Broasted chicken is a Wisconsin invention
BELOIT – Confession: I’m a lifelong Wisconsinite who has long enjoyed Broasted chicken and long assumed Broasted was just a term we use in place of fried chicken. Like bubbler instead of drinking fountain.
Order Broasted chicken and you get this beautiful, golden, crunchy outside, juicy inside, slightly salty piece of poultry goodness. That’s fried chicken. Right?
Wrong.
Kinda.
Broasted chicken is fried in oil. But it is fried, in essence, inside a pressure cooker. Generically speaking, the machinery that can fry and pressure cook chicken simultaneously is known as a pressure fryer.
However, to be Genuine Broaster Chicken requires more than a pressure fryer. The Wisconsin supper club staple food has gone worldwide now, but it all traces back to a 65-year-old Wisconsin institution, complete with patents and a carefully guarded secret recipe. And that story takes us to Beloit, home of Broasted chicken.
CAN’T AN INVENTOR GET A PIECE OF FRIED CHICKEN? QUICKLY?
L.A.M. Phelan just wanted some fried chicken. And he wanted it quick. Not able to find a device already capable of completing the task, Phelan set out to create one. In 1953 he combined a pressure cooker with a deep fryer as a simple and fast way to cook chicken. The Broaster Company was formed the next year.
It’s impossible to know if he envisioned the day the Wisconsin-based company that arose from his invention would be shipping Broasters to Saudi Arabia, his secret blend of spices to India or hosting a crew from Estonia for training.
I’m guessing not, but, still, here we are in 2018 and more than 4,000 operators worldwide use Phelan’s pressure fryers and program.
Oh, and by the way, Broasted is trademarked. So is Broaster.
If you’re not using our pressure fryer, coatings and marinade, says Broaster CEO Jay Cipra, you cannot legally use the name Broasted.
They have good reason to be vigilant.
I don’t know if you’ve noticed, but that salty seasoning flavor comes through in every bite of chicken, even after the crispy skin has long since been devoured. That’s not an accident.
Deep fried under pressure after marinating and being dusted in a blend of spices that have only seen minimal change since Phelan perfected them, chicken that comes out of Broasters oozes clear juices — on your shirt if you’re not careful.
SUPPER CLUBS WERE EARLY BROASTER ADAPTERS
About the same time Phelan created the commercial grade Broasters, KFC was rising in popularity. Even though the Colonel eventually adapted his own pressure fryer, franchising a KFC limited a restaurant’s options. Nobody’s going there for an authentic Wisconsin Friday fish fry or prime rib on Saturday night.
Broaster has the advantage of being a brand that a supper club, or any restaurant, can incorporate into menus and signs while retaining its own identity.
These days local favorites like Van Abel’s of Hollandtown, Susters Arcade in Denmark, Gosse’s at The Northwestern House in Sheboygan and Parnell’s Place in Oshkosh are not only Broaster purveyors, but have earned Broaster’s golden chicken award for operator excellence.
Parnell’s Place first served Broaster chicken in 1979, as best as owner Tim Hughes can recall, and was the first in Oshkosh to offer Broasted chicken. Hughes’ father owned the restaurant at the time, but when Hughes bought Parnell’s in 1989, there was never a doubt he was sticking with the Broaster program. Chicken accounts for at least 60 percent of food sales, says Hughes, and on Sundays they’re doing more than 1,000 pieces.
It probably doesn’t hurt that if you can snag a seat in Parnell’s cozy dining area on Sunday, chicken dinners are nearly half-price. Between the quality and the price, those dinners more than live up to Parnell’s tagline of “great food, sensibly priced” on the sign out front. The Sunday chicken price is for dine-in only. Buckets of chicken can be ordered to go without the discount.
Hughes has upgraded the largest Broaster made, one that can cook more than 20 pounds of chicken in just about 10 minutes and uses natural gas as heat, which is more efficient than electric models. Still, Hughes has the original Broaster tucked away. He pulls it out for special caterings around AirVenture time.
As word of Broaster chicken spread through local restaurants, the company carried out its own advertising campaigns.
Broaster now employs 60 full-time staff whose duties include sales, distribution and manufacturing.
EACH BROASTER IS BUILT FROM SCRATCH IN BELOIT
Bang. Bang. Bang. The rhythmic sound of metal being molded, cut and otherwise fabricated shares the same space as the scent of spices inside the Broaster 56,000-square-foot manufacturing building. It’s been home to all such operations since 1977, when the company outgrew its facility in Rockton, Illinois. Broaster was sold to Alco Standard Corporation in 1970, before being sold to a group of private investors in 1991.
This is where the company receives shipments of everything from stainless steel to salt that will be forged and blended then shipped worldwide.
Machinists cut sheets of metal and aluminum into needed pieces. Electronics are assembled. Welders. Grinders. Tools of the trade stretch through the shop.
All the blending and packaging happens in rooms secluded from the manufacturing and regularly inspected, same as any food industry production facility.
