Forget that extra crispy sunscreen that KFC released the other day, there’s more important chicken news to fry. According to the Chicago Tribune, KFC’s highly coveted original recipe may very well have been revealed in the most casual way imaginable and we’re here to bring it to you!
During an interview with Colonel Sanders‘ nephew, Joe Ledington in Corbin, Ky. and freelance writer Jay Jones unearthed a handwritten recipe listing all 11 ingredients in the chain’s top secret recipe. In plain blue handwriting, an anonymous author — who Lexington says couldn’t be his uncle — has written, “11 Spices — Mix with 2 Cups White Fl.” then goes on to list all 11 ingredients with measurements.
The list includes the following:
1.) 2/3 Ts. Salt
2.) 1/2 Ts. Thyme
3.) 1/2 Ts. Basil
4.) 1/3 Ts. Oregano
5.) 1 Ts. Celery Salt
6.) 1 Ts. Black Pepper
7.) 1 Ts. Dried Mustard
8.) 4 Ts. Paprika
9.) 2 Ts. Garlic Salt
10.) 1 Ts. Ground Ginger
11.) 3. Ts. White Pepper
Seems legit. But not so fast. This isn’t the first time someone has claimed to know the truth about the fast food industry’s most valuable culinary secret. As the Chicago Tribune points out, a couple announced they found the KFC secret recipe in a datebook in the basement of a home they’d purchased from Colonel Sanders and his wife in the ’70s. It turns out, the couple was later sued and corporate officials determined that the recipe they’d found was nowhere close to the original.
Be that as it may, when Jones asked Ledington if the handwritten recipe they’d come across in the back of an old photo album was the 11 herbs and spices, Ledington said, “Yep, this is it.” He later backtracked and told the Chicago Tribune that “It could be,” and he “didn’t know for sure.” Sounds like someone spoke to someone’s high powered lawyers.
Ledington also revealed that the handwriting attributed to the list is not his uncle’s, but the ingredients listed are correct. He knows at least that much because as a kid he helped blend those very same herbs and spices in exchange for a dip in his uncle’s pool. Ledington told Jones that the main ingredient is white pepper, which many copy-cat recipes have failed to include.
Though it’s possible this list of 11 herbs and spices is in fact the list, KFC’s drumsticks and breasts will still be hard to replicate without their signature cooking method. It’s no secret that the company uses pressure cookers to achieve optimal tenderness and crunch, which not everyone just has sitting around.
(Via Chicago Tribune)
