TheScottish immigrantsfrom the southern states of Us had a tradition of deep-frying poultry in lard and even before this they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The migrants from Scotland would often work, live and dine with the African slaves and this lead to the Africans adding some new spices to the formula anddevelopingtheir own interpretationof crispy fried chicken. These Africans later became thechefsin many a Southern American home where crispy fried chicken became a common staple.
They also learned that it lasted well well inwarmclimate in the times before refrigeration was everyday so was eaten on almost every day basis as they journeyed to the cotton fields to work. Since then it has become the region’s best choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a fellow called James Boswell who wrote arecordin 1773 named “log of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his journal he noted that at meals the local people would eat fricassee of capon which he went on to say “deep-fried chicken or something like that”. What he in actuality heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not crispy deep-fried chicken but you could say that where it was first named.
The very true origins of crispy fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known food for crispy deep-fried chicken in English is hidden away in one of the most notable culinary books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse called The Art of culinary Made Plain and Easy. Her formula had a strange name called “To Marinate Chickens” which was first in print in 1747. The book was a success in the England and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original food...
Cut two chickens into quarters; 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 2 eeg yolksa little melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together very well, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a good deal of pork shorteningwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of light golden incolour and lay them on your bowl with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon slices and a good quality gravy. Today, we have replaced the hog fat with Rapeseed oil which contains 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 process has went worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
