The idea of kettle fried chicken has probably intrigued me more than any recipe idea on here in recent months.
Is it really like fried chicken? Or closer to Shake ‘n’ Bake? Or somewhere in the realm of TV dinner breaded chicken?
There is only one way to find out!
I followed Troy’s recipe almost exactly. Seltzer, honey butter, etc. The only thing I didn’t have was the BPS seasoning. I substituted 2tbs Oakridge Santa Maria, 1tbs Oakridge Secret Weapon, 1tbs Jailbird Chicken, and about one more tbs of salt.
I cooked the chicken to 165-170 and pulled them. The vortex likes to run at 450 which is a little hot for “fried” chicken. I throttled it back through the cook, but it still ran a little hotter than I liked.
Results?
A solid first attempt. I mean the cook went well, but I somehow didn’t achieve the same results as Troy. The chicken was cooked perfectly and very juicy. However, the breading did not yield the same level of crunch that Troy got in his video. I found the breading to be a little under seasoned (even though I added more salt) and a tad too “floury” for my taste.
A few things to take away and change for another attempt.
1) If you use Troys recipe, double the batter (wet mix). I had 6 legs and 6 thighs, and sadly I was running out of wet batter at thigh #2. The last two thighs got Oakridge Secret Weapon instead. I felt that even with the seasonings I used, it needed more salt and pepper. Your mileage may vary on this. If you don’t have the BPS rub Troy used, try his suggested seasoning or a good fried chicken seasoning protocol.
2) I would personally suggest buttermilk or brine the chicken ahead of time prior to batter. There are also a few other “fried chicken tricks” I might incorporate for a future attempt.
3) I’m pondering an attempt at a lower temperature for longer. I think the WSM, wise open with no water gets me in the 325-350 range. That might be how I want to proceed. However, I am a little hesitant to cook it exactly at the same temp as fried chicken because, we are baking and not using oil. I don’t need to worry about my fry oil smoking.
4) Another issue I dealt with was some "sticking." Although this was minimal, I wonder if oiling the grates, adding oil to the batter, or using a non-stick grill mat might remedy this. I am trying to avoid incorporating a hybrid technique to see if we can really nail this chicken without the use of fry oil. We will know after a few more attempts.
Also, I have enlisted the help of my closest WKC neighbor
@inkaddictedchef1 to help in the “WKC Test Kitchen.” Apparently, he claims that he likes to cook.
We are going to bounce some ideas and give this one another shot. Perhaps we may team up for a tandem Kettle Chicken cook in the near future?
That’s all for now!
Sent from my iPhone using
Weber Kettle Club mobile app
Topic: Kettle Fried Chicken (Read 8047 times)
