeping the oil at 325 was a challenge. I did four pieces at a time, for 20 minutes. Some I did a bit longer because the oil cooled down. Then there was one set of the four pieces that the oil was too hot, and you were 100% right, chalky taste. Overall -- my son and future daughter-in-law came over and were my taste testers. They loved it. I just knew it was off. Thank you so much for the work you did on this. I'm going to do a single batch next time to see if I can't nail down the brine. I need to get a scale to measure the quantities. I think that was my problem. I was converting and I must have screwed it up.
Thank you for your review, I found it incredibly helpful! I'm sure a lot of other people did, too, but just haven't commented. I hope you nailed it on your next try :)
Hi chef, I never before read all the comments as I did here. Can learn so much not only from the video but more from questions and answers below. Thank you. My question is, when I fry a batch the oil tends to darken and particles collect at the bottom. How many times i can re fry using the same oil without altering the flavor. And how about kfc, how often do they change their oil, or do they have their own filtration process? oil is not cheap and I wonder what is done about that, especially used oil can darken the color of the skin and it doesn't turn out golden in color? Thanks in advance
Hi --- very interesting question, in fact maybe I should make a video about this. Firstly, it depends on what oil you are using. Certain oils have a higher flash point than others.... in other words, the oil's tolerance to prolonged heat. The best oils to use are pure sunflower oil, peanut oil (stabilized) and to a lesser extent, canola oil (not as good). Oils with a low tolerance for heat like olive oil, should not be use for frying, and certainly not for deep-frying. As far as oil maintenance goes, I filter my oil after every use. This removes all the food particles from the oil, and definitely extends the lifespan of the oil. You can use a regular coffee filter to do this, or you can buy oil filters from most catering equipment suppliers --- and they are quite cheap as well. Certain types of foods also lead to the deterioration of oils. Unfortunately anything coated in flour is the main culprit here. Flour that migrates from the surface of the food into the oil will burn very quickly in its particle form and immediately start to darken the oil. In my videos that cover KFC and other flour coated foods, you will note that I always allow the coated food to set properly for at least 20 minutes before frying. This allows the flour to autolyse properly, and minimizes the amount of flour that can migrate into the oil. As far as how often KFC changes their oil -- this is impossible to say -- I know KFC outlets that change their oil once a day as a result of them frying loads of chicken in that time. Other branches may not be as busy, and will change oil every few days. KFC also practice filtering on their oil which definitely prolongs the lifespan of the oil. In my setup, I use the oil for deep-frying, filtering after each use. During this time the oil becomes flavored by all the foods that have been through the fryer. After 5 or 6 uses, the oil has started to darken, and I bottle it to use for pan frying. As a result, my pan frying oil gives foods that taste insanely good, and I don't waste any oil. Thanks for your interest, and thanks for watching!!!
+Whats4Chow great video man, it didnt bother me too much but a friend said your tone in your voice was too boring he was sitting next to me, so mayebe switch it up a lil bit some times? just saying, no hate
+jacky rinnevoets Hi Jacky.... no problem and no offense.... when we started the channel just over 2 years ago there were a few things we decided to emphatically avoid: 1) A food program that was based on hype and fake personality 2) A program that was attempting to hook viewers by trying to talk like a girl 3) A program that was supposed to be about food, but was more about the person trying to prepare the food 4) A program that shows untested recipes that invariably fail when the viewer tries them Our Program Outline, or Moral is: 1) To deliver quality content with no distractions 2) To do this in a moral and ethical way 3)To concentrate on food only -- no-one cares about my life story, or the life story of my grandmothers cookies 4)To flight only fully tested recipes that are guaranteed to please our viewers 5) To bring exciting and innovative recipes and techniques to TH-cam, instead of simply copying and repeating what has been done a thousand times 6) To provide efficient support to our viewers through the channel comments & questions panel (normally within a couple of hours) I hope this gives you some insight into what we are trying to achieve here, and thanks for watching!!!
Hi Whats4Chow! Thank you for the quick reply. I ordered some Prague powder and it arrived yesterday. I did most of the recipe yesterday and today is the day of truth. I have a couple more questions if I may. What is the best oil to use and does the brining process have to be exactly 24 hours, or can it be a few hours more, like 28 hours? Thanks again.
+Florida Carts Hi - No problem.... I use pure sunflower oil, but you can use any high smoke-point oil like peanut oil or stabilized coconut oil. I believe the original is cooked in deflavored pork lard, however this is an expensive route to take nowdays. With regards to the curing, a couple of hours each way is not really going to make any difference - I only emphasize the point so that people don't think they can cure for 6 hours, or 3 days ---- around 24 hours is fine. Thanks for your interest, I'll be looking forward to your feedback!!!
Sanders started using pressure fryers to speed up the cooking. Originally he cooked his chicken in a skillet like here. People didn't like waiting 20 minutes or more to eat.
+Murray Melander Hi Murray --- yup, you are totally correct... the pressure fryers have nothing to do with the "secret". In the time when KFC was born, almost everything was cured as a matter of safety.... this is the actual secret!!! Thanks for the comment, and thanks for watching!!!
Hi Whats4Chow ....I hope you are fine.......Thank you for the many recipe ideas you have given to us.....could you please clarify for me ....the "T" in the recipe ...does it stands for tablespoon or teaspoon?....and can I add baking soda to the flour without altering the flavour..or outcome of the chicken?...........thanks for your response in advance
+Shai Grae Hi Shai --- Tsp stands for teaspoon, and Tbs stands for tablespoon. As far as adding baking soda to the flour, it really isn't necessary and can actually cause the coating to separate from the chicken while frying -- Thanks for watching!!!
Hi Whats4Chow....how are you...I hope you are well....thanks for the work you have put into cracking KFC secret recipe...I have two questions that I hope you can help me with 1. .is the saltpeter measurement equivalent to about 1 tablespoon?... 2. would the chicken taste the same if it is fried in a pressure cooker for tenderness?
+Rush Rush Graham Hi --- welcome to our channel, and thanks for watching!!!! 1)The 12.5g saltpetre would be the euivalent 2 teaspoons 2) Domestic pressure cookers cannot be used to fry as they are not designed to handle that type of heat and pressure. Please DO NOT try this --- you can be seriously injured or even killed if the fryer explodes.
Whats4Chow Thank you so much for your quick response...although my pressure cooker is a very heavy one ....I doubt that it could be classified as commercial....ii is a good thing you are the type to read the comments and respond...because I was about to begin the process...you probably have saved my life
+Rush Rush Graham Hi --- yeah, I would not even trust a heavy duty pressure cooker with this. a Pressurized deep-fryer is a very heavy duty and specialized piece of equipment made especially to perform one task, and one task only.... pressure frying safely ---- thanks for not trying this.
I've made this recipe couple of times so far! It's amazing. Although I wasn't able to get the saltpetre, but the outcome was still good. I posted in my channel the steps the credit to What4chow. Thank you!
Hi -- good to see you again... due to the extended frying time at a lower temperature, it stays crispy for far longer than regular fried chicken. KFC does not use egg, but due to the fact that this does not affect the flavor in any way, I used egg as it is the most practical way to demonstrate the recipe. You can use a slurry of cornflour and water (6Tbs Cornflour to 200ml water) to replace the egg, and this will lead to an even crispier result. Thanks for watching!!!
+Whats4Chow Thanks for the reply. Really appreciate it and wow you remember me😊, really flattered. And I can't wait to try it out, I really like how you explain things thoroughly on your videos and comments too. Really great channel. One of my favourites!
Have a few question: 1) Can i replace saltpetre with Sodium Benzoate? If yes, how much should I put? 2) I read online articles mention that sodium benzoate is bad for us, does it true or just a myth as Saltpetre? 3) To cut the brining time, if I inject the brane into the chicken, would I use the same brane or I need to make it heavier?
+Charles Mon Hi Charles... no you can not use sodium benzoate. The saltpetre is used for its action on the protiein in the meat, not really for any preservative properties. The saltpetre enhances the texture and juiciness of the chicken.... the preservative action is a bonus. As far as the health implications are concerned, I won't be able to reply until I am back in my office on Friday. I am currently on a business trip, but will assemble the necessary information 0for you on my return. Injecting the chicken with a brine based solution will certainly speed up the brining time by 50 percent. You can use exactly the same mixture as described in the recipe..... after boiling, strain the solution through a coffee filter, then inject it into the chicken. Allow the chicken to stand in the leftover solution for 18 to 24 hours in your fridge. I hope this helps..... see you again soon!!!
+Whats4Chow Hi Charles.... here is the information on sodium benzoate --- sodium benzoate is used primarily in acidic foods as a preservative, as well as fizzy drinks. Concentrations of usage are 0.1% as prescribed by the FDA. There is no evidence that it has any harmful reactions for human consumption, however some believe that it can aggravate ADHD and hyperactivity in children. There has been proof in animal testing that it could be effective in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. Overall sodium benzoate is insignificant in risk from a health perspective, and may even lead to cures for some pretty nasty ailments.
+Doug Johnson Hi Doug, yes, cure the chicken according to the instructions in the video, then instead of deep-frying, zap it in the grill. It looks very much like KFC use a closed contact griller to grill their grilled chicken, but you could use your oven as well. In the oven, grill at 180c for 30 minutes plus 15 minutes per pound of chicken. Thanks for the question, and thanks for watching!!!
i have two questions: 1. on the recipe link there is 1tsp ginger on the curing brine ingredients. but in this video you didn't mention any ginger. if there is, is it ginger powder or fresh ginger? 2. what if i want to make lots of this, can i just double the recipe to make more or do i really have to make batches and wait 24 hours to make more? I'm looking forward in making this tomorrow.
+Jeremy Medina Hi Jeremy --- answer to 1) Ground ginger is best to use (dried ginger powder) and to 2) You can make this in any quantity you like by simply multiplying the recipe out. Thanks for your interest and thanks for watching!!!
+Whats4Chow sir, kindly fix the recipe list on your website coz it does not include ginger and bicarbonate water. thanks for the quick response. can onion flakes be used as substitute for onion salt? does that mean i need to add more salt then? thank you.
+Jeremy Medina Hi Jeremy --- I will check the recipe and correct any errors ---- with regards to the onion salt, you can use onion flakes and there is no need to add extra salt as the quantity is so small. --- thanks for the interest!!!
+Whats4Chow sir i couldn't find saltpetre or sodium nitrate in any butcher store or pharmacy around here. i don't have bicarbonate of water as well and replaced it with carbonated water instead. I'll keep you updated with the results right away. thank you for patiently responding to my queries.
+Jeremy Medina Hi Jeremy --- sodium nitrate (saltpetre) is available from various suppliers on eBay -- here is a link --- www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xsaltpetre.TRS0&_nkw=saltpetre&_sacat=0 In addition bicarbonate of soda is white powder available in the baking section of your supermarket --- it is normally stocked alongside the baking powders and other baking agents. Once again, thanks for watching!!!
One last question before I start cooking: Would it be a problem if we would let the chicken in the brine for me than 24 hours? (If we are not ready to fry it yet.) Or should we remove it from the brine after 24 hours and store it in the fridge?
JumboTamagotchi Hi Jumbo, I would suggest removing it from the brine at 24 hrs. It will not spoil after this time, but may become a bit too salty. Thanks for your interest, and thanks for watching!!!
People addicted to TH-cam cooking videos: "Thank you!!!! OH MY GOD....someone FINALLY did it!!!! This absolutely without a doubt THE BEST KFC recipe on the internet! I can finally after all these years cook chicken that tastes EXACTLY like the real thing!! You, sir, are a God among men!!!" Other TH-cam commenters: "So you tried the recipe???" People addicted to TH-cam cooking videos: "Um. No."
Hello Maestro... Please answer our questions about the saltpeter (potassium nitrate). real saltpeter is not available. Only mixtures, like "TenderQuick" by Morton. Do we use the same amount? it is already mixed with other spices. Not sure what to do here, since you said it is such a vital step. Thank you
+gavins channel Hi --- Morton's Tenderquick is about 6.5% potassium nitrate and 93.5% kosher salt. To my knowledge there are no other spices added. When curing meat you are aiming for a 0.25% potassium nitrate solution in the brine. In 5lt of water you will use 200g of Prague powder / Tenderquick (if it is 6.5%) --- this will give the brine a strength of 0.25%. This is double the amount of brine called for in the recipe --- simply divide this in half --- 100g of Prague /Tenderquick in 2.5lt water, with the other ingredients will do fine. If you need any further assistance, please drop me another note..... Thanks for watching!!!
I love KFC chicken; and thanks to you, I can now make this meal at home. Please can you tell me ho two do the Brine? I've tried to print out this recipe, but I wasn't able to. Thanks for sharing.
+carameldiva7 Hi --- the full recipe with the instructions.... KFC Fried Chicken Secret Recipe - Original Recipe / Secret Ingredients / How to Make KFC Author: Whats4Chow Recipe type: Deep-fried chicken / KFC / Secret Recipe / 11 Herbs & Spices Cuisine: American Serves: 6-12 KFC Fried Chicken Secret Recipe Kfc fried chicken is legendary, and there must be hundreds of websites and videos claiming to have cracked the secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices. Others get into deep discussions about how the chicken is pressure fried. Over time I have tried many of these copycat recipes and can only say that it was one disappointment after the next. None of them even came close to the real thing. Today I will reveal to you the actual secret behind the legendary taste, aroma and texture of this iconic chicken. Before I continue, I would just like make a point. Whats4Chow.com is the FIRST TO PUBLISH THIS, and I am sure that there will be a load of other channels copying my video within a very short time of this being published. Unfortunately there is nothing I can do to prevent this, but to those free loaders out there that will inevitably copy my work, please have the decency to give our channel and website the credit it deserves for finally decoding the mystery of the world’s finest chicken brand. Let’s get started by saying that it is not the secret blend of 11 herbs and spices, and it is not the use of pressurized deep fryers, or the type of oil or shortening used to do this. The secret to the insanely good flavor, texture and aroma is in the preparation of the chicken before it even coated. In fact, using this method the chicken tastes very close to the real thing even without the 11 herbs and spices! Ingredients The Chicken8-12 Chicken thighs and drumsticks For the Spice Blend3 Tsp Paprika2 Tsp Onion salt1 Tsp Dried sage1 Tsp Garlic powder1 Tsp Oregano1 Tsp Cayenne pepper1 Tsp Cracked black pepper1 Tsp Dried basil1 Tsp Dried marjoram1 Tsp Dried coriander For the Curing Brine70g Dairy or Kosher salt (any non-iodated salt is fine)1 Tsp Whole black peppercorns1 Corn of whole allspice12.5g Saltpetre1 Tsp Ginger50g Sugar15g Bicarbonate of soda Other2 Cups all purpose flour4-6 eggs lightly beaten InstructionsCombine the paprika, onion salt, sage, garlic powder, oregano, chilli powder, black pepper, basil, marjoram and coriander in a bowl and mix it together, then divide this in half.Pour 2.5lt of filtered water into a pot and add half of the spice mix along with all of the curing brine ingredients.Bring the pot to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat and allow the pot to simmer for 5 minutes.Remove the pot from the heat and allow the brine to cool completely.Using a carving fork or similar tool, poke holes through the skin of the chicken pieces, then place them in a large sterilized container.Pour the cooled brine over the chicken pieces, put the lid on and let this cure in your refrigerator for a full 24 hours. Before I continue, for this recipe to succeed, you cannot omit anything, especially the saltpetre and bicarb. The proper curing process is where the taste, texture and juiciness comes from.After 24 hours, remove the chicken from the brine.Combine 2 cups of all purpose flour with the other half of the spices, and lightly beat 4 eggs.Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, then dip it in the egg making sure to wet all of the flour. Dredge the chicken in the flour again making sure to get a good solid coating.Sprinkle a layer of the flour mixture onto a platter, transfer the coated chicken pieces to the platter and allow the coating to set for 20 minutes.Half fill your wok or pot with oil. Heat the oil to 160c or 325f. Fry the chicken pieces for 20 minutes, turning over halfway.Remove the chicken from the oil, drain on kitchen paper and serve. Just a few more notes before we go….The chicken must fry for at least 20 minutes. If you fry hotter and shorter, the coating will have a chalky texture.The chicken is cured, and as a result it can stand in a low oven for extended periods of time with no health risks, just as it does in the store. This makes it possible to make a mountain of chicken before your guests arrive.Smaller cuts like the KFC wings and chicken burgers will be covered in the next few days. Please subscribe for notifications and updates.
