How does KFC get its soft/soggy/greasy coating?

I should add that my self rising cake flour was not purchased, but rather was homemade via adding cornstarch, cream of tartar, and baking soda to all purpose flour.

I will say a few things about the OR crust that was way softer and more flavorful but also a juicier oil finger lickin good.

The Original was created by multiple method. The old cooking where the Browning 3-minute cooking time was more critical in that end product. The chicken was open top cooked at 350 to 360 temps, then the Temp is turned down to 250 to 260 temps. That searing the outer layer does help create a moister inner coating like the top of a Loaf of bread. Which CHS always spoke about that the first thing he ever made and was proud about was a loaf a bread he walked miles to show his mother.

Many CHS story also says he cooked the OR chicken in a skillet open top. Then added WATER to the Oil before outing a top on the Skillet to steam.

In the late 70’s and early 80’s the change for a CRUNCHY loud Crispy bite was what people wanted over the older soft crust. They changed the amount and types of items added into the Flour for crispy coating.

The New Age KFC as I call the Corporate. Made change to a Crispy crunch but that was after they worked on a soft coating with a dream whip powdered concoction. Remember their automated Pressure cookers changed and they relied on time over hand eye coordination. To Brown the Chicken. The as seen on TV sale pitch set it and forget it method they jumped to. Quicker Faster and less hands on to make a Crispy coating and then place it in a Steamer to rest with a maximum 90 minute.

If you want a softer Coating the Yeast helps and going back to the Milk n Egg Warsh helps also BUT you need to soak the chicken in the MILK n EGG warsh NO a quick dip and first pre coat the chicken in the flour seasoning

WHAT PEOPLE DO NOT see in the TEF Video is the Pre-set Flour and then a BATH in the Milk n EGG Warsh. LOOK at the time interval that the chicken sits in the Milk n Egg Warsh before the chicken was pulled out of the Round Tin. (remember the TV show is edited and listen to the worlds they had a trial run earlier which you DO NOT see in the VIDEO)

2 key things are cut out the pre set flour and the cooking method CHS locks the lid on the Pressure cooker and then moves it to a second heating element OUTSIDE the BOXED HIGHER TEMP cooker. Also, you do not see the pre-set flour method. The Pre-set makes its own coating that is more moist and softer than the skin. The combination of knowing the leveling agent and the rapid heat reduction make it a different cooking final end product.

The Original KFC has always started at a high heat and reduced

This is from 1966 Patent for Pressure cookers


US3245800 "Process for producing fried chicken under pressure":

Cut raw chicken into serving pieces
Coat the pieces with a moist breading material

Wholly immerse the pieces in a bath of oil heated in a pressure cooker to 350‐400F
Hermetically close the pressure cooker
Reduce the temperature of the oil rapidly to 250‐275F

Cook pieces for about 2 minutes while increasing pressure to 15 psi above atmospheric pressure
Continue cooking pieces (at the same pressure and temperature) for about 8 minutes
Technical benefit: the 15 psi pressure is sufficiently close to the "vapour pressure" of water at 250F to substantially prevent boiling away of moisture from the chicken and breading material. It is this technical benefit that made KFC's deep frying process "inventive" and, therefore, patentable.

The Original Flour from 1939 was listed as a AP Flour

Upon Many Hours and Hours of research and checking source in the Flour Industry. The Answers was provided about 193o-1935 Flour was typically wheat flour and more pure wheat.

Then as Droughts and Demand started to grow Most Wheat which was Stone Milled was a Blend of Wheat / Barely / Corn and the flour was considered AP flour

Many source in KFC will state that the Flour was a Winter Wheat Variety and it was ONLY sources in 2 USA States. This was primary and true BUT it was more possible because of the Trucking and Train Movement of the Grains from the Field to the Mills. There were ONLY a few Stone mill Plants in the General area of Kentucky at that time.

In the 1940's and War Ration Time wheat was one of the Ratio items and War supplies had precedent for Pure Wheat product Next were Major bakery which supplies Items for the War Supplies. After the War time changed and many Pre-Packaged item were Growing and the Cereal Chains were growing in leaps and bounds

if you want a softer crust stay away from the leveling agents Baking soda etc starches there are soft base items