As a kid, I thought that Colonel Sanders was some guy with a white suit and top hat who ran around yelling, “Here’s your dinner!” Supposedly, Colonel Sanders himself developed it while he was cooking for hungry travelers on U.S. Route 25 in Corbin, Kentucky during the Great Depression (the 1930s).
However, there are other claims about its origins being from Scotland and Ireland as well!
Regardless of origin story, this regional favorite has been loved by many since it first came to America’s dinner tables back in 1952 when Kentucky Fried Chicken LLC opened their very first restaurant – now called KFC®- near Salt Lake City, Utah…
The elusive Kentucky fried chicken history
Kentucky Fried Chicken or KFC is the biggest fast food chain in the world. The company was founded by Harland Sanders in Kentucky and got its name from a popular dish of fried chicken he served at his restaurant, called “Sanders’ Southern Cooking.”
When the Kentucky Fried Chicken chain came out, it changed the world of fried chicken. What was once a regional dish became available to everyone. But there are still some things that you can only learn from cooking in Kentucky.
We’ll share with you our secrets for how to fry chicken like true Kentuckians!
The Kentucky fried chicken recipe is what’s known as a regional dish. It became available to everyone with the invention of fast food, but there are still some things that you can only learn from cooking in Kentucky.
What Makes Kentucky fried chicken Special?
Kentucky fried chicken is usually made with the dredging of flour, salt, and pepper. It also includes lots of cooking oil or grease to fry the delicious meat. Some cooks will add in an egg wash for extra crispiness, but this step isn’t necessary if you enjoy your crusty bits!
Remember!
There’s a lot to consider when you’re making Kentucky fried chicken! An important thing to remember as always: take care of your skin and wear gloves while handling raw meat, so you stay safe from germs and diseases.
It’s best not to use any metal utensils with it either since they can interfere with the cooking process by adding too much heat before baking time.
The secret ingredient? Pepper!
The seasoning mix: We don’t know for sure if he used paprika or black pepper, but the theory is that very little salt was included. In many recipes from Kentucky, there’s one key addition that separates it from other regional styles: ground black pepper.
Method: How to Fry Chicken the Kentucky Way
- Ingredients: Flour, Salt, Black pepper – fresh ground is preferred, but preground will work just fine!
- Heat a deep pan of oil on the stove over medium heat. No need for high temperatures, but you want enough so that it won’t burn your meat. You might have to adjust this depending on how big your pot is!
- Throw in flour, salt, and black pepper. This will form a thin paste; shake off excess by tapping against the side of the bowl or plate with a metal spoon or back of a wooden spoon if you’re using fresh ground pepper instead.
- Stir gently until the mixture has a texture like wet sand (it should not be lumpy). Spread out evenly onto one side only of each piece being dredged in preparation for frying – do not coat both sides at once because you will end up with a soggy coating.
- Fry chicken in two batches, flipping halfway through cooking time for each batch (approximately five minutes per side). Fry about 12 minutes per side or until golden brown on each side of the piece of meat/chicken bone -Once done,
- Remove pieces to a paper towel-lined plate as they are done, making sure that they do not overlap too much so that air can circulate around them and drain away any excess oil; season lightly with salt while still hot from frying if desired before serving.
The crispiness of the chicken will depend on how much oil you used to fry it. The more intense flavor of Kentucky Fried Chicken is due in part to a process called “pressure frying” that they use, and also by using twice as much cooking oil than other brands.
Tips:
You can sprinkle just a dash on before frying and let cook through or get more creative by adding it into the batter itself! Just make sure you don’t go too crazy, or the chicken will end up tasting more like black pepper than anything else.
This recipe is perfect because of its simplicity–you just need flour, salt, pepper, some oil (or grease), milk (optional), and flour mixture in order to fry up this tasty dish.
FAQ’s
Can You Fry Chicken in the Air Fryer?
I won’t recommend it for this recipe, but you can try it with a different one if desired.
What’s the Best Oil to Use in Frying Chicken?
I would recommend using a neutral oil like vegetable or sunflower because the flavor of an overly strong-tasting oil might overpower and mask any other flavors that are added into your dish.
How do I know if my oil is frying temperature?
You will notice it when small bubbles appear at the bottom and sides of your pan or skillet.
Turn on one burner, then wait until bubbles form either around the edge or all over inside before turning up the heat on other burners; this may take about five minutes depending on the size of the pot being used, so be patient. Once bubbling occurs, turn off the stovetop element and wait until it calms down.
Don’t let the oil get too hot; this will cause your fried food to taste burnt and soggy. You should fry at a temperature of 350 degrees Fahrenheit or medium-high heat when using an electric stovetop element.
If you are frying on a gas range, adjust accordingly so that you do not burn the contents of your skillet.
When monitoring cooking temperatures from time to time, use tongs to test one piece of chicken by dipping it in the pot, then pulling out and letting it cool for ten seconds before tasting it.
If still not cooked all the way through, continue checking every few minutes with more pieces dipped into bubbling oil while frequently stirring with a spatula as needed.
That’s it. We hope you’ll make Kentucky fried chicken at home and let us know how it turns out.
