"Ron M." > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Generally, basically, how do commercial fried food places make their
> breading? I'm talking about that really thick, crispy, crunchy breading
> like on Popeye's or Kentucky fried chicken, etc. What are they dipped
> in and breaded with? What temperature is the oil they're fried in?
> I've been trying to duplicate it at home, but without much luck.
>
> R.M.
>

I'm not sure how the commercial places do it, buy here's some tips I use for
making tender, crispy fried chicken:

- Use buttermilk for tenderness
- Double dipped - helps breading stay on
- Temperature - I use an electric skillet for keeping oil at 350 degrees,
slowly introduce new pieces to maintain temperature, and test doneness of
chicken with thermometer to 180 degrees
- Keep turning chicken for even brownness
- Keep cooked chicken crisp by draining on wire racks, not on towels. Do
*not* put into bowls after draining either. Circulating air keeps pieces
crisp

Here's one recipe by Tyler Florence. (Do not put cooked chicken on paper
towels as he suggests, though. Use wire racks on sheet pans. You can remove
the skin from the chicken if you want, too.)

Double Dipped Fried Chicken
by Tyler Florence

3 1/2 pound frying chicken, cut into 8 serving pieces
2 cups buttermilk
1/4 cup water
2 teaspoons red pepper sauce
3 cups flour
1 tablespoon kosher salt
Fresh cracked black pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon dried oregano
1 tablespoon granulated garlic
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne
4 cups peanut oil, for frying

Rinse the chicken pieces and pat dry with paper towels. In a shallow
platter, combine the buttermilk, water, and red pepper sauce. Soak the
chicken pieces, turn to coat, then cover, and refrigerate for at least 2
hours. If time allows, marinate the chicken for up to 24 hours because the
buttermilk promotes tenderness. Place flour in a shallow platter. Season it
by mixing in salt, pepper, oregano, garlic, paprika, and cayenne. Roll the
marinated chicken pieces in the flour, a few at a time, until well coated.
Then, dip chicken in the buttermilk bath again followed by another coat of
seasoned flour. Allow the chicken to sit in the flour and dry out while
preparing the oil, this will help the coating stay on better. The
buttermilk will keep absorbing the seasoned flour, which then fries up to
form a crunchy crust. Heat oil in a large electric skillet to 350 degrees
F. There should be about 1-inch of fat in the pan. Carefully add the
chicken pieces in a single layer, skin side down. Do not crowd the pan or
the temperature will plummet; make sure the fat continues to bubble around
the chicken. Fry for 5 minutes, then turn the pieces over and fry the other
side 5 minutes. Turn again, frying a total of 15 minutes. The turning will
produce a golden-crisp skin with even color. Remove chicken to a plate
lined with paper towels to drain. Do not put hot chicken directly in a bowl
or container, the air can not circulate and the steam will cause the crust
to fall off. Serve immediately or cool to room temperature.