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Chicken Thighs: The New Wings?

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After a year of pandemic upheavals, consumers are ready to spend, but supply chain challenges are causing shortages and price hikes in unexpected places, including chicken. Amidst this, there’s an interesting twist: the underappreciated chicken thigh. Henny Penny lays out some key information on their blog titled “Chicken Thighs: The new wings?“

The Chicken Shortage Scenario

Industry experts have been flagging low supplies and price increases in chicken since early last year. While chicken production stabilized, processing plants still face labor shortages. Plus, the frenzy for chicken sandwiches and wings continues to skyrocket demand, especially for wings.

Wing Consumption vs. Thigh Opportunity

Despite a dip in Super Bowl viewership, wing consumption hit a record high. But here’s a thought – for every pair of wings, there’s a pair of thighs, often overlooked and undervalued. Thighs sell for less and offer more meat, presenting an intriguing opportunity for restaurant operators.

Thighs: The Underestimated Choice

Chicken thighs don’t enjoy the same popularity in the U.S. as wings or breasts, largely due to limited marketing. Yet, taste tests show a preference for their moist, tender, and flavorful qualities. They’re perfect for savoring the natural taste of chicken.

Wingstop and Nathan’s Famous: Leading the Thigh Trend

Wingstop is incorporating thighs in their menu, while Nathan’s Famous is rolling out thigh-based chicken sandwiches. Thighs are proving versatile and flavorful, suitable for various culinary styles.

For the Small Operators: Thighs as a High-Margin Option

For smaller businesses, chicken thighs offer a profitable alternative. They can be prepared in numerous ways – fried, baked, grilled, or even as lollipop-style finger food. The key for operators is to create a signature thigh dish, promote it creatively, and tap into this untapped market.

Amidst the current chicken shortages, thighs present a cost-effective, delicious option that can diversify your menu and appeal to consumers’ evolving tastes. For more insights on frying techniques and menu innovation, exploring additional resources can be invaluable.

For more information on frying and understanding your options, click here. Or, if you’re already frying and want to analyze an existing program, check out our free download: The Top 5 Mistakes to Avoid in Your Frying Program (and how to fix them).

Originally published on www.HennyPenny.com
by Chef Gregg; Henny Penny Corporate Executive Chef

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Why Pressure Fry?

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The Benefits of Pressure Frying with Henny Penny

Have you ever considered the secret behind the success of many renowned fried chicken restaurants? It’s pressure frying, a method that’s transforming kitchens with its remarkable benefits. Let’s dive into why this is more than just a cooking technique – it’s a revolution in the culinary industry.

Pressure frying is renowned for its ability to preserve the natural juices and flavors of food. When you pressure fry, you create a unique environment that locks in moisture. This ensures every bite is succulent and packed with flavor.

What makes frying under pressure even more appealing is its health aspect. Foods cooked in this way are less greasy. Thanks to the way moisture is retained within the food, there’s less oil absorption. The result is a crisp, golden product that doesn’t leave a greasy aftertaste.

Efficiency is another hallmark. This method is not only faster but also uses less energy. By cooking under pressure, heat is transferred more efficiently from the oil to the food. This directly leads to reduced cooking times and energy consumption. This efficiency is a boon in today’s world where sustainability and cost-effectiveness are paramount.

Henny Penny pressure fryer spindle

Moreover, pressure frying is a versatile cooking method. It’s not just about frying chicken; it’s about exploring a range of menu items from tender meats to delicate seafood and even innovative desserts. The versatility opens up endless culinary opportunities, making it a favorite among chefs looking to expand their menus.

How Pressure Frying Works

what is pressure frying
fried chicken

Lastly, pressure frying is known for its consistency. Whether it’s the first batch or the fiftieth, the advanced pressure fryers ensure that each serving is cooked to the same precise conditions, guaranteeing unwavering quality and taste.

It’s no wonder that some of the world’s most popular food chains attribute their success to the art of pressure frying. If you’re looking to elevate your kitchen’s capabilities, exploring the world of Henny Penny fryers could be your next best move.

