flg
Souschef
Posts: 1,578
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Post by flg on Aug 30, 2021 17:34:54 GMT 1
I use 5 Spice powder in other recipes and for me based on the brand I use. I can spot it a mile away in a recipe. Now that being said, you absolutely should try it. No way will it taste bad.
As mentioned I have only ever had 1 brand of it so that is not much of a test
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Post by deepfriednew101 on Aug 30, 2021 17:43:51 GMT 1
I agree 5 Spice is a GREAT spice and contains great blend of spices which is a Great spice Have you tried Pumpkin Spice Mix or Cake Mix Spice which is VERY SIMILAR IN nature of a 5 Spices  many cake spices contain similar or such • 1 ¾ brown sugar • 1 tablespoon quality ground cinnamon • 2 teaspoons ground allspice • 2 teaspoons ground nutmeg • 1 teaspoon ground cloves • 1 teaspoon ground ginger • 1 teaspoons ground coriander • 3/4 teaspoon ground mace |
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Post by Silver on Aug 30, 2021 21:00:47 GMT 1
I use 5 Spice powder in other recipes and for me based on the brand I use. I can spot it a mile away in a recipe. Now that being said, you absolutely should try it. No way will it taste bad. As mentioned I have only ever had 1 brand of it so that is not much of a test If you are sensitive to Five-Spice, and you don't detect it in KFC, then I doubt that I will ever get around to trying it. |
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flg
Souschef
Posts: 1,578
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Post by flg on Aug 30, 2021 23:20:43 GMT 1
As promised my take on the results from my latest cook as posted above:
So first off, tonight's chicken was nice fresh drumsticks. Medium size, which means bigger than KFC at least here in Canada.
I marinated the legs in water and MSG only. I did 9 drumsticks so I used a dish just big enough to cover them with water I had about 3 cups of water and a teaspoon of MSG. I did not add salt to the brine as I am an a salt reduced diet. The drums were in the marinate for only 12 hours +/-.
Cooking Method.
Started with a fresh oil in my deep fryer. I didn't want to contaminate this batch with other things I have cooked lately.
Mixed an egg wash - no secret there. Mixed 13g of the mix (the whole lot) into 200g of all purpose flour. Coated each piece pressing in the flour mix and let them air dry on a rack for about 20 minutes. Preheated my oven to 250F
I deep fried in a countertop deep fryer. It's small so 2 pieces each drop for 10 minutes. Larger ones first and worked down. After the first 2 batches came out of the deep fryer. They went on an oven rack into the 250F oven. The chicken was covered with foil. Each subsequent batch went into the oven after draining a bit. Every time I added more drums to the oven rack I flipped the existing ones. So the biggest 4 pieces were in the oven for 30 minutes @250 and each batch 10 minutes less. The last drum was small so it was almost done coming out of the fryer. I turned the oven down to 180 and let them all go another 10 minutes.
Results:
The chicken had a wonderful color, very close to KFC. The foil over the oven rake let the chicken sweat it out some and the coating was most and not crispy or dry. Reminded me of a less greasy KFC. Chicken was nice and moist inside and my wife asked for more so that means I did a good job there. She won't eat dry chicken.
Taste:
I am coming around to the fact we need more H&S. Across the board the flavor profile needs to pop more. I get the 26 oz bag but they have to be adding concentrated flavoring. Or pressure frying retains more of the flavor profile. I will concede that I use mostly McCormick Spices so not Marion Kay etc. So maybe they are just more powerful. But if I'm doing this with local supplies and a countertop deep fryer. I just need more.
From taste, the recipe needed more pepper. Not tons but say 0.5g more. I would try again with either 3g White and 2.5g Black or the other way around. I have to think about that one a bit more. I also need something more around the Allspice. So either actually make my own 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 blend or add some nutmeg. It's missing an element there for sure.
Conclusion:
I'd up the pepper, up the "allspice" area or swap out. Steal the weight from the "extra" salt to do so.
And....
I would try using the recipe with 18g of Salt and 150g of flour. It just needs that boost for me.
It was good chicken and no one wouldn't want to eat it.
So ideas abound for my next cook!
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flg
Souschef
Posts: 1,578
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Post by flg on Aug 30, 2021 23:30:21 GMT 1
Thinking about this post rereading the above.
My start would be to deal with the flavor profile around the "Allspice" area. I will start with the 1/3, 1/3, 1/3 for now. Leave everything else alone.
Then:
18g Salt
13g H&S
150g Flour
Takes me to a little over 8.5% ratio H&S to flour
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Post by Silver on Aug 30, 2021 23:34:12 GMT 1
Excellent review @fig!!! Thanks for taking the time to present this!!!
So to confirm, this was:
200g Flour
24g Salt
3g MSG
3g White Pepper
2g Black Pepper (fine, course 50/50)
1.3g Salt
0.5g Garlic Powder
0.5g Allspice
0.5g Coriander
0.5g Ginger
0.35g Rubbed Thyme
0.35g Sage
0.35g Chili Powder
0.25g Summer Savory
0.25g Onion Powder
0.15g Marjoram
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flg
Souschef
Posts: 1,578
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Post by flg on Aug 30, 2021 23:41:39 GMT 1
Yes, that's the one.
As mentioned I'd make a small tweak and use less flour with a salt level to match.
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Post by Silver on Aug 30, 2021 23:56:37 GMT 1
Yes, that's the one. As mentioned I'd make a small tweak and use less flour with a salt level to match. Looking forward to the revised recipe. |
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flg
Souschef
Posts: 1,578
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Post by flg on Aug 31, 2021 0:18:51 GMT 1
One thing of interest I may try. In looking at a pork sausage recipe spice handbook. One recipe uses Allspice, Coriander, Nutmeg, Pepper and Sage. For this recipe the Pepper level is set to 50% of the total spices. So right where I have mine approx.
In this case they set Coriander and Allspice weight the same (as do I)
And they set nutmeg to the same level as Sage. If I simply add 0.35g Nutmeg to what I have so far. I'd be inline with this Sausage spice recipe.
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Post by deepfriednew101 on Aug 31, 2021 4:22:41 GMT 1
Just 2 points a fresh oil will absorb LOTS of spice Flavor on the First day of cooking with clean Oil. I have would say you can loose 25% of flavor to the Oil on a First cook. My own personal estimate.
I personally think that the 8.5% will be low on the H&S / Flour ratio.
I Don't think the McCormick or Marion Kay spice are much different don't sweat if you Don't have Marion Kay. KFC Corporate is a Wall of McCormick lol lol
I will say this Again today tomorrow and the next day New Age KFC is using a minimum 16.5% H&S to Flour 3Lbs Spice to 18Lbs of Flour and the Salt is a 16.5% and Most think that the KFC taste bland ? ? ?
I really enjoyed your great work and test method. Great JOB.
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