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Popeyes - How to get batter texture?

Posted on 10/16/18 at 11:33 am
Posted by Smeg
Member since Aug 2018
9441 posts
Posted on 10/16/18 at 11:33 am
The fried vs. grilled chicken thread got me thinking.

Anyone have experience at Popeyes?

If I want a crust just like Popeyes, how do achieve it?

I think it's egg wash, single dip in flour mixture, then rest before frying? I just haven't been able to get my chicken to come out like that.

Any help is appreciated.
Posted by Stadium Rat
Metairie
Member since Jul 2004
9575 posts
Posted on 10/16/18 at 11:42 am to
I saw a video of them making it. The pieces are marinated for 12 hours after tumbling with the spice rub for 5 minutes. The pieces are dipped into a very yellow egg wash (I think it has corn flour in it because it was opaque) and then into flour. The flour may be seasoned as well.
Posted by Motorboat
At the camp
Member since Oct 2007
22731 posts
Posted on 10/16/18 at 12:34 pm to
quote:

then rest before frying


The rest is what I've been told helps the crispiness
Posted by KillTheGophers
Member since Jan 2016
6237 posts
Posted on 10/16/18 at 12:45 pm to
I wonder how hot their heat lamps are and if that has anything to do with it.
Posted by GynoSandberg
Member since Jan 2006
72079 posts
Posted on 10/16/18 at 12:45 pm to
Your batter has to be the right consistency (more thick than thin but not a paste) in order to achieve the “little bits” that make up a Popeyes crust. The little bits of crust is achieved when the batter meets the flour

Cold chicken into cold batter into flour. Use a big bus tub to flour 8-10 pieces at a time

Just know you’ll never totally replicate popeyes recipe, their batter is proprietary
Posted by CorkSoaker
Member since Oct 2008
9784 posts
Posted on 10/16/18 at 2:39 pm to
If I have a craving for Popeyes, nothing else will suffice except real deal.
Posted by Stadium Rat
Metairie
Member since Jul 2004
9575 posts
Posted on 10/16/18 at 2:49 pm to
Just saw another video. Oil temp is 340 and the cook time is 12 minutes.
Posted by gumbo2176
Member since May 2018
15300 posts
Posted on 10/16/18 at 3:02 pm to
Here's what I use to get a nice crunchy crust on my fried chicken.

Liquid to dredge chicken in:

Egg
Sour Cream
Dijon Mustard

Mix well for a creamy consistency. Put chicken into the wet mixture and make sure it is well coated.

In the meantime get the flour seasoned.

All Purpose flour
Slap Ya' Mamma seasoning
Black pepper
Garlic Powder
Cayenne Pepper

How much you add of each is an individual thing, but naturally more cayenne will make for a hotter crust.


I get my oil to 350 and fry it in a black iron pot that can hold half a chicken at a time. I will cut the chicken up to have 2 legs, 2 thighs, 2 wings, 2 pieces of back and I cut the 2 breasts in half again for 4 pieces of breast meat. This allows it to fry more evenly.

Once the chicken hits the oil the temperature will drop and I try to maintain 325 degrees the rest of the way. I'll cook the chicken for 20 minutes turning each piece every 5 minutes till done.

Remove from the oil and put it on a cooling rack over a pan lined with paper towels to drain any oil away.
Posted by GynoSandberg
Member since Jan 2006
72079 posts
Posted on 10/16/18 at 3:20 pm to
quote:

Oil temp is 340 and the cook time is 12 minutes.


