# Damn you, KFC, Damn you and your left-overs! **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [June 10, 2006, 11:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-kfc-damn-you-and-your-left-overs/360197 "2006-06-10T11:51:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 12\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Waenara](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/50afbb/32.png) [@Waenara](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Waenara)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 6:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-kfc-damn-you-and-your-left-overs/360197/21 "2006-06-11T06:52:48Z")
[QUOTE=sleeping mud] I won’t be able to post by the time I find it (and it does say that) but I will e mail you and then you can post that I was right. [/QUOTE] The Wikipedia [page on KFC](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kentucky_Fried_Chicken#Food) has a cite for that book. However, I don’t see how you could know that he’s correct in his assertion that it’s just salt, pepper and MSG. That’s assuming that his “source” gave him the right mix and was honest, that the test was accurate and that he reported the results correctly. Plus, why would they bother with two separate suppliers for the ingredients (as per the below quote from Wikipedia)? What, one company supplies salt and pepper and the other supplies MSG? I’d think they’d get suspicious if their “half” of the 11 herbs and spices was just 1 or 2. > [@](#): > > The Colonel’s secret recipe of eleven herbs and spices remains one of the best-kept trade secrets in business. The original, handwritten recipe is locked securely in a vault in Louisville, with partial copies stored elsewhere as backup. The two suppliers of the seasonings each only provide parts of the recipe, and do not know each other’s identity. Not even the company’s president knows the ingredient list, and the few people who do are subject to a strict confidentiality agreement. Several people have contacted KFC, claiming to have found copies of the recipe, but KFC claims that none have been correct. A couple who purchased the Colonel’s original home found another handwritten recipe in the basement, and, although it was written by Sanders, it was determined to be nothing like the original. > > However, author William Poundstone, in his 1985 book Big Secrets, claimed that a chemical test revealed that the ingredients of the coating amount to nothing more than salt, ground black pepper, flour, and MSG. KFC continues to insist that their recipe has eleven herbs and spices. > > It is known that part of what gives KFC chicken its unique taste is that, after being coated, it is cooked in hot oil in a pressure cooker instead of a conventional deep fryer. ---
**Author:** ![dnooman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/839c29/32.png) [@dnooman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dnooman)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 7:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-kfc-damn-you-and-your-left-overs/360197/22 "2006-06-11T07:37:25Z")
[QUOTE=sleeping mud] I won’t be able to post by the time I find it (and it does say that) but I will e mail you and then you can post that I was right. [/QUOTE] You and William Poundstone know that there are 9 fewer ingredients than previously indicated. That seems likely. Some southern dude made millions off of salt pepper and msg? I’d like you to assert your assertion once more, and if possible, send me some free food. ---
**Author:** ![chaoticbear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f07891/32.png) [@chaoticbear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chaoticbear)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-kfc-damn-you-and-your-left-overs/360197/23 "2006-06-11T14:20:19Z")
KFC’s brown gravy. Mmm. ---
**Author:** ![Unintentionally\_Blank](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/unintentionally_blank/32/5418_2.png) [@Unintentionally\_Blank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Unintentionally_Blank)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 3:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-kfc-damn-you-and-your-left-overs/360197/24 "2006-06-11T15:12:38Z")
[QUOTE=chaoticbear] KFC’s brown gravy. Mmm. [/QUOTE] Yeeah, what is it with the gravy? You’d swear it was just salt, cornstarch and Brown food coloring, but it’s just so gooood. Is it bad to drink it out of the bowl? ---
**Author:** ![Tully\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7ab992/32.png) [@Tully\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tully_Mars)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 4:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-kfc-damn-you-and-your-left-overs/360197/25 "2006-06-11T16:28:14Z")
The only thing better than cold, left-over KFC is cold, left-over Popeyes. The extra spices make you forget it’s cold. In fact, when it’s cold, the grease doesn’t drip so it’s not as messy. The mashed potatoes with the little pieces of jalapeno, they’re good cold, also. ---