Here is Henny Penny’s Corporate Executive Chef, Chef Greg, explaining the difference between fryers. You can read more about it on Henny Penny’s Blog. He outlines how one of the first things to consider when choosing between fryers is the desired end-result. Crispy? Juicy? Crunchy? Tender?

See what Chef Greg has to say here!

Are you looking for more information about Henny Penny Pressure Fryers? 
Click here to learn more and explore different pressure fryers.

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3 Reasons Foodservice Operators Love Pressure Assist

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Pressure Assist is a new feature available on all Henny Penny 4-Head Pressure Fryers with C8000 controls. Exclusive to Henny Penny, Pressure Assist uses an external means of developing pressure within the fry pot for small product loads, which otherwise would not build optimum pressure levels on their own.

Cook smaller batches when you need them

Gone are the days of being forced to pressure fry a large batch of product! Pressure Assist enables you to cook to-order, making it ideal for off-peak periods.

Maintain product quality and consistency

Until now, consistent quality for small orders has never been easy to achieve. Pressure Assist allows you to maintain your brand’s premium quality standards with confidence.

Eliminate unnecessary food waste

By cooking only what is needed, Pressure Assist helps eliminate food waste. It’s no longer necessary to use a full load of product for only a few small orders.

3_Reasons_Foodservice_Operators-Love_Pressure_AssistDownload

Pressure Assist Now Available!

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What is Pressure Assist?

Pressure Assist uses an external means of developing pressure within the fry pot for small product loads, which otherwise will not build optimum pressure levels on their own. This assures that smaller product loads cook to the same quality and consistency as larger product loads, which develop optimum pressure levels on their own.

How does Pressure Assist work?

Electric Pressure Transducer
Pressure Assist Air Pump

A dedicated pressure assist air pump (compressor) pressurizes the fry pot by pumping air into the plumbing on the pot side of the deadweight assembly. A check valve assures that pressure generated by the assist pump can be transmitted to the fry pot, but pressure from the fry pot cannot be transmitted to the assist pump. Pressure Assist is also equipped with an electronic pressure transducer, allowing the control to monitor the pressure level within the fry pot.

This transducer determines whether pressure assist is needed for a given cook cycle. If the air pump is activated, the transducer reading is then used to determine when the desired pressurization level has been reached. The air pump is automatically turned off or on as needed to maintain optimum pressure level. For each individual menu item, you can customize pressure assist activation settings.

Which Henny Penny fryers offer Pressure Assist?

Pressure Assist is available on 4-Head Pressure Fryers with C8000 controls.
For additional information, please contact us today!

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The Ghost Kitchen Series: Velocity Pressure Fryer

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Our Velocity Pressure Fryer was made to sustain the highest-volume bone-in chicken programs, making it easy for wing-concept ghost kitchens to sacrifice two feet of wall space for extreme productivity.

Our Velocity series cooks 8-heads of chicken with 25% less oil than other high-volume fryers and provides up to four times longer oil life.

Batch cooking is a breeze when you combine a Velocity with any of our holding cabinets – Henny Penny sheet pans can be secured by a lip on top of the fryer.

Two half racks are then placed on each sheet pan and slid into the holding cabinet, allowing workers to skip re-racking and reducing product handling.

While product is being transferred to hold, Velocity filters automatically between every single load. Learn more about the Velocity series here.

The Ghost Kitchen Series: Evolution Elite (Single Well)

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In this series, we will highlight our top 4 best solutions for ghost kitchens.

Less is more with our single-well Evolution Elite, making it the ideal open fryer for any ghost kitchen. A smaller vat that requires 40% less oil means more ROI in the form of oil savings while maintaining the same throughput as a traditional 50 lb vat.

Employees won’t need to spend too much time taking care of the Evolution Elite – top-off-level sensors monitor the oil level and add fresh oil as needed, and Smart Touch Filtration alerts automatically with just one button-push required to activate a 4-minute filter cycle.

Models with two or more wells can filter one vat while cooking in another. Use a single-well fryer to prepare for the rush by pairing with SmartHold to cook in batches and hold for hours. Click here to learn more about the Evolution Elite open fryer.