Hi Charte --- I have published a video on the KFC Chicken Tenders... here is the link -- th-cam.com/video/oq3-BCxxXYo/w-d-xo.html Thanks for watching!!!
Hi, If I used curing salt instead of salt and saltpetre as in the recipe would it still work o.k?...I found curing website that sells curing salt and it states ...if a recipe calls for saltpetre and salt,,simpley replace the amount of salt required with the curing salt.the curing salt consists of..sodium nitrate..sodium nitrite,and salt
anita askew Hi Anita, that is correct. Sodium nitrite has exactly the same pharmacological action as potassium nitrate (saltpeter) --- so this should work just fine. Thanks for watching!!!
WOW !!! I DID IT. I FOLLOWED YOUR RECIPE AND THE RESULT IS : SUPER !! This kind of fried chicken is the best I've made based on your instruction. Thank you so much for sharing that fantastic recipe !! It's a blessing! For the first bite, my husband just said: WOW !
What is 1 corn of whole all spice, I am from India its not so popular here , so please mention what is that :) Thanks for sharing the recipe, gonna try at home.
+Suparna Dutta Hi Suparna -- allspice is a berry that resembles a large black peppercorn. In fact in some countries it is actually called magic pepper. To answer the question, a corn of allspice is one whole allspice berry. You can find a whole lot more information at this link --- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allspice Drop me a note if you need anything else!!! Thanks for watching!!!
+Suparna Dutta Hi Suparna - mix a pinch of each: ground cloves, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, ground black pepper -- and add this as a substitute for the allspice.
Very interesting. Thanks for the video. I keep reading about brining chicken (I like to inject brine when doing a whole chicken). Quick question : bicarbonate soda seems to be acting differently and faster than salt for a lesser amount of it in the brine solution. If true: what wld be the shortest brining time for the chicken? (does KFC brine on/off site? If on site, they must have a quick brine solution as they sell mountains of chicken every day)
+flying frenchman Hi --- the bicarbonate doesn't speed up the curing process, it adjusts the pH of the solution, enhances the texture and flavor of the meat. Brining time depends on a couple of factors --- 1) size of pieces 2) skin on / skin off 3) thickness of pieces. 1)Chicken wings can cure in as little as 24 hours, whereas thighs will take 48 hours --- the simple rule is that the brine penetrates the meat at a rate of 25mm / 1 inch every 48 hours. 2&3) Chicken with the skin on will take longer, unless you perforate the skin with a fork, or inject the brine into the center of the flesh. KFC has all of the brining done off-site before it even gets delivered. This process is done by multi-needle injectors and is fully automated. They would invariably be using a premixed brine powder that simply requires mixing with water. Thanks for watching!!!
+Whats4Chow thanks for the reply. I am just scratching the surface here. I think u are spot on when saying that the magic happens during the pre-processing of the meat (ie: brining. Or batch brining of the poultry @ factory for KFC). Whatever happens @ the store is the "finishing touch" (apparently the SOPs @ KFC call for doing everything 7x). What's your take on using a vacuum marinator with your brining process? (a pressurized infusion could also work I suppose but it would be far less cost effective that a vacuum tumbler). I need to check if u have something similar to this KFC recipe for Chick fil a :)
+flying frenchman Hi --- 1) I think the 7 times deal is basically a habit-cultivating thing they built into their training schedule. This ensures that things are done properly and consistently. It certainly seems to work too, as KFC is one of the most consistent products out there. 2)I have tried a vacuum tumbler, and the meat still needs to stand and cure for the changes in texture, color and flavor to take place.... it may speed the process a little bit, but not considerably. 3) As far as the Chick fil a goes, we don't have that franchise locally, so I unfortunately can't help you there. ---- thanks for watching!!!
Hi Chef. I'm extremely fascinated by your recipe and I really want to try it. However, some of your ingredients are hard to find I live in Bombay (Mumbai) India.. I have ready available Allspice powder but not able to find whole Allspice pluse what exactly is Saltpetre? Is it potassium nitrate cause that's what I found out.. And for your Non Iodized Salt what can I use are there any alternatives? Could I use Sea Salt or Rock Salt.. Could you please help me understand.. And one other query got solved in the below post about one "Corn" of Allspice.. Looking forward to your response.. Thanks, Angel David..
+Angel D Hi Angel --- The whole allspice can be substituted with a quarter teaspoon of powdered allspice. Saltpeter is potassium nitrate -- this can also be substituted with sodium nitrite -- both should be readily available from your pharmacy. Many butchers and meat processors also stock these. The non-iodated salt --- you can use any salt that has not had iodine added --- this can be sea salt or rock salt. I have used Himalayan rock salt and this works just fine. ---- Thanks for your interest, and thanks for watching!!!
Big Chef Hi Big Chef --- Saltpeter's main function is to cure the chicken. The saltpeter inhibits the growth of bacteria, which enables it to be kept in a food warmer / display unit for extended periods of time - very much like it does in the store. Saltpeter also adds a ton of flavor to the meat - think of the difference between a piece of regular pork loin and bacon or kassler chops --- the difference in taste,texture and flavor are worlds apart. Thaks for the question, and thanks for watching!!!
Team, thank you for an excellent insight into the KFC mystery of ages. There is one simple thing one can do that may assist in the preparation. Keep one hand for the dry ingredient, one for the egg mixture, this avoids the 'sticky fingers' syndrome. Works a treat.
+nasri mohd Hi Nasri -- allspice is a berry that resembles a large black peppercorn. In fact in some countries it is actually called magic pepper. To answer the question, a corn of allspice is one whole allspice berry. You can find a whole lot more information at this link --- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allspice Drop me a note if you need anything else!!! Thanks for watching!!!
I love the old style Kentucky Fried Chicken, not the rubbish they serve these days. Hopefully your recipe is close to the original. if so, Sir you are to commended. a genius.
Hi, I have my food tumbler all cleaned up and ready to marinate my chicken. Just a quick question : why do we need to bring the brine to a simmer? Thanks !
+flying frenchman Hi -- simmering the brine activates the flavors of the herbs and spices resulting in a liquid that is a combination of all these flavors --- the liquid can enter / penetrate the chicken far easier than the solids can. In addition, it pasteurizes the mixture ensuring that there will be no spoilage. Thanks for watching!!!
Hi Patty --- if you want the original product, you have to use saltpeter, however KFC has changed over to alternative in many countries and I will be publishing this version in the next 7-10 days. This substitution has little to no effect on the outcome of the product, and the ingredient in question is more accessible in most countries. Stay tuned!!! Thanks for watching!!!
The KFCs where I live are doing something that is NOT original. The chicken is OK, but not what the Old Colonel did, so I really eager to try this. Rather than placing myself on a DHS watch list for buying the primary oxidant in gun powder, I just ordered the Prague powder. It has Sodium Nitrate vice Potassium Nitrate. As soon as the parts all come together, I will get back to you. This is exciting.
Hi Doc -- yup in some countries KFC has moved away from using the original brining technique and is not the same as it used to be. Thanks for watching!!!
Hi Whats4Chow! Thank you for this recipe. Does anyone know where to get Saltpeter in California? Also, is it absolutely necessary, will there be that much of a difference if I leave it out and what is the best alternative if I cannot find it? Thanks again for this recipe!
+Simon Eden Hi Simon --- most pharmacists sell saltpetre. You can also find it quite easily on eBay. However if you can't find it there, please check out the alternative at this link...th-cam.com/video/oA4po3R2uG4/w-d-xo.html --- using Prague powder, which is essentially nitrates and nitrites premixed with salt. This is widely available in any country, from butchery suppliers and sausage manufacturers. You can also buy it online from companies like Weston online - www.westonsupply.com/Curing-Salt-p/02-0000-w.htm --- thanks for watching!!!
+Whats4Chow PS --- Prague powder will have exactly the same result as pure saltpetre, however it will give the flesh of the chicken a slight pinkish hue.
Hi it's me again. Thank you for the reply to my question. I was hoping you could answer a few more for me. (1) after curing how long could I keep the chicken in the refrigerator before breading and frying?. (2) would it be o.k to freeze it after curing?. (3) in the recipe you don't give the weight for the amount of chicken pieces! .. Does this not matter...what I mean is chicken thigh and legs come in all sizes. Hope you will help me with these questions. Thanks again anita.
anita askew Hi Anita, no problem... the answers are below with numbers corresponding to your questions - 1) You can keep the cured chicken in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks with no health risks -- provided it has been cured for the specified time using either saltpeter or sodium nitrite. 2) You can freeze it quite successfully after curing. You may experience a little weight loss on defrosting, which is normal for chicken even when it has not been cured. 3) No, the weight or number of pieces is not an issue - as long as all the pieces are totally submerged in the brine during the curing process. If the pieces are touching during curing, it is advisable to turn them once or twice during the curing time in order to ensure even penetration of the brine. 4) The brine can be re-used a few times. Simply strain the brine, top up the salt with about 30ml more salt and a pinch of saltpeter, then boil the brine to sterilize it. Allow to cool and you're ready to go. I hope this helps --- thanks for watching!!!
Martin28121965 Hi Martin --- excellent question, I have been waiting for someone to ask!!!! Yes you can re-use the brine for up to 4 batches. To do this, keep your brine in the refrigerator (up to 21 days), or freeze it (up to 9 months). When you're ready to re-use, top up the salt content with 30ml non-iodated salt and 2.5ml saltpeter. You may also need to top up the water to its original quantity by adding 10-12% of the original quantity to the brine (this is normally what is lost during brining). Bring the brine to a boil, allow it to simmer for 5 minutes, then cool before brining your next batch. Thanks for the question, and thanks for watching!!!
Whats4Chow Thanks for answering immediately. That is really rare, because sometimes you have to wait a very, very long time to get a comment; if you get one ! Do I have to top up the salt and saltpeter every time I re-use the brine ? How can I measure 2,5 ml, if I don't have propper "electronic help" ? We don't have KFC in my area here in Brazil. I was only ones in a KFC during a trip to Spain and if I remember correctly, they add some kind of oatmeal to the normal flour. Or am 1 wrong ? If they do so, at what kind of meals and how much ? Also, do you have some recipe for special sauces to serve with the chicken ? Thanks for your help. Greatings from northern Brazil.
Martin28121965 Hi Martin --- yes you must top up the salt and saltpeter every time you re-use the brine. As far as measuring goes, use measuring spoons -- these are available from any kitchen supply store and come in sets ranging from 1.25ml (1/4tsp) -- 2.5ml (1/2 tsp) -- 5ml (1 tsp) -- 10ml and 15ml (1Tbs) With regards to the oatmeal, I have not heard of this before, not in USA, Canada or South Africa. With regards to the sauce, KFC is normally served on its own, without any sauce, however you can have a look at my recipe for KFC Mash and Gravy, which is served as a side order to the chicken - th-cam.com/video/bBdsJ_Cq4Ss/w-d-xo.html Also check out KFC Coleslaw --- th-cam.com/video/WiUip6oCsC0/w-d-xo.html
Whats4Chow O.k., Mash and Gravy and Coleslaw I already checked out. Problem is, we don't have buttermilk over here. I think I will have to use natural yoghurt and lemon, right ? Is it possible to cook the chicken in the brine, let it cool out completely and than proceed with the frying ? Would be a lot faster for finishing the product, because you only would need to fry it for about 3-5 minutes. I want to open a small fastfood box in a Shopping Centre here in Brazil and this would help me when having to finish quick the product. What do you think ? Thanks a lot.
Martin28121965 Hi Martin --- you can substitute the buttermilk with plain yogurt. As far as cooking the chicken in the brine to speed up the process.... I have not tried this. I suggest doing a small batch like this and seeing what the result is. In theory, it should have a similar taste, but unfortunately the chicken needs to be in the brine for the required time to permeate the meat with flavor and enhance the texture of the meat. A quicker way to brine the meat is to strain the brine through a fine sieve, then inject about 1cc into each chicken piece, then leave these overnight. You would use a brining syringe to do this -- you can find them on eBay and Amazon for a few bucks. As far as cutting down the cooking time.... if you cut down the frying time, the coating can turn out with a chalky texture -- the only way to avoid this is to fry longer. You could possibly get away with this by frying slightly hotter -- maybe 10c higher and reducing the frying time accordingly. The best way I suggest is to start frying before your busy periods and store the cooked chicken in display warmers, just like KFC do. The chicken is cured by the saltpeter, so there is no health risk in doing this. Thanks for watching, and I hope this helps!!!
hi... you must add some salt to the flour an herbs....amazing you are correct in this.in the past i work at tyson company,in kfc department and in the working line is a spot where some infusion is inyected to the chicken pieces,this is the saltpeter i believe and then is packed....
G'day champ. Just wondering what the side effects would be if you didn't use Saltpetre ? Would the taste still be the same or?? It's just that there are no places around where I live that stock this item and to ship it in will cost me a pretty penny. Cheers.
+Abdul Kader Hi Abdul -- without the saltpetre the chicken will still taste good, but the cured flavor and texture will be missing. You can try to find sodium nitrite --- many butcheries and sausage makers use it as a direct substitute for saltpetre (potassium nitrate). Commercially these are both known as curing salt, Prague powder #1 and Prague powder #2. You can ask your butcher for curing salt or prague powder #1. (Prague powder #2 is not suitable) --- thanks for the interest, and thanks for watching!!!
+Jean Charbel Karam Hi Jean --- you can substitute the salt and the Saltpetre with 100g of Prague Powder / Curing Salt. Prague powder is a premix of salt, potassium nitrate and potassium nitrite. You can find this at any butchery supplier, and many general catering suppliers also carry it. You can also find it on eBay, and from online charcuterie suppliers like Weston. --- Thanks for watching!!!
hey your chanel is amazing, has alot of recipes we enjoy here in south africa. id like to ask a few things about this recipe.1) when you say 1 corn of whole allspice, your just talking about one pod (in the video i see a few or mybe its just the pepper corns)2) do i really need to use non-iodated salt or can i just use regular coarse salt3) im having trouble finding onion salt, would it still be the same if make my own according to something i read off a site that said to make onion salt you use salt and onion powder in ratios of 3:1thnx...
