TheScottish immigrantsfrom the southern states of Usa had a custom of deep-frying poultry in lard and even previously they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scottish immigrants would often work, live and eat with the African Americans and this lead to the Africans adding some additional seasonings to the mix andproducingtheir own presentationof crispy deep-fried chicken. These Africans later became thechefsin many a Southern American home where crispy deep-fried chicken became a frequent staple.
They also found that it transported well inwarmtemperatures before refrigeration was everyday so was consumed on almost an every day basis as they went to the cotton fields to work. Since, it has become the region’s best optionfor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a fellow named James Boswell who wrote ajournalin 1773 called “journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his journal he noted that at dinner the locals would eat fricassee of chicken which he went on to say “deep-fried chicken or something like that”. What he in reality heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not deep-fried chicken but you could say that where it was first named.
The very true origins of deep-fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known formula for crispy fried chicken in English is hidden away in one of the most well-known cooking books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse known as The Art of culinary Made Plain and Easy. Her food had a strange name called “To Marinate Chickens” which was first available in 1747. The book was a success in the United kingdom and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original recipe...
Cut two chickens into pieces; marinate them in vinegar for 3-4 hours with pepper, salt, bay and a few cloves. Make a very thick batter first with ½ pint of wine and flour then the yolks of two eggsa little melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together very well, dip yourchicken piecesin the batter and fry them in a superior deal of pork lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of bronze incolour and arrange them on your platter with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemons and a first-rate gravy. In the present day, we have swapped out the hog fat with Rapeseed oil which features nearly zero trans fats and we use a brine of buttermilk and salt to season our chicken throughout. It’s amazing to think how far this food has went worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
