I read Kenji’s stuff on serious eats all the time.  The funny thing about this is that his ultimate recipe for fried chicken does not include vodka.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/07/the-food-lab-best-southern-fried-chicken.html http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/07/the-food-lab-best-southern-fried-chicken.html

He did publish a separate story on how to improve any fried chicken recipe and the vodka things was one of the suggestions.

http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/07/four-secrets-for-better-fried-chicken.html http://www.seriouseats.com/2015/07/four-secrets-for-better-fried-chicken.html

I remember he also developed a pie crust recipe using vodka when he worked for Cook’s Illustrated/America’s Test Kitchen.  But he has since said that it is unnecessary but still works if you have trouble getting it right.

http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2011/07/the-food-lab-the-science-of-pie-how-to-make-pie-crust-easy-recipe.html http://sweets.seriouseats.com/2011/07/the-food-lab-the-science-of-pie-how-to-make-pie-crust-easy-recipe.html

Broasted chicken from Bush’s Family Restaurant in Logan, OH.  Delicious!!

…  But my Italian grandmother made wonderful fried chicken.  … she pressure cooked the chicken!  When it was done she breaded it and fried it.  It was crispy and juicy……delicious!

“Broasted” chicken is the best!  We still have a Dairy Queen up here in the sticks that pressure fries their chicken.  Very crispy, very juicy.  Wonderful fried chicken if you can find someone doing it.

I loved the theme for “Great Chefs of the West.” 

Available here:  # https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rDWYN983fQY

I’ll eat your fried chicken. But what I really want you to make is your Great Nonna’s chicken from the garden.

I don’t have to worry about making great, crispy fried chicken.  MH won’t eat it.  But my Italian grandmother made wonderful fried chicken.  We called it “Nonna’s Germ-Free Chicken”.  She would start by taking a whole chicken and cutting it apart.  She got out her kitchen scissors and trimmed all those pieces perfectly.  Then she pressure cooked the chicken!  When it was done she breaded it and fried it.  It was crispy and juicy……delicious!

I loved the Great Chefs series!

"Crispiest"

I had to read that twice.

the old PBS series, “Great Chefs of the West,”

Apparently my education is lacking and I have some research to do.  I have never heard of this.

 I don’t know why the baking soda; I read it in the cookbook that accompanied the old PBS series, “Great Chefs of the West,” and have used it ever since.

I still have all the “Great Chefs” series, what a marvelous set that was!

Looks like many of the Great Chefs Of… series can be had on Youtube.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=great+chefs+of+the+west https://www.youtube.com/r…reat+chefs+of+the+west

the old PBS series, “Great Chefs of the West,”

Apparently my education is lacking and I have some research to do.  I have never heard of this.

 This was a great series: Great Chefs of Chicago, then NY, then LA, SF maybe? I should love ot get my hands on some of the old CDs if they have been published in this format.

I had heard of adding vodka to the batter for dipping zucchini blossoms before you fry them, and it does seem to boost the crispiness.

But I agree with mar25.  Cornstarch is the only thing I’ve ever considered adding to my flour/salt/pepper dredge, and I didn’t find it made that much difference when I did.  So I stopped doing that, too.

I presoak the chicken in a brine of water, salt and baking soda.  I don’t know why the baking soda; I read it in the cookbook that accompanied the old PBS series, “Great Chefs of the West,” and have used it ever since.

Seems like a waste of good vodka. I grew up eating and then making fried chicken. No one I know ever went thru these foo foo steps. 

What Mar Said![huh]