+Mondli Tenza Hi Mondli --- 1) allspice is a berry that looks like an over-sized peppercorn. In some countries it is called pimento --- click here for more details on allspice - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allspice 2) Iodated salt can result in a metallic taste in the meat. I don't advise using iodated salt for anything. Most supermarkets sell pure sea salt.... this would be fine. 3) If you cannot find onion salt, replace this with onion powder. There is enough salt in the brine without worrying about this tiny amount. It is the onion flavor you're after. Thanks for the interest, and thanks for watching!!!
Hi. I made your recipe yesterday. Is it well the half of THE HALF of the Spice Bland that we put in 2 cups of flour? That`s what I did and honestly it was lacking of flavor. However I really like the result of the marinade on the chicken. The chicken stayed in the marinade for a good 32 hours. Thanks.
Grunge LovR Hi Grunge LovR, it sounds like you misunderstood the spice instructions. Half of the spice blend goes into the curing brine, and all of the other half goes into the flour for coating. Sorry for any misunderstanding, and thanks for watching!!!
Hi Thomas --- yes you can. All you need to do it bring the brine to a boil to sterilize, then cool and re-use. After the second or third use, you may want to add a little salt to the brine to replace the salt lost during brining. I would not use more than 3 times though as the nitrate levels may be depleted by this stage. Thanks for watching!!!
+Shai Grae Hi Shai --- 100g salt is equivalent to about 90ml, so that would be just over a third of a cup. KFC does add msg to their coating --- feel free to do this -- I would not advise adding it to the brine as msg breaks down protein, and after 24 hours the chicken would probably be powdery and unpleasant. Thanks for the interest, and thanks for watching!!!
I already know the recipe cause i saw it on snapchat: 2/3 tablespoons of salt 1/2 TBSP thyme 1/3 tbsp oregano 1/2 tbsp basil 1 tbsp celery salt 1 tbsp black pepper 1 tbsp dried mustard 4 tbsp paprika 2 tbsp garlic salt 1 tbsp ground pepper 3 tbsp white pepper
Hi --- here is the link to the printable recipe --- whats4chow.com/2014/10/07/kfc-fried-chicken-secret-recipe-original-recipe-secret-ingredients-how-to-make-kfc/ Thanks for watching!!!
Whats4Chow Hi! Thanks a lot mate! That`s what I thought. I went to buy all the right spices, made the marinade. That liquid smells so good! The chicken will swim for a good 24 hours. I can`t wait to see the result. I`ll give you some news about it. Thank you very much!
Just finding Saltpetre difficult to obtain. This is one message that I got back from a vendor. "I believe there are several chemicals that are referred to as Saltpetre. I think Sodium Nitrate is referred to as Saltpetre. It has 1 more oxygen atom than Sodium Nitrite. Nitrate is NaNo3 & nitrite is NaNo2. Potassium Nitrate is also referred to a Saltpetre." So can you please help with which one am I to get? Cheers
+mbunaa Hi --- Potassium nitrate is saltpetre. Sodium nitrite or sodium nitrate are suitable substitutes and will do the job just as well. Thanks for watching!!!
I like making "BIG CRUNCH BURGERS", For the fam now and then!! They all think my recipe tastes pretty much the same!! Thanks 4 sharing this info !!! I usually prep my chicken over night also !!
Pressure cookers have come a long way. I just bought mine. It is electric, not stovetop and the lid stays locked until all pressure has been released on it's own , or by quick release. NO DANGER, whatsoever.
+tori smith Hi Tori --- I also have an expensive electronic pressure cooker with auto pressure release. In the manual it reads in large letters, "DO NOT USE FOR FRYING". The inner pot that holds the ingredients has a wall thickness (1mm) that is nowhere near thick enough to contain the frying pressure. In addition the flimsy silicone seal that simple slips onto the pressure plate can not seal under this pressure. These pots are designed for water-based cooking under pressure -- up to 100c. Oil fryers have a wall thickness of over 8mm and the lids attach with multiple screw-down bolts. The seal is an O-ring that can not simply slide off. They come in stove-top and electric versions --- here is a picture of a stove-top version - www.ebay.com/itm/All-American-21-5-QT-Pressure-Cooker-Canner-921-Pressure-Cooker-NEW-/381469811842?hash=item58d15f6482:g:6u4AAOSwgQ9V3tqz If it was safe to use these electronic pressure cookers for frying, Henny-Penny and All-American would have been bankrupted a long time ago. Thanks for watching!!!
Hi --- if you're using pure MSG, just a pinch will do. If you are using Aromex / Aromat which is essentially a stock powder containing MSG, then a bit more -- 10-15ml will probably do it. --- Thanks for watching!!!
How does using a deep frier with basket affect how you would cook this? Is it still cooked for 20 minutes at 325F. Should you still flip at 10 minutes. I don't mean to ask stupid questions, but you made a point in the video no to alter steps. I just want to know if this can still produce the same product in a deep frying and how, or if the wok cooking method is a must.
North Shore Hi, In my demonstration the chicken is not fully submerged as it is in a pan / wok. If you us a deep-fryer, and the chicken is fully submerged, you can cut the time by 5 minutes - in other words, you will fry for a total time of 15 minutes. I would still turn the chicken halfway through as even in a fryer, the higher heat is near the bottom where the element is situated. I hope this helps, and thanks for watching!!!
You said not to change anything especially bicarbonate of soda and "something else" which I have never come across. Could you please tell me what it is? Thank you.
Hi Mohammad --- it is bicarbonate of soda and saltpeter -- saltpeter is potassium nitrate. Potassium nitrate is a curing preservative that inhibits the growth of botulism, an extremely dangerous organism. It also changes the texture and moisture retention of the meat, resulting in very tender juicy chicken. Thanks for watching!!!
I live in India and its VERY HARD to find Kno3 so are there any alternatives to that? i was ij the curing process and i added meat tenderiser instead of kno3. hope the outcome is nice after i cook today
mahmoud abid ali Hi Mahmoud, No meat tenderizer is not a substitute, but you will almost certainly end up with quite a tasty and tender result. Unfortunately the "cured" flavor will be missing, and that is what you're aiming for. It is like the difference between bacon and regular pork. Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching!!!
Hi Shaun -- you should find it at Dischem, and most other pharmacies -- It comes packaged in small 50g boxes, and cost around R15.00 --- thanks for the support!!!
+Jojon Handri Hi Jojon, potassium nitrate has a specific effect on the meat. The purpose of the nitrates is not only to cure the meat, but to enhance the texture. The closest equivalent to potassium nitrate is sodium nitrite, which can be purchased from most butchery suppliers and manufacturers of Continental style preserved sausages and meats. I have not tried sodium benzoate, so I can't advise you in this regard. To my knowledge, sodium benzoate is normally added to dry goods as a preservative, and its tolerance to heat is questionable. I would suggest staying with either potassium nitrate or sodium nitrite. I hope this helps --- thanks for watching!!!
Hi Maria --- the last ingredient in the coating mixture is coriander (ground coriander seed) --- here is the link to the full printable recipe where everything is listed very clearly --- whats4chow.com/2014/10/07/kfc-fried-chicken-secret-recipe-original-recipe-secret-ingredients-how-to-make-kfc/ Thanks for watching, and please send through any other questions you may have!!!
Hi -- any oil with a high temperature tolerance. I use pure sunflower oil, however peanut oil or palm oil will be just as good provided they are stabilized with anti-foaming agents -- the packaging will tell you this information. If they are not stabilized, the oil will foam up dangerously and can even spill over the edge of your fryer or pan. Olive oil is definitely not suggested for frying of any description -- the tolerance is low, and this should only be used to dress salads etc. Ideally using clarified pork fat or duck fat would be the ultimate, but this would be quite expensive. Thanks for your interest, and thanks for watching!!!
Hi Penny -- yup, I agree... and palm oil is stupidly over-priced as well -- however I provide these options purely for informational purposes --- thanks for watching!!!
Here are a few questions. Q1. Can I reduce the amount of salt because when I made this the chicken was too salty. Q2. There were a few ingredients I omitted because I couldn't find them. Could that ruin the chicken. Q3. Are you sure saltpetre is not harmful or poisnous
+Dee Mee Hi Dee Mee, 1) you can reduce the salt to 70g -- also make sure your chicken pieces are not too small, and have not been brined by the supplier before purchase -- this can cause over-salted chicken 2) By omitting ingredients you will not get exactly the same result, but it certainly won't ruin the chicken 3) There is no evidence that nitrates are dangerous in controlled quantities. You get more nitrates from a serving of green vegetables than you would from a serving of cured chicken, however, do not exceed the quantities in the recipe.
+Whats4Chow I think that saltpetre is used only to preserve the meat, am I correct? I don't see the flavor it would give to the meat. Not to mention that saltpetre has been banned for use in most of the European countries because of it's harmful effect on human body.
+patricke Hi Patricke --- the bad rap that nitrates and nitrites get come from a series of flawed experiments conducted by some fool at the FDA in the 70's -- he was obviously looking to make a reputation... anyway, when these flawed results we published they created a massive stir in the culinary fraternity.... all of a sudden everyone was going to die... it was on TV, radio and in the newspapers worldwide ---- the fool was obviously famous...... until they found out that the experiments that he conducted were seriously incorrect..... their retraction of this blunder was just a whisper and the damage that had been done to one of mankind's greatest discoveries was never undone. To this day there is no concrete evidence that nitrates or nitrites have any negative effect on humans. On the contrary, nitrates and nitrites have probably save countless millions of lives......
+Whats4Chow if what you say is true, why do we still find many test cases / experiments from Europe scientists who have concluded that saltpeter (also know as potassium nitrate or *E252*) is harmful for your body? But it can be replaced by Curing salts which have less quantities of sodium nitrites and sodium nitrates. I think someone can replace Saltpeter with Curing salts (Prague powder) and see the difference. "_To this day there is no concrete evidence that nitrates or nitrites have any negative effect on humans. On the contrary, nitrates and nitrites have probably save countless millions of lives_" -- please do not dis-inform people, there are hundreds of experiments that says nitrates are harmful to the human body. Yes, some vegetables contain nitrates but in very low quantities, adding a meat with high levels of nitrates can be quite bad for your health, especially children.
+patricke Hi Patricke - whether you are using nitrates or Prague powder (which is a mixture of nitrates, nitrites and salt), the concentration of nitrates that end up in the meat is the same -- 0.00125% or 1.25g per Kg -- the FDA and EU prescribe 2-3g of Prague powder per finished weight of product as within the safety limit. I have nothing to gain by misinforming people with regards to this... I have been in the industry for over 28 years now and have seen a number of excellent products get a bad rap through misinformation from "health practitioners" --- nitrates and nitrites are two of these.... let's not get started on MSG... A single portion of celery or spinach contains more nitrates than the equal weight of cured meat. However, you would have to eat impossible amounts of these to have any negative effect on your health. I have even heard some people say that these build up in your system... hahahaha.... nitrates and nitrites have a short lifespan and are flushed through the system within 24 hours. In addition, by the time your meat has finished curing, especially dry-aged meats, their is a negligible amount of nitrites, and NO nitrates remaining in the meat. With short cures (like the KFC recipe) the concentrations are so low to start with that this is not worth mentioning. I do however agree that there are producers out there who do not stay within the prescribed limits of safety, or surf right along the borderline. I think this comes from bad education and training, as there is nothing to gain by over-dosing cured meats with nitrates or nitrites. To avoid this, either make your own cured foods using the correct methods, or buy your cured foods from reputable suppliers.
I found this recipe on another TH-cam channel and I compared it to this one. I can say the other channel did give "What's 4 Chow" 100% credit and provided a link.
+Whats4Chow No problem:) I ended up trying this step by step and I can't tell you how many chickens I used in an attempt to perfect it. I did end up getting it right when my daughter and wife sat down at the table and asked me where I got the KFC from because we don't have anything like that nearby. Barrow Alaska is definitely in the middle of nowhere!! I'm curious, how did you come across figuring this out OR do you have trained tastebuds??
Hi -- yeah finding some ingredients in remote places can be challenging! As far as figuring it out... I have been in the food industry for 28 years now - everything from curing and smoking meats to developing recipes for franchise chains -- after experiencing so many varied disciplines, figuring out taste combinations, processes and production lines gets easier and easier. Once again, thanks for your interest, and thanks for watching!!!
+Whats4Chow Awesome. I have a lot of respect for people such as yourself, who love food enough to go above and beyond being creative and add fresh ideas to old concepts. Out of the hundreds of videos I watch, yours is the only one I will be subscribing to. Well, yours and Neil Pearts of course!!! Thanks again for your very well made videos and your prompt responses!!! Love your accent!! Peace :)
LEGENDARY!!!!!!! can i ask how much is a corn of allspice? is there any ratio between whole pepper and allspice? what is the frying time for deep fryer? still 20minutes or just 10 minutes when i dont need to turn that chicken like you. thx for your answer.
Sala Mandr Hi --- thanks for watching! Whole allspice comes in little "berries" - one berry is a corn. The link to the full printable recipe is below the video, but here it is again - whats4chow.com/2014/10/07/kfc-fried-chicken-secret-recipe-original-recipe-secret-ingredients-how-to-make-kfc/ If you need any other information, please message me. I apologize for taking so long to reply, but I have been away for a bit. I am back now and everything is in full swing again!
Whats4Chow Hey W4C, thanks for your answer. I haven't found MSG salt in our local store, so i tried smoke salt and it went horribly wrong ;) But the brine is definitely the jackpot. btw in czech cuisine we use bay leaf : allspice : whole pepper in 1:2:2 or 1:2:3 ratio. kind regards
+westchef Hi Westchef --- it is not necessary to rinse, but you do have to pat it dry thoroughly using kitchen paper. Thanks for the question, and thanks for watching!!!
NOMCCBAMA Hi Nomccbama, I have no tried cooking it in the oven, but I suppose it could be quite successfully shallow fried in the oven, provided you turn it every few minutes. Thanks for watching!!!
Hi Chuck -- allspice is a dried berry, sometimes called magic pepper -- in this recipe you need 1 berry / 1 magic peppercorn. If you cannot find whole allspice, then use an eight of a teaspoonful of ground allspice. For more info on allspice -- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allspice Thanks for watching!!!
Hi Chuck -- It's a pleasure... I am away for 2 weeks, but will still have limited internet... message me if you have any other questions and I will reply as soon as possible... thanks for your interest!!
Thanks a lot You are amazing, Please could you help me understanding these ingredients *** "100g Dairy or Kosher salt (any non-iodated salt is fine)"** What you meant by "Dairy" , did you meant i can add milk instead of Kosher salt ? Another thing i don't know what is Kosher salt , Could i add normal salt ? And for "Cayenne pepper" , Could i replace it with normal chili pepper ؟ or spicy paprika ? Thank you :)
+Mohamed samer Hi Mohamed --- 1) most commercial salt has iodine added to it. This iodine can cause a metallic off-taste in the meat. Ant salt that has not had iodine added is fine --- pure sea salt, Himalayan rock salt, dairy salt (used for salting cheese) or Kosher salt, are all fine. 2) Dairy salt is non-iodated salt used for salting cheese and is available from most cheese manufacturers. 3) As far as Kosher salt goes -- Kosher salt is non-iodated --- any of the salts I listed above will do the job. 4) Cayenne pepper can be substituted with chilli powder, however I have not tried using hot paprika, but I am sure this will work fine. Thanks for your interest, and thanks for watching!!!
