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Post by Silver on Dec 4, 2021 21:20:44 GMT 1
I have really thought about trying basil. So I am looking forward to your findings The coating mix has been made. Oil heating should start in about an hour or so. I have no idea as to how it will turn out. Such is my faith in Allspice, wherein I simply don't know if the Basil will be up to the task of filling it's shoes. But I have to know just how important the Allspice is. And the only way to find out is to leave it out.
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Post by deepfriednew101 on Dec 4, 2021 21:38:00 GMT 1
your test and reviews are always great
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flg
Souschef
Posts: 1,578
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Post by flg on Dec 4, 2021 21:40:46 GMT 1
For my next recipe I have at least for now, significantly reduced allspice. I just have such a hard time believing in 1939-1950 CHS throwing Star Anise or Anise Seed in the mix. Where they in everyone's kitchen back then? So I like the concept that the flavor these give may have come from something else. Basil, Tarragon others. I did research that basil doesn't survive the heat as much so this will be revealing.
I still want to test my last 2 head to head before I commit to my next recipe. Hopefully I can do that later this week.
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Post by Silver on Dec 5, 2021 0:43:19 GMT 1
OK, here's the report on Recipe and Cook #9:
1) This was a small chicken that when cut up had the overall KFC size down to a 'T', sans for clearly much thicker breast pieces. It cooked to a perfect KFC_Like ideal golden brownness outside with no hint of red or burning, via cooking each piece for my standard 13.5 minutes at only a low 300 degrees F. for my temperature dial setting (with a side note that I have been suspecting my new Deep Fryer's temperature setting dial to be way off to the high side for a couple cook sessions now). Amazingly there was no need to oven the pieces, as each piece regardless of type was done all the way through, and was as juicy as can be asked for. Even the breast pieces were super juicy. That part of figuring out my new Deep Fryer is now fully behind us. Ah, one other cooking difference of note was that I cooked with the lid off...
2) Amazingly flavorful chicken perfection, sans for only one rather interesting thing. There was no KFC_like 'note'!!! Zero! The least note I've ever experienced. If not specifically trying to find the KFC note, this chicken truly had little by which to flaw it taste-wise, but apparently Allspice may indeed be a significant contributor in some way to the 'note'. That said, please read #3 below!!!
3) With only 3.00 grams of MSG plus 0.30 grams of I+G instead of my more typical 14-15 grams of MSG (without the I+G) the delicious Umami flavor of MSG was highly lacking. If Allspice is not part of the note, then massive quantities of MSG are the note. And this marks the second time for which I+G has completely let me down. Failed recipe #6 had little to no note also, and it likewise used I+G and a low dose of MSG. I may never mess with I+G again. Loads of plain old ordinary MSG tastes way better, and may be a huge note contributor. If you have yet to seriously ramp up MSG, please try it at least once.
4) The only way to see if my Allspice free Recipe #9 can be coaxed into the note without Allspice will be to identically cook it again, sans for using 15 grams of MSG, and zero grams of I+G.
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Post by Silver on Dec 5, 2021 0:46:32 GMT 1
I did get a picture through my old flip-phone. Look at how delicious Recipe and Cook session #9 was:
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flg
Souschef
Posts: 1,578
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Post by flg on Dec 5, 2021 0:52:36 GMT 1
Pictures look good!
Any thought on the use of basil? Or did it cook off so to speak.
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Post by Silver on Dec 5, 2021 1:00:06 GMT 1
In case you're wondering, the two pieces at the top/rear in the photo are the 'back'. My wife cut it in two, breaded them, and told me to cook them with each of the huge breast pieces. The two thin and bony back pieces are the only pieces with even a hint of being overcooked. We thus cooked 10 pieces, but the breasts should have been cut in half, whereby our single chicken would have yielded 12 pieces.
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Post by Silver on Dec 5, 2021 1:05:11 GMT 1
Pictures look good! Any thought on the use of basil? Or did it cook off so to speak. It tasted great sans for having zero 'note'. With the Basil being merely 1 of 11 spices I can't really say if most of its flavor cooked away or not. This is my first experience with Basil in Deep Fried Chicken. But I think it also would likely have tasted great with Allspice in the place of the Basil. I'm glad we deep fried it instead of Air Frying it!!! I finally got a handle on how to cook good chicken with the new Deep Fryer.
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Post by Silver on Dec 5, 2021 1:10:29 GMT 1
Odd as it may sound, the Chicken had a sort of Caraway Seeds taste to it, so perhaps the deep fried Basil plus Tarragon combination resembles the flavor of Caraway seeds to some extent.
Don't misconstrue what I'm emphasizing as to flavor. Recipe #9 tasted much better than KFC_OR. And almost as good as Lee's Famous Recipe Chicken, which is my new commercial Fried Chicken favorite.
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Post by Silver on Dec 5, 2021 1:25:28 GMT 1
A note for those who brine their chicken in advance of cooking it:
If Salt Brining, cut my 30 grams of Salt back to about 27-27.5 grams of Salt. I do not brine my Chicken.
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