At the heart of Broaster’s pressure fryer is a cylindrical pot. This, says pretty much every Broaster executive, is a big advantage over their competitors. The round design does a better job of evenly heating the oil and thus cooking the chicken.
At the end of the tour, six machines stand in varying stages of completion. I’m told they’re bound for Saudi Arabia.
Nearby, boxes of packaged spice blends and coatings — Broaster has about 50 different varieties — are racked high enough that a forklift is needed to retrieve them.
PRESSURE FRYING COOKS CHICKEN FASTER, AND JUICIER
Putting the deep fryer under pressure cuts cooking time. Broaster’s 2400 model, the company’s largest pressure fryer, can produce 22 pounds of chicken in about 10 minutes. If each chicken meets Broaster’s recommended weight, that’s seven chickens.
The ideal chicken delivers eight pieces collectively weighing three pounds. Chickens that size are younger, says Broaster vice president Gregory West, and more tender.
Though 15 years ago each chicken averaged about 2½ pounds. Today’s bigger chickens have pushed cook time from 9½ minutes to 10½ minutes.
Speed is a boon for places like the Brass Rail in Grandy, Minnesota, that on an average week is serving 120,000 pieces.
The faster cook has another advantage. The quicker your cook meat, the less juice you lose, says Hughes.
It also reduces the amount of oil absorbed by foods.
An independent laboratory test in 2007 showed an order of Broasted potato wedges had 30 fewer calories and 3 fewer grams of fat than potato wedges prepared in an open deep fryer.
“Once we lock down the pressure that sears the outside of the chicken,” West said at company headquarters where they were demonstrating the cooking process. “In traditional fryers, once it gets cooking, the oil can get inside the chicken. In pressure fryer, it sears the outside preventing the oil from getting in. When you bite into the chicken you’re getting the natural juices and flavors and not tasting the oil as much.”
BEER BATTERED CHEESE CURDS, FRESH CHICKEN TENDERS AND BROASTER’S FUTURE
Broaster continues to innovate. And it’s more than just what other foods can be prepared using traditional Broasting methods, like pork chops.
In addition to the apple pies, Broaster is releasing a Wisconsin cheese curd made with a beer batter. Yes, the beer comes from a beloved state brewery. They still offer a classic breaded cheese curd option.
West credits another Wisconsin original with helping spread the joys of cheese curds: “Because of Culver’s there is becoming a very strong nationwide interest in curds.”
Also look for fresh chicken tenders coated in a batter that carry on the classic Broasted flavor.
Broaster has also acquired Smokaroma that makes a pressure smoker capable of smoking a brisket in three hours or ribs in 45 minutes. They’re also makers of Instant Burger, a cooking press that turns out burgers from fresh patties in less than a minute.
The guts of the pressure fryer is basically the same. Phelan’s genius lives on in that regard. Today’s innovations are more about improving efficiency both to reduce energy use and training time for staff.
Not that Cipra needs those innovations when doing his Thanksgiving turkey in a 2400 model he has at his home. Just follow the program: Marinate. Season. Pressure fry.
#BetterBeBroaster
A landmark of Broaster Company. 🏗️🤝
In 1997, ground was broken on what would become our administration and training facility. Today, nearly three decades later, this building remains the heart of our operations.✨💡
It`s home to our administrative team and our training kitchen, where operators from around the world come to learn the Broaster process firsthand. This facility stands as a reminder of our ongoing commitment to quality, training, and customer success.
Jul 18
Congratulations to our CEO Excellence Award Winners, Ron Kollasch and @sonjavaliulis ! 🏆🎉
The CEO Excellence Award recognizes team members who consistently go above and beyond their everyday responsibilities, making a meaningful impact on the success of Broaster Company. These individuals embody what we call being "On the Roof", going the extra mile, stepping up when needed, and contributing to the betterment of the company in exceptional ways.
👏 Ron Kollasch, Service Manager
👏 Sonja Valiulis, Food Scientist
Thank you both for your dedication, leadership, and commitment to excellence. Your hard work does not go unnoticed, and we are proud to celebrate your achievements!
Jul 16
The vision? 🙌🏻👀
A box full of Genuine Broaster Chicken🤩🍗
Jul 15
Some combinations just belong together. 🐔🥔
Crispy, juicy Genuine Broaster Chicken Tenders paired with our golden Savory Crunch Wedges creates a combo customers know and love. From the first bite to the last, it`s a meal that keeps them coming back for more.
Jul 14
Why do operators choose pressure frying? 🍗
✔️ More tender, juicy, and flavorful food
✔️ Less oil absorption and reduced overall oil usage
✔️ Greater food production per machine for a better return on investment
Broaster Pressure Fryers are designed to help operators deliver quality, consistency, and efficiency with every cook cycle.
That`s the power of pressure frying.