Popeyes basically invented the gas powered Ultrafryer that they use in their restaurants. It’s actually programmed to go up and down in temp during the frying process to ensure the chicken doesn’t burn and stays juicy. I believe it goes all the way down to 310 at some point and as high as 345-350

Another reason why it’s hard to replicate popeyes chicken unless you’re dropping close to $40k on fryers

This is a good read



LINK
Posted by DoctorTechnical
Baton Rouge
Member since Jul 2009
2801 posts
Posted on 10/16/18 at 3:49 pm to
From the link:
quote:

COMMERCIAL RETHERMALIZERS
Found my new band name...
Posted by Stadium Rat
Metairie
Member since Jul 2004
9575 posts
Posted on 10/24/18 at 3:10 pm to
I saw a video of them making it. The pieces are marinated for 12 hours after tumbling with the spice rub for 5 minutes. The pieces are dipped into a very yellow egg wash (I think it has corn flour in it because it was opaque) and then into flour. The flour may be seasoned as well.
Posted by baldona
Florida
Member since Feb 2016
20561 posts
Posted on 10/24/18 at 9:47 pm to
quote:

Oil temp is 340 and the cook time is 12 minutes.



You forgot the pressure fryer part. Not sure how big of a deal that is to crispiness but literally every commercial chicken place uses a pressure fryer, pressure fryers do absolutely help with the juiceness of the inside of the check though. So you get the great outside and inside at the same time.

You will have a hard time replicating that without one I think.
Posted by sleepytime
Member since Feb 2014
3592 posts
Posted on 10/24/18 at 9:59 pm to
Popeyes doesn’t use pressure fryers. KFC uses them
Posted by WaltTeevens
Santa Barbara, CA
Member since Dec 2013
10991 posts
Posted on 10/24/18 at 10:06 pm to
quote:

Popeyes - How to get batter texture?


Imma need you to pull up and park and then I'll tell you.
Posted by baldona
Florida
Member since Feb 2016
20561 posts
Posted on 10/24/18 at 10:20 pm to
quote:

Popeyes doesn’t use pressure fryers. KFC uses them


You know that for a fact? I was under the impression that anyone in the "fast" food industry that fried bone in chicken used pressure fryers.

It certainly is in no way limited to KFC.
Posted by hungryone
river parishes
Member since Sep 2010
11987 posts
Posted on 10/24/18 at 10:36 pm to
Haven’t you ever been inside a Popeyes? You can see the fryers in plain view at many locations. They’re open and uncovered, thus not pressurized.
Posted by Smeg
Member since Aug 2018
9441 posts
Posted on 10/24/18 at 10:42 pm to
No pressure fryer.
Here is the video Stadium Rat is referring to.

Popeyes Youtube

But you can't see if the chicken was dredged in flour prior to the 'egg wash'.

It's possible the egg wash has something in it, like flour, that makes it more like a wet batter than a simple egg wash as well.
Posted by Gris Gris
OTIS!NO RULES FOR SAUCES ON STEAK!!
Member since Feb 2008
47508 posts
Posted on 10/25/18 at 12:10 am to
Sometimes, Popeye’s batter is too thick and not cooked. I prefer seasoned flour only or a lighter batter.
Posted by Stadium Rat
Metairie
Member since Jul 2004
9575 posts
Posted on 10/25/18 at 7:36 am to
Popeye's definitely does NOT use pressure fryers. It cooks in only 12 minutes because it is deep fried. The only places that I know of that uses pessure fryers is KFC and an outfit known as Broasted Chicken.
Posted by baldona
Florida
Member since Feb 2016
20561 posts
Posted on 10/25/18 at 9:21 am to
I feel like you are making the assumptions that you don’t like kfc chicken so therefore all pressure fried chicken sucks?

Like I said, that’s mostly for the meat not the skin texture and flavor.

Skin texture and flavor is more to deal with seasoning, type of batter, and fry temp. As said above keeping the temp almost exactly where you want it the entire cook is very important. What happens at home a lot is adding the chicken drops the temp quite a bit, so people start off too hot then it gets too low and then it gets too hot again. So cook time varies and the outside texture is not ideal.

Most people that double batter especially commercially don’t marinade. As you you marinade, have to dry it off, then dry batter, wet, then dry. Most that marinade go from marinade to wet to dry. If you go wet, dry, wet, dry it gets extremely uneven and clumpy.
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