(Maybe) KFC's Secret Recipe

By AzWench

This one's so secret that it's right in the name. KFC's success has, of course, been built on its fried chicken, and part of that success comes from their fanatically guarded recipe. It's fried chicken, how complicated can it be, right? Gizmodo's Sploid took a look at how KFC protects the secret recipe, and according to them, the only copy is tucked safely away inside a safe … that's inside KFC's legal department, that's inside their headquarters. Supposedly only one person knows the safe's combination, which really doesn't seem like a good idea, especially because the recipe is used in most of their meals. Two people know what's in the recipe, which famously consists of 11 herbs and spices. Getting the magic mixture manufactured presents another problem, and Gizmodo also reports that there are two companies that make the fry-batter blend. Each company makes half, then those two parts are combined by a computer.

The secret recipe is great for marketing. But nothing stays secret for long. In August 2016, someone in the KFC camp may have done an "oops."

Did the secret get out?
In August 2016, the Chicago Tribune sent a reporter south to do a story on KFC's original location in Corbin, Kentucky. The reporter met with Joe Ledington, nephew of the infamous Colonel Sanders, and was shown some of the family's extensive memorabilia. Handwritten on the back of the will of Sanders' second wife was a note that specified which 11 herbs and spices were to be blended with two cups of flour for the secret blend. Initially, Ledington said it was the real deal. After it was published in the Tribune, he backtracked to say that he wasn't sure he'd gotten it right. (It was about the only thing he could say, at that point.)

So what's the secret recipe?

(Maybe) KFC's secret recipe


All right, all right! No guarantees on this, but it's as close as it gets right now. Even though KFC tried to crack down and do some damage control to protect their secret, the leaked recipe is reportedly pretty spot-on when it comes to replicating the taste KFC fans hate to love.

Ingredients

• spices:
• Mix With 2 Cups White Fl.
• 2/3 tablespoon Salt
• 1/2 tablespoon Thyme
• 1/2 tablespoon Basil
• 1/3 tablespoon Oregano
• 1 tablespoon Celery Salt
• 1 tablespoon Black Pepper
• 1 tablespoon Dried Mustard
• 4 tablespoons Paprika
• 2 tablespoons Garlic Salt
• 1 tablespoon Ground Ginger
• 3 teaspoons White Pepper

Details

Adapted from mashed.com

Preparation

Step 1

And that's it, exactly as written, misspellings and all. According to the Tribune, when they tried the recipe with a few updated modifications to the method of cooking, it was pretty spot-on. A spokesperson from KFC issued a statement saying that there have been a lot of people who have thought they had it right, but that no one had been successful so far. Whether that's actually true or not, you'll have to judge.

If you take a look at some of the knock-off recipes that have been floating around, you'll see some major discrepancies between them. This one from Food.com includes things like nutmeg, vanilla bean, cardamom, sage, and coriander, none of which show up on the "official" version. Epicurious suggests that it includes chili powder, sage and marjoram, which are also not in this new version. What does that mean for the authenticity of any of these recipes? No one knows; give them a try!

You can steal KFC's recipe for your own business.

So, you think you're pretty good in the kitchen and you might have this KFC thing down? Let's say you did figure out exactly what the secret KFC recipe is, and you decided that it's so amazing you want to use it in your own chicken joint. There's nothing stopping you from going into business yourself, using the same recipe that you think you've figured out by taste, texture, and repeated experimentation. Even if you're 100 percent right, there's nothing KFC would be able to do about it.

When it came time for KFC to protect their top secret recipe, they could have gone one of two ways. They could have patented it, but patents have some serious drawbacks. All their ingredients, proportions, and preparations would have had to be diagrammed and public, and patents expire. Trade secrets, on the other hand, last as long as everyone can keep their mouths shut. Trade secrets are protected (the Economic Espionage Act of 1996 makes stealing one a federal crime), but different state and national laws makes the legalities of trade secrets a bit sketchy. Protecting them can be difficult, and in order to do so, specifics usually need to be put in front of an open court, defeating the entire purpose anyway.

So if you think you've cracked the KFC recipe, you aren't breaking any rules or regulations if you use it. Just don't go around using their name or logos, and you can make all the cash you want off their recipe.