Hi Walter -- nitrates and nitrites are widely used in the USA and Canada -- every cured meat -- ham, bacon, prosciuto etc - contains saltpetre. The main difference is that it is now available as a premix -- 2 different forms of this premix accur -- Prague powder and Instacure -- and each of these is available in 2 forms, #1 and #2 --- #1 contains only nitrate mixed with kosher salt, and #2 contains Nitrate and Nitrite mixed with kosher salt. Thanks for watching!!!
Hi -- you can use #1 or #2, however #1 would be preferred. I have published another video using the Prague as an alternative -- here it is --- th-cam.com/video/oA4po3R2uG4/w-d-xo.html Bare in mind that using Prague powder can lead to a pink tinge in the meat, even although it is thoroughly cooked. Thanks for watching, and please message me should you require anything else!!!
I have spent many years trying to make something that tastes like KFC. I have found some recipes that are very good. I was told you have to have a Fargo air cooker or what was called the chicken pot. It took me six months to find the Fargo. They stopped making these things many years ago. I gave $250 for that one pot. God only knows how much time I have wasted tracking down one spice or another only to be disappointed. I would think that IF this is the real recipe there would be a ton of people on here saying so. But I could be wrong. Still, I would like to hear more comments.
+Firas Awad Hi Firas, I strongly advise against using a regular household pressure cooker for frying. Domestic pressure cookers are not strong enough and this is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!!! Please reconsider.....
+John Caulfield Hi John -- I have published a video using Prague powder and you can see it here -- th-cam.com/video/oA4po3R2uG4/w-d-xo.html --- unfortunately I haven't done one using Morton's Instacure as it is not available where we are. There is no reason that it would not work just fine, however you will have to calculate your dosage requirements for the brine from the instructions on the packaging. In addition, as I have mentioned in the comments section below the Prague powder video, you will notice a slight pink tinge to the meat when using Prague powder or Instacure, but this does not affect the taste at all. This come from the fact that both Prague powder and Instacure use sodium nitrates instead of potassium nitrate. Thanks for watching, and please message again if you need anything else!!!
sagar4080 Hi Sagar, you can find saltpeter at almost every drug store / pharmacy / chemist in relatively small quantity packages (50-100g) You can also get it from butchery suppliers and lab suppliers, but in much larger quantity packages. Unfortunately there is no substitute, but it is the most common curing ingredient in the world, so I am sure you'll have no problem finding it. Thanks for watching!!!
A couple of comments, Whats4Chow. I haven't yet made this recipe but I'm intrigued by it. I've tried so many so called, copycats and nothing has yet come close to the KFC I remember. Things have changed at KFC over the years so the flavor-target keeps moving. I'm shooting for a flavor-target circa 1970's. Anyway, 2 questions. First of all, instead of brining could you skip the brining process and just inject the brine into the chicken? You mentioned in one of your comments that that is how the chikcen is processed at KFC (prior to arrival at the restaurants). Also, my 2nd question is if brining really is the secret to this recipe, how come it hasn't been at the forefront of all KFC copycats? Certainly someone would have divulged this as I would think this would have been apparent. This couldn't have been such a hard secret to keep, correct me if I'm wrong. Looking forward to your answer. I'll definitely try your recipe out. The KFC recipe is like the ultimate puzzle challenge of the universe. How did Colonel Sanders figure out how to get that sweet delicious note in his chicken? Hopefully you've figured that out!
Hi David --- yeah, KFC has changed dramatically in the last few decades. This is the original recipe from way back when times were good. With regards to the first question, yes you can inject the chicken... in fact this is exactly what Tyson Foods does, and I have confirmed this with many of their production staff. I demonstrated the brining method as most people do not own brining syringes. Bare in mind that even with injecting, the chicken will have to stand for at least half of the brining time. As far as question 2 goes.... KFC has done a great job when it comes to misinformation. They have pushed the secret blend of herbs and spices, and their pressurized deep-fryer story at every opportunity.... to distract everyone from the real truth. When KFC started in 1930, refrigeration was poorly lacking, and as a result the only safe way to transport raw chicken to the outlets was by curing it using potassium nitrate. The potassium content in the potassium nitrate has a wonderous effect on meat. It completely transforms the texture and moisture holding abiltiy of the meat, making it soft, juicy and tender. The nitrates "baconizes" the meat, for lack of a better word, improving the flavor in leaps and bounds. The so-called "secret blend of herbs and spices" is just the cherry on top -- and without the curing process they are absolutely useless. In the modern day KFC, the potassium nitrates have now been replaced with an alternative process, owing to the latest trend of nitrates bashing by the "health" community. I will be doing a video on this soon. Thanks for your interest, and thanks for watching!!!
+patricke Hi Patricke -- saltpetre is not only a preservative, it enhances the texture, flavor and color of foods. I have recently published a video using Prague powder which is available everywhere -- from butchery suppliers, and even from most butchers --- here is the link --- th-cam.com/video/oA4po3R2uG4/w-d-xo.html Prague powder replaces both the saltpetre and the salt in the recipe --- Prague powder is a blend of salt, nitrates and nitrites. The only difference between this method and the saltpetre method is that the flesh of the chick may have a slight pink hue once cooked. Thanks for watching!!!
I am really so excited to try this soon once i can get all the ingredients!Thanks! Ill leave my opinion afterwards :D.Also doyou reccomend corn oil or vegetable oil? Thanks!!
+HAWK Hi Hawk --- thanks for the comment, and I'll look forward to the feedback --- as far as the oil goes, you need to use an oil with a good tolerance for temperature --- I recommend pure sunflower oil, pure peanut oil or coconut fat (deflavored and stabilized)
+HAWK Hi Hawk - Yes unfortunately this is the main ingredient in the curing process which gives the chicken its unique flavor, texture and juiciness. You can normally find saltpetre at your local pharmacy. Butchery suppliers and sausage manufacturing companies will also keep this. They may also have sodium nitrite which is a perfect substitute. Failing this, you can quite readily find a product called curing salt, or Prague powder. This is a blend of regular salt and nitrate. The packaging label will have the details of the blend -- you can use this to recalculate the salt and nitrite quantities required in the recipe.
+Johnaton Mark Hi Johnaton - allspice is a berry that resembles a large black peppercorn. In fact in some countries it is actually called magic pepper. To answer the question, a corn of allspice is one whole allspice berry. You can find a whole lot more information at this link --- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allspice Drop me a note if you need anything else!!! Thanks for watching!!!
Hi Sidra -- yes you can reuse the brine up to 3 times. Add a tablespoon of salt to replace the salt that has been lost, and top up the to the original level with water. Boil the brine to sterilize it, cool to room temperature and it is ready to use again. Thanks for watching!!!
Hi Amirul --- yeah, frying without a thermometer, especially a long fry, can be tricky. The heat of the oil tends to ramp upward during the frying which will lead to burning on the outside, while the inside will still be uncooked. I would suggest taking a large, deep oven dish and pouring in oil to about 10mm in depth. Place this in your oven set at 160c. When the oil is hot, place the chicken pieces in the dish and return to the oven for the specified time, turning the pieces halfway through. Be careful when using oil.... especially when moving the dish in and out of the oven -- spilt oil is brutal and will cause serious burns if you spill on yourself. Thanks for watching!!!
amirul amin are you btw from malaysia? its hard to get all the ingredient since it is in english and when i translate it using the google translate to my prefer language, it didnt translated. for example, marjoram in english is also marjoram in my language :(
thanks for sharing. do i need to add dried marjoram, coriander and cayenne pepper? is there any alternative ingredient because actually i've never used those ingredients before, and hard to find thanks!!!
+michelle andrea Hi Michelle -- you can substitute the marjoram with equal quantity of dried oregano. The ground coriander seed can be sub'd with ground caraway seed or 3/4 tsp ground cumin. You can sub the cayenne pepper with hot paprika, or a good quality chilli powder, but not peri-peri. Thanks for watching!!!
Thank you so much for the recipe, I've did it and it was the real deal. I have a small request though, can you upload a video for KFC garlic dip recipe ?
I used to work for KFC, food prep division. This is not even close to the real recipe or preparation technique used. however, it does taste closer than any other copycat recipe I've tried. so, instead of saying this is the real recipe, because it isn't, I would definitely say this is as close as you can get. but great job on this recipe.
I went to this because I consider modern KFC a disappointment. Dry (healthy?) and unappetising, I would never bother again, but if you like it, then fine. That's my opinion because I believe the original KFC was so much better.
So I followed this method and made it myself, not omitting or compromising on ANY of the ingredients or techniques. We turned the results into a party to get opinions, serving with baked potatoes and coleslaw.
The decision=everyone agreed it was authentic and back to how they remembered KFC at its best. 100% success. The coating savoury, the chicken moist and delicious, finger-lickin' real southern fried chicken. So be hungry cos you're going to want to eat it all!
To achieve this, organisation, preparation and faithful attention to detail is ESSENTIAL, and after the first time, doing again will be much easier. I would emphasise that getting the oil the right temperature and cooking for 20mins is critical to achieve that savoury crust and moistness within the chicken, the bit we all like about this classic dish. And always use clean vegetable or frying oil, a good heavy pan, and fresh ingredients throughout.
Thank you Whats4Chow, you've cracked it!
I came for the ingredients alone. I plan on baking mine the first time. Great job!
I tried your recipe this weekend. Probably the best fried chicken I have ever made. Tasty , juicy and so tender . Thanks for sharing .
Hi Guys from Tasmania, Australia
Firstly I owe you an apology! I thought this was going to be just another failed copy-cat waste of time. Having looked closely at your recipe, I thought it just might work. So I gave it a try. To be honest I hate KFC with a vengeance! When KFC came out in Australia in the early 1960's, it was brilliant: crispy coating, juicy succulent chicken, then came the pressurized vats & for me KFC was DEAD & I have not eaten it for over 40 years. Even the Colonel himself was quoted as saying "It was the worst chicken he had ever tasted" as he left one of his franchised stores. So that's saying something. Now back to your recipe:
After making my first batch of thighs, I found a couple of small issues: firstly the coating did not stay crispy for long and started to soften and the finished product was too dark for my liking. I like a "Light golden colour" on my crusts.
So I hope you don't mind, I made three modifications to your recipe and that did the trick.
I have been cooking for over 50 years & working with flour based coatings have found them to moisten up, so I overcame this by adding cornflour. So with your 2 cups of plain flour I added 1 cup of cornflour and that did it.
The second was the oil temperature; I reduced mine to 150º C and thirdly increased the cooking time to 25 minutes.
Might I suggest that you add these changes to your recipe and you'll have the perfect KFC.
Feel free to use them, I'm too old for any credit. I was so impressed with what you guys came up with, I just wanted to give you the benefit of my years in the kitchen.
Just as an afterthought:
Have you ever thought of KFC Turkey!!!! you could have another winner.
We in Australia don't eat a lot of turkey only at Christmas time.
Our protein consumption mainly consists of beef, lamb, pork, kangaroo, chicken & fish.
Keep up the good work & thank you very much as now I can have my 1960's KFC at home.
Giles
Hi Giles --- sorry for the delayed reply, but my wife has been in hospital for 3 weeks following a major heat attack, fortunately she pulled through and is now home in bed. Thanks so much for your feedback and input. I will certainly give this a try.
Thanks for the support, and thanks for watching!!!
that is a very nice of you to share it mr hall :)
Giles Hall wow will try your recipe gile
Thank you so much for the recipe, it came out as same as KFC chicken.. Once again Thank you so much.. God Bless You....
+jagdishwar j Hi Jagdishwar --- thanks for the awesome feedback --- and thanks for watching!!!
Thanks so much for your prompt reply and for being so patient with each of your viewer's queries..
I have got Pink Himalayan Salt small mini rocks, will that be okay if I use it?
After trying out this fab recipe I will definitely let you know how it went..
Thanks for your advice Chef..
Angel David.
+Angel D Hi Angel --- yes that will work just fine.... I will be looking forward to your feedback!!!
Excellent KFC Recipe as is, but I played around with minor additions. I do not fear MSG, so I added 2Tbs to the flour mixture along with Cayenne. I also pressure injected some brine solution to the meat and brined the chicken in a vacuum marinading bowl for one hour. I deep fried the chicken, a few pieces at a time, in a low pressure fryer made for oil cooking and I used peanut oil. Injecting the meat allows accumulating cooked chicken in a warm 250 degree oven and still maintain a moist, crispy fresh taste. Frying time varies for type and size of pieces. Thank you!
+Robert Leavitt Hi Robert - thanks for the feedback, and thanks for watching!!!
So I finally did this.... Took forever to get my hands on saltpetre. All the comments you read about going to Home Depot or Lowes are a bunch of HOOEY! The only place I could find it was on Amazon.
Pretty good experience making this recipe. It's not difficult it's just long.
I was a bit over anxious and I tried for a home run right away by doubling the recipe. Big mistake.
Chicken still came out amazingly close to KFC. My brine was off just a bit and you could tell as you tasted the meat of the chicken. It was juicy, consistent with KFC, but I could tell the taste was just off a bit. I couldn't tell what the spice was that I had a bit much, but there was something.
The cooking part was tricky. Keeping the oil at 325 was a challenge. I did four pieces at a time, for 20 minutes. Some I did a bit longer because the oil cooled down. Then there was one set of the four pieces that the oil was too hot, and you were 100% right, chalky taste.
Overall -- my son and future daughter-in-law came over and were my taste testers. They loved it. I just knew it was off.
Thank you so much for the work you did on this. I'm going to do a single batch next time to see if I can't nail down the brine. I need to get a scale to measure the quantities. I think that was my problem. I was converting and I must have screwed it up.
Thank you for your review, I found it incredibly helpful! I'm sure a lot of other people did, too, but just haven't commented. I hope you nailed it on your next try :)
Found saltpeter at Lowe's. it's called Spectracide Stump Remover.
Hi chef,
I never before read all the comments as I did here. Can learn so much not only from the video but more from questions and answers below. Thank you. My question is, when I fry a batch the oil tends to darken and particles collect at the bottom. How many times i can re fry using the same oil without altering the flavor. And how about kfc, how often do they change their oil, or do they have their own filtration process? oil is not cheap and I wonder what is done about that, especially used oil can darken the color of the skin and it doesn't turn out golden in color?
Thanks in advance
Hi --- very interesting question, in fact maybe I should make a video about this. Firstly, it depends on what oil you are using. Certain oils have a higher flash point than others.... in other words, the oil's tolerance to prolonged heat. The best oils to use are pure sunflower oil, peanut oil (stabilized) and to a lesser extent, canola oil (not as good). Oils with a low tolerance for heat like olive oil, should not be use for frying, and certainly not for deep-frying.
As far as oil maintenance goes, I filter my oil after every use. This removes all the food particles from the oil, and definitely extends the lifespan of the oil. You can use a regular coffee filter to do this, or you can buy oil filters from most catering equipment suppliers --- and they are quite cheap as well.
Certain types of foods also lead to the deterioration of oils. Unfortunately anything coated in flour is the main culprit here. Flour that migrates from the surface of the food into the oil will burn very quickly in its particle form and immediately start to darken the oil. In my videos that cover KFC and other flour coated foods, you will note that I always allow the coated food to set properly for at least 20 minutes before frying. This allows the flour to autolyse properly, and minimizes the amount of flour that can migrate into the oil.
