crispy original recipe

[puma14]

Hello,

KFC Original has a non-crispy texture.
But if you don't have a pressure fryer, an open deep frying method will not get the same texture, it would be somewhat crispy.
What if you make it more crispy by adding baking powder?
Will the baking powder have any effect on the taste?

KFC made a crispy chicken that tastes different from the original but there are youtube videos saying that the only difference is the crispy was double-dipped and doubled breaded.

I found a TCK thread before about the crispy chicken and the recipe is not the same as the original, it had turmeric, baking soda and citric acid.

Why didn't KFC just made the original recipe crispy by adding baking soda or baking powder?

Why do a different recipe? Does it mean that the original recipe will not be as great if it is crispy?

[Ken_Griffiths]

Puma14

The KFC original recipe chicken, post frying, goes through a process of holding cabinets and colour codes. The cabinets on the kitchen side are steam filled and designed to soften the coating. I believe they hold the chicken in these cabinets for approx. 20 minutes at a given temperature to soften the coating and improve the texture. The chicken is turned at least once during thus process and are marked with coloured tags/flags.

The chicken is then moved to the customer side holding cabinets and kept at a temperature of 80°C and served to the customer. If a piece of chicken is not sold within 2-2-1/2 hours the item is discarded.

The crispy chicken recipe is double coated and is a different recipe and includes turmeric etc. as you mention. I believe it's moved straight to the customer-side holding cabinets and so is much quicker to cook and serve and it is purposely designed for a different texture and taste experience. It gives people the customer more choice.

Hot and spicy chicken also adds to those options. There are also baked, pulled and popcorn chicken... all of which are different flavours and textures

As far as 'brining' the original recipe chicken, as far as I'm aware the Colonel did not brine his chicken before breading. The pressure frying process (when done correctly) forces the flavour deep into the chicken and expels the grease, whilst the steam maintains the moisture.

Today's corporate KFC chicken though appears to be held in a salt/sodium and MSG solution, possibly accompanied by anti-bacterial/antibiotic materials to prevent salmonella etc. but in recent times the food industry (particularly in the U.S.) want the chicken to be antibiotic-free, as shown in this news article dated February 2014:

www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2014/02/14/276976353/americans-want-antibiotic-free-chicken-and-the-industry-is-listening

Ken

[puma14]

thank you Ken,

I now realize the relationship between the pressure frying, texture and holding cabinets.
I did work in a fastfood company as a fryman where they used a henny penny pressure fryer.
Their chicken is crispy maybe because their holding method is different from KFC. 
Their warmer is "open" not like KFC that has covers.

And also, I noticed their raw chicken as plain as it could get. I don't remember seeing bits of herbs or spices.
So I guess their spices and/or herbs must be all in the breading too.

Thank you again for the response.