**Author:** ![Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Hey\_It\_s\_That\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hey_It_s_That_Guy)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 4:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-kfc-damn-you-and-your-left-overs/360197/26 "2006-06-11T16:30:31Z")
I find that the fried chicken from Albertson’s supermarket is consistently even better than KFC, which can occasionally be dried-out. Albertson’s (and most superamrket fried chicken in general) tends to be moister, crispier, and fresher than KFC in my experience. ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2006, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-kfc-damn-you-and-your-left-overs/360197/27 "2006-06-11T17:00:58Z")
Actually, Mary Brown’s Chicken (dunno if there are any of those outside Canada) is pretty awesome, too – thinner, more uniform coating (rather like Shake 'n Bake) but incredibly tasty. KFC’s Gravy – I’m sure there are a few of them there herbs 'n spices in that, too, but whatever it is it’s some good stuff. If they could only do something about their fries. I know they’ve slightly improved over their old, limp fries, but they’re still a little nasty and tasteless. ---
**Author:** ![medstar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f07891/32.png) [@medstar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/medstar)\ **Post date:** [June 17, 2006, 11:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-kfc-damn-you-and-your-left-overs/360197/28 "2006-06-17T23:11:37Z")
I think that Pollo Campero’s fried chicken is much better than KFC–the chicken tastes like fresh chicken that has a light breading applied and is freshly cooked. The KFC looks and tastes like a whole bunch of stale, chicken flavored breading has been deep fried in oil that is past its prime and then held under hot lamps for a couple of hours. ---
**Author:** ![anu-la1979](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/47e85d/32.png) [@anu-la1979](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/anu-la1979)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2006, 6:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-kfc-damn-you-and-your-left-overs/360197/29 "2006-06-18T06:33:04Z")
Indian food. It’s the only type of food where I can eat the meat leftovers the next day. I have yet to try another cuisine where I don’t sense a strange “smell” in the meat the next day…I think some of the spices in Indian food act as antibacterial agents or preservatives or something. My entire family has this problem…the only creatures eating thanksgiving turkey the next day are the cats. ---
**Author:** ![devilsknew](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/4da419/32.png) [@devilsknew](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/devilsknew)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2006, 8:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-kfc-damn-you-and-your-left-overs/360197/30 "2006-06-18T08:19:35Z")
[QUOTE=anu-la1979] Indian food. It’s the only type of food where I can eat the meat leftovers the next day. I have yet to try another cuisine where I don’t sense a strange “smell” in the meat the next day…I think some of the spices in Indian food act as antibacterial agents or preservatives or something. My entire family has this problem…the only creatures eating thanksgiving turkey the next day are the cats. [/QUOTE] You are seriously missing out on a good Mulligatwny with Turkey and carcass. Not strictly Indian, but Indianish… maybe you could start a new tradition and use the leftovers for a treat. ---
**Author:** ![Stillwell\_Angel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/96bed5/32.png) [@Stillwell\_Angel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stillwell_Angel)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2006, 10:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-kfc-damn-you-and-your-left-overs/360197/31 "2006-06-18T10:38:02Z")
[QUOTE=Mindfield] I must be the only person on the planet that hates cold leftover pizza. I can’t stand coagulated cheese. It just tastes … _old_ to me. [/QUOTE] No, you’re not alone. To me the whole essance of a good pizza is the warm ooey gooey cheese. Cool it down to a solid sheet of greasy rubber and I’m done with it. ---
**Author:** ![Mindfield](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mindfield/32/19759_2.png) [@Mindfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mindfield)\ **Post date:** [June 18, 2006, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-kfc-damn-you-and-your-left-overs/360197/32 "2006-06-18T14:14:19Z")
[QUOTE=Stillwell Angel] No, you’re not alone. To me the whole essance of a good pizza is the warm ooey gooey cheese. Cool it down to a solid sheet of greasy rubber and I’m done with it. [/QUOTE] My sentiments exactly. Now, reheated once (in a real oven – microwaves make the whole pizza ooey-gooey, crust and all) isn’t bad, but straight out of the fridge, it’s rather like chomping into a sheet of dried lard on bread with bits of wilted vegetation on it. _Yecch_. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/damn-you-kfc-damn-you-and-your-left-overs/360197.md?page=1)