KFC Secret Recipe

4WD · Dec 6, 2020

RhondaHonda said:
I think there is far better fried chicken than KFC but appreciate the challenge of trying to make it at home. My wife was in Hong Kong for a school trip in college and said KFC was the one of the only things she ate other than some other American chain and Clif bars. She said the chicken was way smaller and kind of stringy compared to US KFC.

Same with Indonesia but you could get individual pieces added to a meal …

y_p_w · Dec 6, 2020

RhondaHonda said:
I think there is far better fried chicken than KFC but appreciate the challenge of trying to make it at home. My wife was in Hong Kong for a school trip in college and said KFC was the one of the only things she ate other than some other American chain and Clif bars. She said the chicken was way smaller and kind of stringy compared to US KFC.

Was that a good or a bad thing? I haven't been to Hong Kong, but have been to China on vacation. Yeah the pieces tend to be smaller and the meat isn't quite like the common fried chicken we'll see in the US. However, it's not necessarily bad - just different. At this point there seem to be hybrids of the "yellow chicken" breeds that they like for their flavor, but crossed with western breeds that are larger.

https://apps.fas.usda.gov/newgainapi/api/report/downloadreportbyfilename?filename=Poultry%20and%20Products%20Semi-annual_Beijing_China%20-%20Peoples%20Republic%20of_2-26-2019.pdf

An ethnic Chinese friend of mine went to China to do a real estate deal. At the office when they signed the paperwork, they finished it by buying lunch for everyone including some of the staff at the sales office. She was thinking it would be something nice, but the staff ordered KFC and apparently were happy when it got there.

Wolf359 · Dec 6, 2020

y_p_w said:
An ethnic Chinese friend of mine went to China to do a real estate deal. At the office when they signed the paperwork, they finished it by buying lunch for everyone including some of the staff at the sales office. She was thinking it would be something nice, but the staff ordered KFC and apparently were happy when it got there.

What's high end in one culture is low end in another. I think it's the same with McDonalds, considered a high end place there, low end here.

y_p_w · Dec 6, 2020

Wolf359 said:
What's high end in one culture is low end in another. I think it's the same with McDonalds, considered a high end place there, low end here.

I wouldn’t say it was necessarily high end. But back then it was trendy among younger people there.

OilUzer · Dec 6, 2020

I don't smell ANY Oregano and/or Basil in KFC. Both have a very distinct smell. I'll pay more attention next time

PandaBear · Dec 18, 2020

I remember the original advertisement of KFC back in the days (at least in Asia) were 11 ingredients. Then later chemical analysis came out as 4 (salt, pepper, MSG, flour), with the main secrets being pressure fried.

I don't think the chicken they sell at today's US KFC is anything to brag about anymore. If you want fried chicken there are tons of better ones out there.

Now the KFC in a China airport, they sell soymilk and beef "pentagon" (think of it as a grilled stuff burrito from Taco Bell with no cheese and no rice, but beef that taste like a real taco), and that's awesome.

Touring5 · Dec 20, 2020

I don't know how reliable "taste memory" is, but modern day KFC doesn't taste (or smell) like it did back in the 60's or 70's to me. Then again, I don't think the pork you get today has the same flavor it used to - it's pretty much bland. This maybe to changes in taste perception or breeding and feeding of the stock, IDK.

Someone mentioned the copycat recipe site from years ago - I got a recipe for the KFC coleslaw that was a perfect dead ringer (keys were buttermilk and sugar, lots of sugar).

nthach · Dec 20, 2020

I think back before the population was more concerned about health(but the US and Japan are still fast food crazed), things from KFC and others tasted better. Hydrogenated oils, beef tallow and other things like extra MSG all to satisfy the sense of taste.

I certainly remember the KFC I ate as a kid was crispier and different than now. There are certainly better choices but I’ve been making my own with a recipe I found that rivals Popeye’s/Church’s/Krispy Krunchy.

BeerCan · Dec 22, 2020

I'm making the babish version tonight. I put the chicken in a buttermilk soak last night. Will take some pictures and report back.

One thing for sure is my mashed potatoes will be different, I hate them to whipped. Everything else will be by the recipe.