As far as how often KFC changes their oil -- this is impossible to say -- I know KFC outlets that change their oil once a day as a result of them frying loads of chicken in that time. Other branches may not be as busy, and will change oil every few days.
KFC also practice filtering on their oil which definitely prolongs the lifespan of the oil.
In my setup, I use the oil for deep-frying, filtering after each use. During this time the oil becomes flavored by all the foods that have been through the fryer. After 5 or 6 uses, the oil has started to darken, and I bottle it to use for pan frying. As a result, my pan frying oil gives foods that taste insanely good, and I don't waste any oil.
Thanks for your interest, and thanks for watching!!!
I tried this and it's 100% legit. Very thorough instructions. Thanks.
+Beast Mode Hi --- Thanks for the feedback, and thanks for watching!!!
+Whats4Chow great video man, it didnt bother me too much but a friend said your tone in your voice was too boring he was sitting next to me, so mayebe switch it up a lil bit some times? just saying, no hate
+jacky rinnevoets Hi Jacky.... no problem and no offense.... when we started the channel just over 2 years ago there were a few things we decided to emphatically avoid:
1) A food program that was based on hype and fake personality
2) A program that was attempting to hook viewers by trying to talk like a girl
3) A program that was supposed to be about food, but was more about the person trying to prepare the food
4) A program that shows untested recipes that invariably fail when the viewer tries them
Our Program Outline, or Moral is:
1) To deliver quality content with no distractions
2) To do this in a moral and ethical way
3)To concentrate on food only -- no-one cares about my life story, or the life story of my grandmothers cookies
4)To flight only fully tested recipes that are guaranteed to please our viewers
5) To bring exciting and innovative recipes and techniques to TH-cam, instead of simply copying and repeating what has been done a thousand times
6) To provide efficient support to our viewers through the channel comments & questions panel (normally within a couple of hours)
I hope this gives you some insight into what we are trying to achieve here, and thanks for watching!!!
Hi Whats4Chow! Thank you for the quick reply. I ordered some Prague powder and it arrived yesterday. I did most of the recipe yesterday and today is the day of truth. I have a couple more questions if I may. What is the best oil to use and does the brining process have to be exactly 24 hours, or can it be a few hours more, like 28 hours?
Thanks again.
+Florida Carts Hi - No problem.... I use pure sunflower oil, but you can use any high smoke-point oil like peanut oil or stabilized coconut oil. I believe the original is cooked in deflavored pork lard, however this is an expensive route to take nowdays. With regards to the curing, a couple of hours each way is not really going to make any difference - I only emphasize the point so that people don't think they can cure for 6 hours, or 3 days ---- around 24 hours is fine. Thanks for your interest, I'll be looking forward to your feedback!!!
Sanders started using pressure fryers to speed up the cooking. Originally he cooked his chicken in a skillet like here. People didn't like waiting 20 minutes or more to eat.
+Murray Melander Hi Murray --- yup, you are totally correct... the pressure fryers have nothing to do with the "secret". In the time when KFC was born, almost everything was cured as a matter of safety.... this is the actual secret!!! Thanks for the comment, and thanks for watching!!!
Hi Whats4Chow ....I hope you are fine.......Thank you for the many recipe ideas you have given to us.....could you please clarify for me ....the "T" in the recipe ...does it stands for tablespoon or teaspoon?....and can I add baking soda to the flour without altering the flavour..or outcome of the chicken?...........thanks for your response in advance
+Shai Grae Hi Shai --- Tsp stands for teaspoon, and Tbs stands for tablespoon. As far as adding baking soda to the flour, it really isn't necessary and can actually cause the coating to separate from the chicken while frying -- Thanks for watching!!!
Hi Whats4Chow....how are you...I hope you are well....thanks for the work you have put into cracking KFC secret recipe...I have two questions that I hope you can help me with
1. .is the saltpeter measurement equivalent to about 1 tablespoon?...
2. would the chicken taste the same if it is fried in a pressure cooker for tenderness?
+Rush Rush Graham Hi --- welcome to our channel, and thanks for watching!!!! 1)The 12.5g saltpetre would be the euivalent 2 teaspoons 2) Domestic pressure cookers cannot be used to fry as they are not designed to handle that type of heat and pressure. Please DO NOT try this --- you can be seriously injured or even killed if the fryer explodes.
Whats4Chow Thank you so much for your quick response...although my pressure cooker is a very heavy one ....I doubt that it could be classified as commercial....ii is a good thing you are the type to read the comments and respond...because I was about to begin the process...you probably have saved my life
+Rush Rush Graham Hi --- yeah, I would not even trust a heavy duty pressure cooker with this. a Pressurized deep-fryer is a very heavy duty and specialized piece of equipment made especially to perform one task, and one task only.... pressure frying safely ---- thanks for not trying this.
I've made this recipe couple of times so far! It's amazing. Although I wasn't able to get the saltpetre, but the outcome was still good. I posted in my channel the steps the credit to What4chow. Thank you!
+HAAS Channel Hi --- thanks for the feedback, and thanks for watching!!!
How long does it stay crispy for? I have seen that stuff breaded with egg in them tend to get soggy very quickly. Will it be the case with this too?
Hi -- good to see you again... due to the extended frying time at a lower temperature, it stays crispy for far longer than regular fried chicken. KFC does not use egg, but due to the fact that this does not affect the flavor in any way, I used egg as it is the most practical way to demonstrate the recipe. You can use a slurry of cornflour and water (6Tbs Cornflour to 200ml water) to replace the egg, and this will lead to an even crispier result.
Thanks for watching!!!
+Whats4Chow Thanks for the reply. Really appreciate it and wow you remember me😊, really flattered. And I can't wait to try it out, I really like how you explain things thoroughly on your videos and comments too. Really great channel. One of my favourites!
Have a few question:
1) Can i replace saltpetre with Sodium Benzoate? If yes, how much should I put?
2) I read online articles mention that sodium benzoate is bad for us, does it true or just a myth as Saltpetre?
3) To cut the brining time, if I inject the brane into the chicken, would I use the same brane or I need to make it heavier?
+Charles Mon Hi Charles... no you can not use sodium benzoate. The saltpetre is used for its action on the protiein in the meat, not really for any preservative properties. The saltpetre enhances the texture and juiciness of the chicken.... the preservative action is a bonus.
As far as the health implications are concerned, I won't be able to reply until I am back in my office on Friday. I am currently on a business trip, but will assemble the necessary information 0for you on my return.
Injecting the chicken with a brine based solution will certainly speed up the brining time by 50 percent. You can use exactly the same mixture as described in the recipe..... after boiling, strain the solution through a coffee filter, then inject it into the chicken. Allow the chicken to stand in the leftover solution for 18 to 24 hours in your fridge.
I hope this helps..... see you again soon!!!
+Whats4Chow Hi Charles.... here is the information on sodium benzoate --- sodium benzoate is used primarily in acidic foods as a preservative, as well as fizzy drinks. Concentrations of usage are 0.1% as prescribed by the FDA. There is no evidence that it has any harmful reactions for human consumption, however some believe that it can aggravate ADHD and hyperactivity in children. There has been proof in animal testing that it could be effective in the treatment of Parkinson's disease and schizophrenia. Overall sodium benzoate is insignificant in risk from a health perspective, and may even lead to cures for some pretty nasty ailments.
KFC also has non-breaded, grilled chicken, that is good for low carb diets, but still tastes great. Anyway to make this recipe without the flour?
+Doug Johnson Hi Doug, yes, cure the chicken according to the instructions in the video, then instead of deep-frying, zap it in the grill. It looks very much like KFC use a closed contact griller to grill their grilled chicken, but you could use your oven as well. In the oven, grill at 180c for 30 minutes plus 15 minutes per pound of chicken. Thanks for the question, and thanks for watching!!!
+Doug Johnson there is a way. dont use flour.
i have two questions:
1. on the recipe link there is 1tsp ginger on the curing brine ingredients. but in this video you didn't mention any ginger. if there is, is it ginger powder or fresh ginger?
2. what if i want to make lots of this, can i just double the recipe to make more or do i really have to make batches and wait 24 hours to make more?
I'm looking forward in making this tomorrow.
+Jeremy Medina Hi Jeremy --- answer to 1) Ground ginger is best to use (dried ginger powder) and to 2) You can make this in any quantity you like by simply multiplying the recipe out.
Thanks for your interest and thanks for watching!!!
+Whats4Chow sir, kindly fix the recipe list on your website coz it does not include ginger and bicarbonate water.
thanks for the quick response.
can onion flakes be used as substitute for onion salt? does that mean i need to add more salt then?
thank you.
+Jeremy Medina Hi Jeremy --- I will check the recipe and correct any errors ---- with regards to the onion salt, you can use onion flakes and there is no need to add extra salt as the quantity is so small. --- thanks for the interest!!!
+Whats4Chow sir i couldn't find saltpetre or sodium nitrate in any butcher store or pharmacy around here. i don't have bicarbonate of water as well and replaced it with carbonated water instead. I'll keep you updated with the results right away.
thank you for patiently responding to my queries.
+Jeremy Medina Hi Jeremy --- sodium nitrate (saltpetre) is available from various suppliers on eBay -- here is a link --- www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_from=R40&_trksid=p2050601.m570.l1313.TR0.TRC0.H0.Xsaltpetre.TRS0&_nkw=saltpetre&_sacat=0
In addition bicarbonate of soda is white powder available in the baking section of your supermarket --- it is normally stocked alongside the baking powders and other baking agents.
Once again, thanks for watching!!!
One last question before I start cooking: Would it be a problem if we would let the chicken in the brine for me than 24 hours? (If we are not ready to fry it yet.) Or should we remove it from the brine after 24 hours and store it in the fridge?
JumboTamagotchi Hi Jumbo, I would suggest removing it from the brine at 24 hrs. It will not spoil after this time, but may become a bit too salty. Thanks for your interest, and thanks for watching!!!
Whats4Chow Thanks again, it's really a pleasure to have you as a reference. I will let you know the results.
People addicted to TH-cam cooking videos: "Thank you!!!! OH MY GOD....someone FINALLY did it!!!! This absolutely without a doubt THE BEST KFC recipe on the internet! I can finally after all these years cook chicken that tastes EXACTLY like the real thing!! You, sir, are a God among men!!!"
Other TH-cam commenters: "So you tried the recipe???"
People addicted to TH-cam cooking videos: "Um. No."
Glad you liked it!!
Hello Maestro... Please answer our questions about the saltpeter (potassium nitrate). real saltpeter is not available. Only mixtures, like "TenderQuick" by Morton. Do we use the same amount? it is already mixed with other spices. Not sure what to do here, since you said it is such a vital step. Thank you
+gavins channel Hi --- Morton's Tenderquick is about 6.5% potassium nitrate and 93.5% kosher salt. To my knowledge there are no other spices added. When curing meat you are aiming for a 0.25% potassium nitrate solution in the brine. In 5lt of water you will use 200g of Prague powder / Tenderquick (if it is 6.5%) --- this will give the brine a strength of 0.25%. This is double the amount of brine called for in the recipe --- simply divide this in half --- 100g of Prague /Tenderquick in 2.5lt water, with the other ingredients will do fine.
If you need any further assistance, please drop me another note..... Thanks for watching!!!
This is Awesome and Unbelievable!! Hats off to you!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
+Bayazid Mustafa Hi --- welcome to our channel, and thanks for watching!!!
I love KFC chicken; and thanks to you, I can now make this meal at home. Please can you tell me ho two do the Brine? I've tried to print out this recipe, but I wasn't able to. Thanks for sharing.
+carameldiva7 Hi --- the full recipe with the instructions....
KFC Fried Chicken Secret Recipe - Original Recipe / Secret Ingredients / How to Make KFC
Author: Whats4Chow
Recipe type: Deep-fried chicken / KFC / Secret Recipe / 11 Herbs & Spices
Cuisine: American
Serves: 6-12
KFC Fried Chicken Secret Recipe Kfc fried chicken is legendary, and there must be hundreds of websites and videos claiming to have cracked the secret recipe of 11 herbs and spices. Others get into deep discussions about how the chicken is pressure fried. Over time I have tried many of these copycat recipes and can only say that it was one disappointment after the next. None of them even came close to the real thing.
Today I will reveal to you the actual secret behind the legendary taste, aroma and texture of this iconic chicken. Before I continue, I would just like make a point.
Whats4Chow.com is the FIRST TO PUBLISH THIS, and I am sure that there will be a load of other channels copying my video within a very short time of this being published. Unfortunately there is nothing I can do to prevent this, but to those free loaders out there that will inevitably copy my work, please have the decency to give our channel and website the credit it deserves for finally decoding the mystery of the world’s finest chicken brand.
Let’s get started by saying that it is not the secret blend of 11 herbs and spices, and it is not the use of pressurized deep fryers, or the type of oil or shortening used to do this. The secret to the insanely good flavor, texture and aroma is in the preparation of the chicken before it even coated. In fact, using this method the chicken tastes very close to the real thing even without the 11 herbs and spices!
Ingredients
The Chicken8-12 Chicken thighs and drumsticks
For the Spice Blend3 Tsp Paprika2 Tsp Onion salt1 Tsp Dried sage1 Tsp Garlic powder1 Tsp Oregano1 Tsp Cayenne pepper1 Tsp Cracked black pepper1 Tsp Dried basil1 Tsp Dried marjoram1 Tsp Dried coriander
For the Curing Brine70g Dairy or Kosher salt (any non-iodated salt is fine)1 Tsp Whole black peppercorns1 Corn of whole allspice12.5g Saltpetre1 Tsp Ginger50g Sugar15g Bicarbonate of soda
Other2 Cups all purpose flour4-6 eggs lightly beaten
InstructionsCombine the paprika, onion salt, sage, garlic powder, oregano, chilli powder, black pepper, basil, marjoram and coriander in a bowl and mix it together, then divide this in half.Pour 2.5lt of filtered water into a pot and add half of the spice mix along with all of the curing brine ingredients.Bring the pot to a boil, stirring frequently. Reduce the heat and allow the pot to simmer for 5 minutes.Remove the pot from the heat and allow the brine to cool completely.Using a carving fork or similar tool, poke holes through the skin of the chicken pieces, then place them in a large sterilized container.Pour the cooled brine over the chicken pieces, put the lid on and let this cure in your refrigerator for a full 24 hours.
Before I continue, for this recipe to succeed, you cannot omit anything, especially the saltpetre and bicarb. The proper curing process is where the taste, texture and juiciness comes from.After 24 hours, remove the chicken from the brine.Combine 2 cups of all purpose flour with the other half of the spices, and lightly beat 4 eggs.Dredge the chicken in the flour mixture, then dip it in the egg making sure to wet all of the flour. Dredge the chicken in the flour again making sure to get a good solid coating.Sprinkle a layer of the flour mixture onto a platter, transfer the coated chicken pieces to the platter and allow the coating to set for 20 minutes.Half fill your wok or pot with oil. Heat the oil to 160c or 325f. Fry the chicken pieces for 20 minutes, turning over halfway.Remove the chicken from the oil, drain on kitchen paper and serve.
