WHEN Kentucky Fried Chicken opened its first overseas branches in the UK in 1965, my family became instant fans. We thought it was so good. But these days on the odd occasion I'll indulge in a piece of KFC, it's yet to taste as good as I recall it all those years ago.
But, now that the "original" recipe has been uncovered I might be able to recapture those tasty golden years.
It seems the nephew of KFC founder "Colonel" Harland Sanders inadvertently revealed the secret blend of 11 herbs and spices behind KFC's fried chicken empire?
But KFC's owners, Yum Brands Inc., says the recipe – one of the most closely guarded secrets in the fast food industry – is not authentic. Well they would say that wouldn't they.
The story began when a Chicago Tribune reporter visited the nephew, Joe Ledington, for a travel feature on Corbin, Kentucky, where the colonel served his first fried chicken. At one point, Ledington pulled out a family scrapbook containing the last will and testament of Sanders' second wife, Claudia Ledington.
On the back of the document is a handwritten list for a blend of 11 herbs and spices to be mixed with two cups of white flour. While Joe Ledington initially told the reporter that it was the original recipe, he later said that he didn't know for sure.
"Many people have made these claims over the years and no one has been accurate – this one isn't either," KFC said in a statement.
Genuine or not, these are the ingredients on the newly discovered recipe:
Finger-Lickin' Good (Makes: 4 servings)
2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 Tbsp salt
1/2 Tbsp dried thyme leaves
1/2 Tbsp dried basil leaves
1/3 Tbsp dried oregano leaves
1 Tbsp celery salt
1 Tbsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp dried mustard
4 Tbsp paprika
2 Tbsp garlic salt
1 Tbsp ground ginger
3 Tbsp ground white pepper
1 cup buttermilk
1 egg, beaten
1 chicken, cut up, the breast pieces cut in half for more even frying
Expeller-pressed canola oil
Method
Mix the flour in a bowl with all the herbs and spices; set aside. Mix the buttermilk and egg together in a separate bowl until combined. Soak the chicken in the buttermilk mixture at room temperature, 20-30 minutes.
Remove chicken from the buttermilk, allowing excess to drip off. Dip the chicken pieces in the herb-spice-flour mixture to coat all sides, shaking off excess. Allow to sit on a rack over a baking sheet, 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, heat about three inches of the oil in a large Dutch oven (or similar heavy pot with high sides) over medium-high heat to 350 degrees. (Use a deep-frying thermometer to check the temperature.) When temperature is reached, lower the heat to medium to maintain it at 350. Fry three or four pieces at a time, being careful not to crowd the pot. Fry until medium golden brown, turning once, 15-18 minutes. Transfer chicken pieces to a baking sheet covered with paper towels. Allow the oil to return to temperature before adding more chicken. Repeat with remaining chicken.
Chef Joanne Gould tried out the recipe. She said: “I think it is safe to say that this is probably the correct original recipe. Another chef also had a go. “KFC might deny that the recipe is incorrect, but it sure tastes like the real thing,” she said.