Jul 12
Turn up the heat with our Nashville Hot Mozzarella Sticks! 🔥🌶️🧀
Made with our signature Nashville Hot Dust seasoning, these crispy, cheesy mozzarella sticks deliver the perfect balance of bold flavor and satisfying crunch. They`re the ultimate appetizer, snack, or shareable side and the perfect new menu item to spice things up.
Ready to bring the heat to your menu? Contact your Broaster representative today to learn more!
Jul 10
Not to influence your next menu special, but… 👀✨
🌽 Pressure Fried Mexican Street Corn
🥔 Savory Crunch Wedge Nachos
With Broaster Foods & Equipment, the menu possibilities are endless. 🙌🏻
Ready to elevate your menu? Contact us today to learn more about our food programs!
Jul 9
Celebrating 2 Years with Broaster! 🎉🐔🥳
Today we`re recognizing TJ and thanking him for two years of dedication, teamwork, and commitment to our customers and fellow employees.
When asked about his favorite memory at Broaster, TJ reflected on the incredible teamwork that goes into meeting customer needs:
"My favorite memory so far is the teamwork put in to meet customer requests on time! We really pull together to take care of our customers."
And his favorite part of the job?
"Being a contributor within the organization and helping others succeed in what they do. When one of us succeeds, we all succeed." #OnTheRoof
TJ`s team-first attitude and willingness to support those around him embody what makes Broaster special. Thank you for all you do, TJ. We appreciate your contributions and are excited to celebrate this milestone with you!
Join us in congratulating TJ on his 2-year anniversary!🌟👏
Jul 8
National Fried Chicken Day calls for the best. 🍗
For generations, Genuine Broaster Chicken has delivered the crispy texture, juicy flavor, and quality that customers keep coming back for. Today, we’re celebrating the chicken that started it all.
Happy National Fried Chicken Day from Broaster Company!
Jul 6
Happy Fourth of July from Broaster Company!❤️🤍💙
Today, we’re celebrating freedom, family, and the food that brings people together. Whether you’re gathering for a backyard barbecue, community event, or holiday meal, we’re honored to be part of your tradition.
To find where you can purchase Genuine Broaster Chicken, use our store locator: https://broaster.com/store-locator/
Wishing you a safe and happy Independence Day filled with great food and great company!
Jul 4
"There`s nothing better than a trip to the lake and some crispy Broaster Chicken." 🌊☀️🏖️
Operator Spotlight: @thelodgesouthhaven – South Haven, Michigan
Since 1940, The Lodge has been a staple in South Haven. Originally known as The Curve Inn, the restaurant was purchased by its current owners in 2019 and completely renovated before reopening in 2021. While the space was transformed, their commitment to serving Genuine Broaster Chicken® never changed.
Today, The Lodge is a scratch kitchen in the heart of Michigan`s blueberry country, serving homemade favorites alongside hand-breaded Genuine Broaster Chicken. They put a local twist on their menu with favorites like the Spicy Blueberry Chicken Sandwich. Their love for Broaster Chicken runs so deep that they even top their famous Loaded Lodge Bloody Mary with a Genuine Broaster Chicken tender. The combination of tradition, local flavor, and quality ingredients has made them a destination for both locals and visitors alike.
📍 10336 Blue Star Memorial Highway, South Haven, MI 49090
🌐 www.thelodgesouthhavenmi.com
Next time you`re visiting Southwest Michigan, stop in and experience a South Haven tradition for yourself.
Jul 2
Leftover Genuine Broaster Chicken? Turn it into tomorrow`s lunch! 🥗
Shred up your leftover chicken and add it to your favorite salad for a quick, delicious protein boost. Fresh, flavorful, and a great way to make every bite count.
How do you use your leftover Genuine Broaster Chicken? Let us know in the comments! 🍗
Jun 29
Why do operators love the Broaster Equipment? 🔧🍗
Built for performance, consistency, and safety, the Broaster pressure fryers help operators deliver high-quality food day after day. With programmable cooking profiles, automatic time adjustments, and an integrated filtration system, it’s designed to maximize efficiency while maintaining the quality customers expect.
Reliable. Efficient. Trusted by operators everywhere.
Jun 26
This or That? 👀
Are you choosing the classic crowd-pleaser or turning up the heat?
🍗 Jumbo Popcorn Chicken – made with delicious whole white meat chicken and perfect for sharing.
🌶️ Jumbo Cajun Popcorn Chicken – all the quality you love with a bold Louisiana-style kick.
Which one is a top seller at your location? We would love to hear!
Jun 25
Your customers will thank you. 🙌🏻🐔
When you add the Genuine Broaster Chicken® food program to your menu, you’re serving more than just fried chicken. You’re serving the flavor, quality, and reputation people keep coming back for.
Jun 23
Happy National Onion Ring Day!🧅✨
Our Beer Battered Onion Rings start with whole slices of sweet Spanish onions and finish with a crispy, golden beer batter coating that keeps customers coming back for more.
Reach out to us today to learn more about our frozen foods!
Jun 22