Just a few more notes before we go….The chicken must fry for at least 20 minutes. If you fry hotter and shorter, the coating will have a chalky texture.The chicken is cured, and as a result it can stand in a low oven for extended periods of time with no health risks, just as it does in the store. This makes it possible to make a mountain of chicken before your guests arrive.Smaller cuts like the KFC wings and chicken burgers will be covered in the next few days. Please subscribe for notifications and updates.
If I wanted to make chicken tenders, could I use this exact recipe? And if not, what would I need to change? Thanks!
Hi Charte --- I have published a video on the KFC Chicken Tenders... here is the link -- th-cam.com/video/oq3-BCxxXYo/w-d-xo.html
Thanks for watching!!!
+Whats4Chow thanks! Love your videos!
Hi,
If I used curing salt instead of salt and saltpetre as in the recipe would it still work o.k?...I found curing website that sells curing salt and it states ...if a recipe calls for saltpetre and salt,,simpley replace the amount of salt required with the curing salt.the curing salt consists of..sodium nitrate..sodium nitrite,and salt
anita askew Hi Anita, that is correct. Sodium nitrite has exactly the same pharmacological action as potassium nitrate (saltpeter) --- so this should work just fine. Thanks for watching!!!
Awesome tutorial! love the curing process. .will definitely give this one a go!
+Ayesha Cornelius Hi Ayesha -- thanks for watching, and if you need any assistance, please drop me another message!!!
wow finally this is shown. It looks good but it would be a hassel to do it . My fave kfc original
+De Lafuza Gorjo Hi --- thanks for the comment and thanks for watching!!!
+Whats4Chow loveed it thanks. Nice channel all the way
WOW !!! I DID IT. I FOLLOWED YOUR RECIPE AND THE RESULT IS : SUPER !! This kind of fried chicken is the best I've made based on your instruction. Thank you so much for sharing that fantastic recipe !! It's a blessing! For the first bite, my husband just said: WOW !
+Carolyn Pino Hi Carolyn, thanks for the fantastic feedback --- I am glad you enjoyed it!!! --- thanks for watching!!!
I told my friend that I learned how to make this kfc fried chicken from a friend of mine that speaks the Queen's english.
Mdriver1981 Hi.... thanks, I think? and thanks for watching!!!
What is 1 corn of whole all spice, I am from India its not so popular here , so please mention what is that :) Thanks for sharing the recipe, gonna try at home.
+Suparna Dutta Hi Suparna -- allspice is a berry that resembles a large black peppercorn. In fact in some countries it is actually called magic pepper. To answer the question, a corn of allspice is one whole allspice berry. You can find a whole lot more information at this link --- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allspice
Drop me a note if you need anything else!!! Thanks for watching!!!
+Whats4Chow Thanks for replying..Can I use the normal peppercorn instead of whole spice corn..I don't think its available in Indian market.
+Suparna Dutta Hi Suparna - mix a pinch of each: ground cloves, ground nutmeg, ground cinnamon, ground black pepper -- and add this as a substitute for the allspice.
+Suparna Dutta Thanks !!! so excited to try this soon once i can get all the ingredients!
On your site, Chilli powder is not listed in the ingredients but mentioned in the method.
How much Chilli powder? 1 tsp i'm guessing?
Hi --- chilli powder and cayenne pepper are the same thing... it is in the ingredients at 1tsp. Sorry for the confusion, and thanks for watching!!!
Very interesting. Thanks for the video. I keep reading about brining chicken (I like to inject brine when doing a whole chicken). Quick question : bicarbonate soda seems to be acting differently and faster than salt for a lesser amount of it in the brine solution. If true: what wld be the shortest brining time for the chicken? (does KFC brine on/off site? If on site, they must have a quick brine solution as they sell mountains of chicken every day)
+flying frenchman Hi --- the bicarbonate doesn't speed up the curing process, it adjusts the pH of the solution, enhances the texture and flavor of the meat. Brining time depends on a couple of factors --- 1) size of pieces 2) skin on / skin off 3) thickness of pieces. 1)Chicken wings can cure in as little as 24 hours, whereas thighs will take 48 hours --- the simple rule is that the brine penetrates the meat at a rate of 25mm / 1 inch every 48 hours. 2&3) Chicken with the skin on will take longer, unless you perforate the skin with a fork, or inject the brine into the center of the flesh.
KFC has all of the brining done off-site before it even gets delivered. This process is done by multi-needle injectors and is fully automated. They would invariably be using a premixed brine powder that simply requires mixing with water.
Thanks for watching!!!
+Whats4Chow thanks for the reply. I am just scratching the surface here. I think u are spot on when saying that the magic happens during the pre-processing of the meat (ie: brining. Or batch brining of the poultry @ factory for KFC). Whatever happens @ the store is the "finishing touch" (apparently the SOPs @ KFC call for doing everything 7x). What's your take on using a vacuum marinator with your brining process? (a pressurized infusion could also work I suppose but it would be far less cost effective that a vacuum tumbler). I need to check if u have something similar to this KFC recipe for Chick fil a :)
+flying frenchman Hi --- 1) I think the 7 times deal is basically a habit-cultivating thing they built into their training schedule. This ensures that things are done properly and consistently. It certainly seems to work too, as KFC is one of the most consistent products out there. 2)I have tried a vacuum tumbler, and the meat still needs to stand and cure for the changes in texture, color and flavor to take place.... it may speed the process a little bit, but not considerably. 3) As far as the Chick fil a goes, we don't have that franchise locally, so I unfortunately can't help you there. ---- thanks for watching!!!
FINALLY, THE REAL KFC RECIPE!!!! Thank you soooo much for this video! now i can make kfc at home~
Hi -- it's a pleasure... enjoy!!!
Hi Chef. I'm extremely fascinated by your recipe and I really want to try it.
However, some of your ingredients are hard to find I live in Bombay (Mumbai) India..
I have ready available Allspice powder but not able to find whole Allspice pluse what exactly is Saltpetre? Is it potassium nitrate cause that's what I found out..
And for your Non Iodized Salt what can I use are there any alternatives? Could I use Sea Salt or Rock Salt..
Could you please help me understand..
And one other query got solved in the below post about one "Corn" of Allspice..
Looking forward to your response..
Thanks,
Angel David..
+Angel D Hi Angel --- The whole allspice can be substituted with a quarter teaspoon of powdered allspice. Saltpeter is potassium nitrate -- this can also be substituted with sodium nitrite -- both should be readily available from your pharmacy. Many butchers and meat processors also stock these. The non-iodated salt --- you can use any salt that has not had iodine added --- this can be sea salt or rock salt. I have used Himalayan rock salt and this works just fine. ---- Thanks for your interest, and thanks for watching!!!
hi, what does saltpetre do to chicken ? what is the importance of it in this recipe ?
Big Chef Hi Big Chef --- Saltpeter's main function is to cure the chicken. The saltpeter inhibits the growth of bacteria, which enables it to be kept in a food warmer / display unit for extended periods of time - very much like it does in the store. Saltpeter also adds a ton of flavor to the meat - think of the difference between a piece of regular pork loin and bacon or kassler chops --- the difference in taste,texture and flavor are worlds apart.
Thaks for the question, and thanks for watching!!!
Team, thank you for an excellent insight into the KFC mystery of ages. There is one simple thing one can do that may assist in the preparation. Keep one hand for the dry ingredient, one for the egg mixture, this avoids the 'sticky fingers' syndrome. Works a treat.
+Tony Lohrey Hi Tony --- thanks for the input, and thanks for watching!!!
Dear sir,
For the whole allspice, what is the subs for 'a corn' measurement? 1 cup, 1 tbs, or what. Tq
+nasri mohd Hi Nasri -- allspice is a berry that resembles a large black peppercorn. In fact in some countries it is actually called magic pepper. To answer the question, a corn of allspice is one whole allspice berry. You can find a whole lot more information at this link --- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allspice
Drop me a note if you need anything else!!! Thanks for watching!!!
I love the old style Kentucky Fried Chicken, not the rubbish they serve these days. Hopefully your recipe is close to the original. if so, Sir you are to commended. a genius.
+mbunaa Hi --- thanks for the comment and thanks for watching!!!
Hi, I have my food tumbler all cleaned up and ready to marinate my chicken. Just a quick question : why do we need to bring the brine to a simmer? Thanks !
+flying frenchman Hi -- simmering the brine activates the flavors of the herbs and spices resulting in a liquid that is a combination of all these flavors --- the liquid can enter / penetrate the chicken far easier than the solids can. In addition, it pasteurizes the mixture ensuring that there will be no spoilage. Thanks for watching!!!
+Whats4Chow makes sense. Thanks for the input!
*Not to brine for too long after the 24hrs. sorry about that.
Must Saltpeter be used? Cannot Kosher salt, Himalayan or Sea salt be used for brine instead? Thank you sir!
Hi Patty --- if you want the original product, you have to use saltpeter, however KFC has changed over to alternative in many countries and I will be publishing this version in the next 7-10 days. This substitution has little to no effect on the outcome of the product, and the ingredient in question is more accessible in most countries. Stay tuned!!! Thanks for watching!!!
Congratulations! Thanks for make it available for all of us. Best regards from Brazil.
Walter Tassi Hi Walter --- Thanks for watching!!!
The KFCs where I live are doing something that is NOT original. The chicken is OK, but not what the Old Colonel did, so I really eager to try this. Rather than placing myself on a DHS watch list for buying the primary oxidant in gun powder, I just ordered the Prague powder. It has Sodium Nitrate vice Potassium Nitrate. As soon as the parts all come together, I will get back to you. This is exciting.
Hi Doc -- yup in some countries KFC has moved away from using the original brining technique and is not the same as it used to be. Thanks for watching!!!
Hi Whats4Chow! Thank you for this recipe. Does anyone know where to get Saltpeter in California?
Also, is it absolutely necessary, will there be that much of a difference if I leave it out and what is the best alternative if I cannot find it?
Thanks again for this recipe!
+Simon Eden Hi Simon --- most pharmacists sell saltpetre. You can also find it quite easily on eBay. However if you can't find it there, please check out the alternative at this link...th-cam.com/video/oA4po3R2uG4/w-d-xo.html --- using Prague powder, which is essentially nitrates and nitrites premixed with salt. This is widely available in any country, from butchery suppliers and sausage manufacturers. You can also buy it online from companies like Weston online - www.westonsupply.com/Curing-Salt-p/02-0000-w.htm --- thanks for watching!!!
+Whats4Chow PS --- Prague powder will have exactly the same result as pure saltpetre, however it will give the flesh of the chicken a slight pinkish hue.
Hi it's me again.
Thank you for the reply to my question.
I was hoping you could answer a few more for me.
(1) after curing how long could I keep the chicken in the refrigerator before breading and frying?.
(2) would it be o.k to freeze it after curing?.
(3) in the recipe you don't give the weight for the amount of chicken pieces! ..
Does this not matter...what I mean is chicken thigh and legs come in all sizes.
Hope you will help me with these questions. Thanks again anita.
anita askew Hi Anita, no problem... the answers are below with numbers corresponding to your questions -
1) You can keep the cured chicken in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks with no health risks -- provided it has been cured for the specified time using either saltpeter or sodium nitrite.
2) You can freeze it quite successfully after curing. You may experience a little weight loss on defrosting, which is normal for chicken even when it has not been cured.
3) No, the weight or number of pieces is not an issue - as long as all the pieces are totally submerged in the brine during the curing process. If the pieces are touching during curing, it is advisable to turn them once or twice during the curing time in order to ensure even penetration of the brine.
4) The brine can be re-used a few times. Simply strain the brine, top up the salt with about 30ml more salt and a pinch of saltpeter, then boil the brine to sterilize it. Allow to cool and you're ready to go.
I hope this helps --- thanks for watching!!!
Can you re-use the brine ? If yes, how many times or within which period ? Thanks.
Martin28121965 Hi Martin --- excellent question, I have been waiting for someone to ask!!!! Yes you can re-use the brine for up to 4 batches. To do this, keep your brine in the refrigerator (up to 21 days), or freeze it (up to 9 months). When you're ready to re-use, top up the salt content with 30ml non-iodated salt and 2.5ml saltpeter. You may also need to top up the water to its original quantity by adding 10-12% of the original quantity to the brine (this is normally what is lost during brining). Bring the brine to a boil, allow it to simmer for 5 minutes, then cool before brining your next batch.
Thanks for the question, and thanks for watching!!!
Whats4Chow Thanks for answering immediately. That is really rare, because sometimes you have to wait a very, very long time to get a comment; if you get one ! Do I have to top up the salt and saltpeter every time I re-use the brine ? How can I measure 2,5 ml, if I don't have propper "electronic help" ? We don't have KFC in my area here in Brazil. I was only ones in a KFC during a trip to Spain and if I remember correctly, they add some kind of oatmeal to the normal flour. Or am 1 wrong ? If they do so, at what kind of meals and how much ? Also, do you have some recipe for special sauces to serve with the chicken ? Thanks for your help. Greatings from northern Brazil.
Martin28121965 Hi Martin --- yes you must top up the salt and saltpeter every time you re-use the brine. As far as measuring goes, use measuring spoons -- these are available from any kitchen supply store and come in sets ranging from 1.25ml (1/4tsp) -- 2.5ml (1/2 tsp) -- 5ml (1 tsp) -- 10ml and 15ml (1Tbs)
With regards to the oatmeal, I have not heard of this before, not in USA, Canada or South Africa.
With regards to the sauce, KFC is normally served on its own, without any sauce, however you can have a look at my recipe for KFC Mash and Gravy, which is served as a side order to the chicken - th-cam.com/video/bBdsJ_Cq4Ss/w-d-xo.html
Also check out KFC Coleslaw --- th-cam.com/video/WiUip6oCsC0/w-d-xo.html
Whats4Chow O.k., Mash and Gravy and Coleslaw I already checked out. Problem is, we don't have buttermilk over here. I think I will have to use natural yoghurt and lemon, right ? Is it possible to cook the chicken in the brine, let it cool out completely and than proceed with the frying ? Would be a lot faster for finishing the product, because you only would need to fry it for about 3-5 minutes. I want to open a small fastfood box in a Shopping Centre here in Brazil and this would help me when having to finish quick the product. What do you think ? Thanks a lot.
Martin28121965 Hi Martin --- you can substitute the buttermilk with plain yogurt. As far as cooking the chicken in the brine to speed up the process.... I have not tried this. I suggest doing a small batch like this and seeing what the result is. In theory, it should have a similar taste, but unfortunately the chicken needs to be in the brine for the required time to permeate the meat with flavor and enhance the texture of the meat. A quicker way to brine the meat is to strain the brine through a fine sieve, then inject about 1cc into each chicken piece, then leave these overnight. You would use a brining syringe to do this -- you can find them on eBay and Amazon for a few bucks.
As far as cutting down the cooking time.... if you cut down the frying time, the coating can turn out with a chalky texture -- the only way to avoid this is to fry longer. You could possibly get away with this by frying slightly hotter -- maybe 10c higher and reducing the frying time accordingly.
The best way I suggest is to start frying before your busy periods and store the cooked chicken in display warmers, just like KFC do. The chicken is cured by the saltpeter, so there is no health risk in doing this.
Thanks for watching, and I hope this helps!!!
hi... you must add some salt to the flour an herbs....amazing you are correct in this.in the past i work at tyson company,in kfc department and in the working line is a spot where some infusion is inyected to the chicken pieces,this is the saltpeter i believe and then is packed....
ismundo campos Hi Ismundo, thanks for the interesting comment --- and thanks for watching!!!
G'day champ. Just wondering what the side effects would be if you didn't use Saltpetre ? Would the taste still be the same or?? It's just that there are no places around where I live that stock this item and to ship it in will cost me a pretty penny. Cheers.
+Abdul Kader Hi Abdul -- without the saltpetre the chicken will still taste good, but the cured flavor and texture will be missing. You can try to find sodium nitrite --- many butcheries and sausage makers use it as a direct substitute for saltpetre (potassium nitrate). Commercially these are both known as curing salt, Prague powder #1 and Prague powder #2. You can ask your butcher for curing salt or prague powder #1. (Prague powder #2 is not suitable) --- thanks for the interest, and thanks for watching!!!
thank you so much for taking the time to reply back champ. You're a pro!!
+Abdul Kader Hi Abdul ---- it is a pleasure --- thanks for your interest.
Amazing video however is there a way to replace saltpeter ? Thanks
+Jean Charbel Karam Hi Jean --- you can substitute the salt and the Saltpetre with 100g of Prague Powder / Curing Salt. Prague powder is a premix of salt, potassium nitrate and potassium nitrite. You can find this at any butchery supplier, and many general catering suppliers also carry it. You can also find it on eBay, and from online charcuterie suppliers like Weston. --- Thanks for watching!!!
+Whats4Chow thank you , I'll follow your advice
hey your chanel is amazing, has alot of recipes we enjoy here in south africa. id like to ask a few things about this recipe.1) when you say 1 corn of whole allspice, your just talking about one pod (in the video i see a few or mybe its just the pepper corns)2) do i really need to use non-iodated salt or can i just use regular coarse salt3) im having trouble finding onion salt, would it still be the same if make my own according to something i read off a site that said to make onion salt you use salt and onion powder in ratios of 3:1thnx...
+Mondli Tenza Hi Mondli --- 1) allspice is a berry that looks like an over-sized peppercorn. In some countries it is called pimento --- click here for more details on allspice - en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allspice
2) Iodated salt can result in a metallic taste in the meat. I don't advise using iodated salt for anything. Most supermarkets sell pure sea salt.... this would be fine.
3) If you cannot find onion salt, replace this with onion powder. There is enough salt in the brine without worrying about this tiny amount. It is the onion flavor you're after.
Thanks for the interest, and thanks for watching!!!
Hi. I made your recipe yesterday. Is it well the half of THE HALF of the Spice Bland that we put in 2 cups of flour? That`s what I did and honestly it was lacking of flavor. However I really like the result of the marinade on the chicken. The chicken stayed in the marinade for a good 32 hours. Thanks.
Grunge LovR Hi Grunge LovR, it sounds like you misunderstood the spice instructions. Half of the spice blend goes into the curing brine, and all of the other half goes into the flour for coating. Sorry for any misunderstanding, and thanks for watching!!!
can we reuse the brine through refrigeration..??
Hi Thomas --- yes you can. All you need to do it bring the brine to a boil to sterilize, then cool and re-use. After the second or third use, you may want to add a little salt to the brine to replace the salt lost during brining. I would not use more than 3 times though as the nitrate levels may be depleted by this stage.
Thanks for watching!!!
thank you..
Hi Thomas -- it's a pleasure.... ps --- you can also freeze the brine between uses as well!!!
Is that the equivalent of half cup of salt there?....and can I add a tsp of msg...
+Shai Grae Hi Shai --- 100g salt is equivalent to about 90ml, so that would be just over a third of a cup. KFC does add msg to their coating --- feel free to do this -- I would not advise adding it to the brine as msg breaks down protein, and after 24 hours the chicken would probably be powdery and unpleasant. Thanks for the interest, and thanks for watching!!!
you are the one my friend. i can open kfc2 now @@
+Khoa Truong Hi Khoa -- thanks for the comment, and thanks for watching!!!
I already know the recipe cause i saw it on snapchat:
2/3 tablespoons of salt
1/2 TBSP thyme
1/3 tbsp oregano
1/2 tbsp basil
1 tbsp celery salt
1 tbsp black pepper
1 tbsp dried mustard
4 tbsp paprika
2 tbsp garlic salt
1 tbsp ground pepper
3 tbsp white pepper
Hi --- here is the link to the printable recipe --- whats4chow.com/2014/10/07/kfc-fried-chicken-secret-recipe-original-recipe-secret-ingredients-how-to-make-kfc/
Thanks for watching!!!
Whats4Chow
Sorry for my ignorance but Tsp stands for Table spoon or Tea spoon?
Grunge LovR Hi, no problem --- Tsp stands for teaspoon, whereas Tbs stands for tablespoon. Thanks for watching!!!
Whats4Chow Hi! Thanks a lot mate! That`s what I thought. I went to buy all the right spices, made the marinade. That liquid smells so good! The chicken will swim for a good 24 hours. I can`t wait to see the result. I`ll give you some news about it. Thank you very much!
great tutorial,hopefully this will be my first cooking for my family once i know how to do it!
omg this actually works and tastes like it is the. same thing I literally tested out with normal KFC and it tastes the same.
+Crystal Gaming Hi --- Thanks for the awesome feedback, and thanks for watching!!!
Just finding Saltpetre difficult to obtain. This is one message that I got back from a vendor.
"I believe there are several chemicals that are referred to as Saltpetre. I think Sodium Nitrate is referred to as Saltpetre. It has 1 more oxygen atom than Sodium Nitrite. Nitrate is NaNo3 & nitrite is NaNo2. Potassium Nitrate is also referred to a Saltpetre."
So can you please help with which one am I to get?
Cheers
+mbunaa Hi --- Potassium nitrate is saltpetre. Sodium nitrite or sodium nitrate are suitable substitutes and will do the job just as well. Thanks for watching!!!
Hi i want to ask how much is 1 corn of whole allspice? teaspoon or table spoon ?
Hi --- Allspice is a berry that resembles a large corn of black pepper. One berry or corn is what you need. Thanks for watching!!!
Thank you
I like making "BIG CRUNCH BURGERS",
For the fam now and then!!
They all think my recipe tastes pretty much the same!!
Thanks 4 sharing this info !!!
I usually prep my chicken over night also !!
violeman Hi.... glad you enjoyed it --- thanks for watching!!!
Whats4Chow U Bet !!!
Pressure cookers have come a long way. I just bought mine. It is electric, not stovetop and the lid stays locked until all pressure has been released on it's own , or by quick release. NO DANGER, whatsoever.
+tori smith Hi Tori --- I also have an expensive electronic pressure cooker with auto pressure release. In the manual it reads in large letters, "DO NOT USE FOR FRYING". The inner pot that holds the ingredients has a wall thickness (1mm) that is nowhere near thick enough to contain the frying pressure. In addition the flimsy silicone seal that simple slips onto the pressure plate can not seal under this pressure. These pots are designed for water-based cooking under pressure -- up to 100c.
Oil fryers have a wall thickness of over 8mm and the lids attach with multiple screw-down bolts. The seal is an O-ring that can not simply slide off. They come in stove-top and electric versions --- here is a picture of a stove-top version - www.ebay.com/itm/All-American-21-5-QT-Pressure-Cooker-Canner-921-Pressure-Cooker-NEW-/381469811842?hash=item58d15f6482:g:6u4AAOSwgQ9V3tqz
If it was safe to use these electronic pressure cookers for frying, Henny-Penny and All-American would have been bankrupted a long time ago.
Thanks for watching!!!
If I want to add MSG to the breading mixture, how much should I add? One teaspoon?
Hi --- if you're using pure MSG, just a pinch will do. If you are using Aromex / Aromat which is essentially a stock powder containing MSG, then a bit more -- 10-15ml will probably do it. --- Thanks for watching!!!
How does using a deep frier with basket affect how you would cook this? Is it still cooked for 20 minutes at 325F. Should you still flip at 10 minutes. I don't mean to ask stupid questions, but you made a point in the video no to alter steps. I just want to know if this can still produce the same product in a deep frying and how, or if the wok cooking method is a must.
North Shore Hi, In my demonstration the chicken is not fully submerged as it is in a pan / wok. If you us a deep-fryer, and the chicken is fully submerged, you can cut the time by 5 minutes - in other words, you will fry for a total time of 15 minutes. I would still turn the chicken halfway through as even in a fryer, the higher heat is near the bottom where the element is situated. I hope this helps, and thanks for watching!!!
You said not to change anything especially bicarbonate of soda and "something else" which I have never come across. Could you please tell me what it is? Thank you.
Hi Mohammad --- it is bicarbonate of soda and saltpeter -- saltpeter is potassium nitrate. Potassium nitrate is a curing preservative that inhibits the growth of botulism, an extremely dangerous organism. It also changes the texture and moisture retention of the meat, resulting in very tender juicy chicken.
Thanks for watching!!!
Thank you again for explaining.
It's a pleasure... thank you for your support!!!
I live in India and its VERY HARD to find Kno3 so are there any alternatives to that? i was ij the curing process and i added meat tenderiser instead of kno3. hope the outcome is nice after i cook today
mahmoud abid ali Hi Mahmoud, No meat tenderizer is not a substitute, but you will almost certainly end up with quite a tasty and tender result. Unfortunately the "cured" flavor will be missing, and that is what you're aiming for. It is like the difference between bacon and regular pork. Thanks for the comment and thanks for watching!!!
Absolutely love this channel. Thanks for the recipe boet. Can I get saltpeter at Dischem?
Hi Shaun -- you should find it at Dischem, and most other pharmacies -- It comes packaged in small 50g boxes, and cost around R15.00 --- thanks for the support!!!
hey, I was wondering if I can substitute saltpetre with sodium benzoate, as it does the same thing?
+Jojon Handri Hi Jojon, potassium nitrate has a specific effect on the meat. The purpose of the nitrates is not only to cure the meat, but to enhance the texture. The closest equivalent to potassium nitrate is sodium nitrite, which can be purchased from most butchery suppliers and manufacturers of Continental style preserved sausages and meats. I have not tried sodium benzoate, so I can't advise you in this regard. To my knowledge, sodium benzoate is normally added to dry goods as a preservative, and its tolerance to heat is questionable. I would suggest staying with either potassium nitrate or sodium nitrite.
I hope this helps --- thanks for watching!!!
Hi .. I need help please? I have a question .. for the mixture what was the last ingredient? I'm sorry I can't get that. Thank you :)
Hi Maria --- the last ingredient in the coating mixture is coriander (ground coriander seed) --- here is the link to the full printable recipe where everything is listed very clearly --- whats4chow.com/2014/10/07/kfc-fried-chicken-secret-recipe-original-recipe-secret-ingredients-how-to-make-kfc/
Thanks for watching, and please send through any other questions you may have!!!
Wow this is Awesome! Thank you so much for the quick response. More power and Happy New Year :)
What oil would you recommend?
Hi -- any oil with a high temperature tolerance. I use pure sunflower oil, however peanut oil or palm oil will be just as good provided they are stabilized with anti-foaming agents -- the packaging will tell you this information. If they are not stabilized, the oil will foam up dangerously and can even spill over the edge of your fryer or pan. Olive oil is definitely not suggested for frying of any description -- the tolerance is low, and this should only be used to dress salads etc. Ideally using clarified pork fat or duck fat would be the ultimate, but this would be quite expensive. Thanks for your interest, and thanks for watching!!!
Don't use palm oil. The harvest of it is threatening habitats of endangered species. Canola oil is my oil of choice because it takes the heat well.
Hi Penny -- yup, I agree... and palm oil is stupidly over-priced as well -- however I provide these options purely for informational purposes --- thanks for watching!!!
Here are a few questions. Q1. Can I reduce the amount of salt because when I made this the chicken was too salty. Q2. There were a few ingredients I omitted because I couldn't find them. Could that ruin the chicken. Q3. Are you sure saltpetre is not harmful or poisnous
+Dee Mee Hi Dee Mee, 1) you can reduce the salt to 70g -- also make sure your chicken pieces are not too small, and have not been brined by the supplier before purchase -- this can cause over-salted chicken 2) By omitting ingredients you will not get exactly the same result, but it certainly won't ruin the chicken 3) There is no evidence that nitrates are dangerous in controlled quantities. You get more nitrates from a serving of green vegetables than you would from a serving of cured chicken, however, do not exceed the quantities in the recipe.
+Whats4Chow I think that saltpetre is used only to preserve the meat, am I correct? I don't see the flavor it would give to the meat. Not to mention that saltpetre has been banned for use in most of the European countries because of it's harmful effect on human body.
+patricke Hi Patricke --- the bad rap that nitrates and nitrites get come from a series of flawed experiments conducted by some fool at the FDA in the 70's -- he was obviously looking to make a reputation... anyway, when these flawed results we published they created a massive stir in the culinary fraternity.... all of a sudden everyone was going to die... it was on TV, radio and in the newspapers worldwide ---- the fool was obviously famous...... until they found out that the experiments that he conducted were seriously incorrect..... their retraction of this blunder was just a whisper and the damage that had been done to one of mankind's greatest discoveries was never undone. To this day there is no concrete evidence that nitrates or nitrites have any negative effect on humans. On the contrary, nitrates and nitrites have probably save countless millions of lives......
+Whats4Chow if what you say is true, why do we still find many test cases / experiments from Europe scientists who have concluded that saltpeter (also know as potassium nitrate or *E252*) is harmful for your body? But it can be replaced by Curing salts which have less quantities of sodium nitrites and sodium nitrates. I think someone can replace Saltpeter with Curing salts (Prague powder) and see the difference.
"_To this day there is no concrete evidence that nitrates or nitrites have any negative effect on humans. On the contrary, nitrates and nitrites have probably save countless millions of lives_" -- please do not dis-inform people, there are hundreds of experiments that says nitrates are harmful to the human body.
Yes, some vegetables contain nitrates but in very low quantities, adding a meat with high levels of nitrates can be quite bad for your health, especially children.
+patricke Hi Patricke - whether you are using nitrates or Prague powder (which is a mixture of nitrates, nitrites and salt), the concentration of nitrates that end up in the meat is the same -- 0.00125% or 1.25g per Kg -- the FDA and EU prescribe 2-3g of Prague powder per finished weight of product as within the safety limit. I have nothing to gain by misinforming people with regards to this... I have been in the industry for over 28 years now and have seen a number of excellent products get a bad rap through misinformation from "health practitioners" --- nitrates and nitrites are two of these.... let's not get started on MSG...
A single portion of celery or spinach contains more nitrates than the equal weight of cured meat. However, you would have to eat impossible amounts of these to have any negative effect on your health. I have even heard some people say that these build up in your system... hahahaha.... nitrates and nitrites have a short lifespan and are flushed through the system within 24 hours. In addition, by the time your meat has finished curing, especially dry-aged meats, their is a negligible amount of nitrites, and NO nitrates remaining in the meat. With short cures (like the KFC recipe) the concentrations are so low to start with that this is not worth mentioning.
I do however agree that there are producers out there who do not stay within the prescribed limits of safety, or surf right along the borderline. I think this comes from bad education and training, as there is nothing to gain by over-dosing cured meats with nitrates or nitrites. To avoid this, either make your own cured foods using the correct methods, or buy your cured foods from reputable suppliers.
I found this recipe on another TH-cam channel and I compared it to this one. I can say the other channel did give "What's 4 Chow" 100% credit and provided a link.
Hi --- thanks for the feedback, and thanks for watching!!!
+Whats4Chow No problem:) I ended up trying this step by step and I can't tell you how many chickens I used in an attempt to perfect it. I did end up getting it right when my daughter and wife sat down at the table and asked me where I got the KFC from because we don't have anything like that nearby. Barrow Alaska is definitely in the middle of nowhere!! I'm curious, how did you come across figuring this out OR do you have trained tastebuds??
Hi -- yeah finding some ingredients in remote places can be challenging! As far as figuring it out... I have been in the food industry for 28 years now - everything from curing and smoking meats to developing recipes for franchise chains -- after experiencing so many varied disciplines, figuring out taste combinations, processes and production lines gets easier and easier. Once again, thanks for your interest, and thanks for watching!!!
+Whats4Chow Awesome. I have a lot of respect for people such as yourself, who love food enough to go above and beyond being creative and add fresh ideas to old concepts. Out of the hundreds of videos I watch, yours is the only one I will be subscribing to. Well, yours and Neil Pearts of course!!! Thanks again for your very well made videos and your prompt responses!!! Love your accent!! Peace :)
Hi -- thanks for the kind words... hope to see you again soon!!!
LEGENDARY!!!!!!! can i ask how much is a corn of allspice? is there any ratio between whole pepper and allspice? what is the frying time for deep fryer? still 20minutes or just 10 minutes when i dont need to turn that chicken like you. thx for your answer.
Sala Mandr Hi --- thanks for watching! Whole allspice comes in little "berries" - one berry is a corn. The link to the full printable recipe is below the video, but here it is again - whats4chow.com/2014/10/07/kfc-fried-chicken-secret-recipe-original-recipe-secret-ingredients-how-to-make-kfc/
If you need any other information, please message me. I apologize for taking so long to reply, but I have been away for a bit. I am back now and everything is in full swing again!
Whats4Chow Hey W4C, thanks for your answer. I haven't found MSG salt in our local store, so i tried smoke salt and it went horribly wrong ;) But the brine is definitely the jackpot. btw in czech cuisine we use bay leaf : allspice : whole pepper in 1:2:2 or 1:2:3 ratio. kind regards
Hi --- there is no MSG in the recipe -- use non-iodated salt or pure sea salt.
Whats4Chow oh sry my bad, i mean saltpetre Potassium nitrate (KNO3).
Hi, you can find saltpeter at almost every chemist / phamacy - sold in 50g or 100g packs.
Do you rinse the brine off the chicken before applying the breading?
+westchef Hi Westchef --- it is not necessary to rinse, but you do have to pat it dry thoroughly using kitchen paper. Thanks for the question, and thanks for watching!!!
Thanks for posting this. Can I cook the chicken in the oven? If so do you have any recommendations as to how?
NOMCCBAMA Hi Nomccbama, I have no tried cooking it in the oven, but I suppose it could be quite successfully shallow fried in the oven, provided you turn it every few minutes. Thanks for watching!!!
Whats4Chow
Thanks, When I get a chance I might give it a try. keep em coming
At your website the brine recipe calls for 1 corn of allspice. What is 1 corn? A misprint?
Hi Chuck -- allspice is a dried berry, sometimes called magic pepper -- in this recipe you need 1 berry / 1 magic peppercorn. If you cannot find whole allspice, then use an eight of a teaspoonful of ground allspice. For more info on allspice -- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allspice
Thanks for watching!!!
Thanks ! Cant wait to try this.
Hi Chuck -- It's a pleasure... I am away for 2 weeks, but will still have limited internet... message me if you have any other questions and I will reply as soon as possible... thanks for your interest!!
Great man finally yummy recipe is easy to try .
👏👏
Thanks a lot You are amazing, Please could you help me understanding these ingredients
*** "100g Dairy or Kosher salt (any non-iodated salt is fine)"**
What you meant by "Dairy" , did you meant i can add milk instead of Kosher salt ?
Another thing i don't know what is Kosher salt , Could i add normal salt ?
And for "Cayenne pepper" , Could i replace it with normal chili pepper ؟ or spicy paprika ?
Thank you :)
+Mohamed samer Hi Mohamed --- 1) most commercial salt has iodine added to it. This iodine can cause a metallic off-taste in the meat. Ant salt that has not had iodine added is fine --- pure sea salt, Himalayan rock salt, dairy salt (used for salting cheese) or Kosher salt, are all fine.
2) Dairy salt is non-iodated salt used for salting cheese and is available from most cheese manufacturers.
3) As far as Kosher salt goes -- Kosher salt is non-iodated --- any of the salts I listed above will do the job.
4) Cayenne pepper can be substituted with chilli powder, however I have not tried using hot paprika, but I am sure this will work fine.
Thanks for your interest, and thanks for watching!!!
They dont use salt peter in the US anymore.Its a nitrate and was deemed unhealthy.
Hi Walter -- nitrates and nitrites are widely used in the USA and Canada -- every cured meat -- ham, bacon, prosciuto etc - contains saltpetre. The main difference is that it is now available as a premix -- 2 different forms of this premix accur -- Prague powder and Instacure -- and each of these is available in 2 forms, #1 and #2 --- #1 contains only nitrate mixed with kosher salt, and #2 contains Nitrate and Nitrite mixed with kosher salt.
Thanks for watching!!!
which of them should I use(#1 or #2) instead of the saltpeter? and how much should I use?
Hi -- you can use #1 or #2, however #1 would be preferred. I have published another video using the Prague as an alternative -- here it is --- th-cam.com/video/oA4po3R2uG4/w-d-xo.html
Bare in mind that using Prague powder can lead to a pink tinge in the meat, even although it is thoroughly cooked.
Thanks for watching, and please message me should you require anything else!!!
I just bought a 5oz tub of Saltpetre at my local Amish Bulk Store. Not cheap though, $4.80.
I have spent many years trying to make something that tastes like KFC. I have found some recipes that are very good. I was told you have to have a Fargo air cooker or what was called the chicken pot. It took me six months to find the Fargo. They stopped making these things many years ago. I gave $250 for that one pot. God only knows how much time I have wasted tracking down one spice or another only to be disappointed. I would think that IF this is the real recipe there would be a ton of people on here saying so. But I could be wrong. Still, I would like to hear more comments.
Hi William --- below the video there must be literally hundreds of comments.... go check them out -- thanks for watching!!!
Hi again,
I'm thinking if using a pressure cook this time, can you help me out with instructions ?
Thanks in advance
+Firas Awad Hi Firas, I strongly advise against using a regular household pressure cooker for frying. Domestic pressure cookers are not strong enough and this is EXTREMELY DANGEROUS!!! Please reconsider.....
+Whats4Chow I will not use it thanks for your advice
+Firas Awad Hi Firas --- it's a pleasure --- thank you for you interest!!!
Can I use InstraCure No. 1 instead of salt petre?
+John Caulfield Hi John -- I have published a video using Prague powder and you can see it here -- th-cam.com/video/oA4po3R2uG4/w-d-xo.html --- unfortunately I haven't done one using Morton's Instacure as it is not available where we are. There is no reason that it would not work just fine, however you will have to calculate your dosage requirements for the brine from the instructions on the packaging. In addition, as I have mentioned in the comments section below the Prague powder video, you will notice a slight pink tinge to the meat when using Prague powder or Instacure, but this does not affect the taste at all. This come from the fact that both Prague powder and Instacure use sodium nitrates instead of potassium nitrate. Thanks for watching, and please message again if you need anything else!!!
Thanks MAN ! ! !
+John Caulfield Hi John -- it's a pleasure --- thanks for watching!!!
Man,where did you get your saltpeter? Is there any substitute for it? None of the grocery stores carry it.
sagar4080 Hi Sagar, you can find saltpeter at almost every drug store / pharmacy / chemist in relatively small quantity packages (50-100g) You can also get it from butchery suppliers and lab suppliers, but in much larger quantity packages. Unfortunately there is no substitute, but it is the most common curing ingredient in the world, so I am sure you'll have no problem finding it. Thanks for watching!!!
Awesome. .thanku so much..what 4 chow
This is possibly the closest recipe for KFC Chicken. Thanks!
+Mistar Soappy Hi Mistar --- cool name by the way.... thanks for the comment and thanks for watching!!!!
A couple of comments, Whats4Chow. I haven't yet made this recipe but I'm intrigued by it. I've tried so many so called, copycats and nothing has yet come close to the KFC I remember. Things have changed at KFC over the years so the flavor-target keeps moving. I'm shooting for a flavor-target circa 1970's. Anyway, 2 questions. First of all, instead of brining could you skip the brining process and just inject the brine into the chicken? You mentioned in one of your comments that that is how the chikcen is processed at KFC (prior to arrival at the restaurants). Also, my 2nd question is if brining really is the secret to this recipe, how come it hasn't been at the forefront of all KFC copycats? Certainly someone would have divulged this as I would think this would have been apparent. This couldn't have been such a hard secret to keep, correct me if I'm wrong. Looking forward to your answer. I'll definitely try your recipe out. The KFC recipe is like the ultimate puzzle challenge of the universe. How did Colonel Sanders figure out how to get that sweet delicious note in his chicken? Hopefully you've figured that out!
Hi David --- yeah, KFC has changed dramatically in the last few decades. This is the original recipe from way back when times were good. With regards to the first question, yes you can inject the chicken... in fact this is exactly what Tyson Foods does, and I have confirmed this with many of their production staff. I demonstrated the brining method as most people do not own brining syringes. Bare in mind that even with injecting, the chicken will have to stand for at least half of the brining time.
As far as question 2 goes.... KFC has done a great job when it comes to misinformation. They have pushed the secret blend of herbs and spices, and their pressurized deep-fryer story at every opportunity.... to distract everyone from the real truth. When KFC started in 1930, refrigeration was poorly lacking, and as a result the only safe way to transport raw chicken to the outlets was by curing it using potassium nitrate. The potassium content in the potassium nitrate has a wonderous effect on meat. It completely transforms the texture and moisture holding abiltiy of the meat, making it soft, juicy and tender. The nitrates "baconizes" the meat, for lack of a better word, improving the flavor in leaps and bounds. The so-called "secret blend of herbs and spices" is just the cherry on top -- and without the curing process they are absolutely useless.
In the modern day KFC, the potassium nitrates have now been replaced with an alternative process, owing to the latest trend of nitrates bashing by the "health" community. I will be doing a video on this soon.
Thanks for your interest, and thanks for watching!!!
Thannks for the in-depth response!!! We'll be trying this out very soon!!!!
You are the original and the best!
+TheBarryM8 Hi -- Thanks for watching!!!
Thanks, what about KFC chicken livers?
You’re the best! now that’s a video worth watching .
if I don't have saltpeter, what can I use? or can I not use it? I know it's only a food preservative.
+patricke Hi Patricke -- saltpetre is not only a preservative, it enhances the texture, flavor and color of foods. I have recently published a video using Prague powder which is available everywhere -- from butchery suppliers, and even from most butchers --- here is the link --- th-cam.com/video/oA4po3R2uG4/w-d-xo.html
Prague powder replaces both the saltpetre and the salt in the recipe --- Prague powder is a blend of salt, nitrates and nitrites. The only difference between this method and the saltpetre method is that the flesh of the chick may have a slight pink hue once cooked. Thanks for watching!!!
+Whats4Chow Prague powder is also known as Curing salt, thanks for the tip
I am really so excited to try this soon once i can get all the ingredients!Thanks! Ill leave my opinion afterwards :D.Also doyou reccomend corn oil or vegetable oil? Thanks!!
+HAWK Hi Hawk --- thanks for the comment, and I'll look forward to the feedback --- as far as the oil goes, you need to use an oil with a good tolerance for temperature --- I recommend pure sunflower oil, pure peanut oil or coconut fat (deflavored and stabilized)
Okay Thank you! :D
+Hansel Sequeira Hi Hansel, canola oil will do fine.... give us some feedback when you're done --- thanks for watching!!!
Hi sorry for messaging again but do i need salt petre? i cant remember there is no where i can get it from. Other than online which is a hassle
+HAWK Hi Hawk - Yes unfortunately this is the main ingredient in the curing process which gives the chicken its unique flavor, texture and juiciness. You can normally find saltpetre at your local pharmacy. Butchery suppliers and sausage manufacturing companies will also keep this. They may also have sodium nitrite which is a perfect substitute. Failing this, you can quite readily find a product called curing salt, or Prague powder. This is a blend of regular salt and nitrate. The packaging label will have the details of the blend -- you can use this to recalculate the salt and nitrite quantities required in the recipe.
Hello, what is meant with "1 Corn of whole allspice""? What is a "corn"? Is this a measure ?
+Johnaton Mark Hi Johnaton - allspice is a berry that resembles a large black peppercorn. In fact in some countries it is actually called magic pepper. To answer the question, a corn of allspice is one whole allspice berry. You can find a whole lot more information at this link --- en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Allspice
Drop me a note if you need anything else!!! Thanks for watching!!!
is this brine reusable? if yes..how many times?
Hi Sidra -- yes you can reuse the brine up to 3 times. Add a tablespoon of salt to replace the salt that has been lost, and top up the to the original level with water. Boil the brine to sterilize it, cool to room temperature and it is ready to use again.
Thanks for watching!!!
great..thanks a loadsssss :) love watching your videos..
if ido't have a termometer to check the temperature can i still fry the chicken with low heat
Hi Amirul --- yeah, frying without a thermometer, especially a long fry, can be tricky. The heat of the oil tends to ramp upward during the frying which will lead to burning on the outside, while the inside will still be uncooked. I would suggest taking a large, deep oven dish and pouring in oil to about 10mm in depth. Place this in your oven set at 160c. When the oil is hot, place the chicken pieces in the dish and return to the oven for the specified time, turning the pieces halfway through. Be careful when using oil.... especially when moving the dish in and out of the oven -- spilt oil is brutal and will cause serious burns if you spill on yourself.
Thanks for watching!!!
Whats4Chow thank you for reply it . im really like your video .thank you again cause always reponding . love you channel
amirul amin are you btw from malaysia? its hard to get all the ingredient since it is in english and when i translate it using the google translate to my prefer language, it didnt translated. for example, marjoram in english is also marjoram in my language :(
thanks for sharing. do i need to add dried marjoram, coriander and cayenne pepper? is there any alternative ingredient because actually i've never used those ingredients before, and hard to find thanks!!!
+michelle andrea Hi Michelle -- you can substitute the marjoram with equal quantity of dried oregano. The ground coriander seed can be sub'd with ground caraway seed or 3/4 tsp ground cumin. You can sub the cayenne pepper with hot paprika, or a good quality chilli powder, but not peri-peri. Thanks for watching!!!
The printable link is not working
very nice,, really flavoured
Hi --- thanks for the feedback --- have a great New Year, and thanks for watching!!!
Thank you so much for the recipe, I've did it and it was the real deal. I have a small request though, can you upload a video for KFC garlic dip recipe ?
+Firas Awad Hi Firas --- thanks for the feedback --- I will look into making the garlic dip as well -- thanks for watching!!!