TheScottish immigrantsfrom the southern states of Us had a custom of deep-frying poultry in lard and even prior to this they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The migrants from Scotland would often labor, live and eat with the African slaves and this lead to the Africans adding some additional flavorings to the recipe andmakingtheir own presentationof crispy deep-fried chicken. These Africans later evolved to be thecaterersin many a Southern American family where deep-fried chicken became a frequent staple. They also found out that it travelled well inhotweather conditions in the times before refrigeration was seen everyday so was consumed on almost an every day basis as they journeyed to the cotton fields to labor. Since then it has become the southern state's go-tofor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a male named James Boswell who wrote adiaryin 1773 named “log of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his diary he noted that at an evening meal the local people would eat fricassee of poultry which he went on to say “crispy fried chicken or something like that”. What he really 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 deep-fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known mix for fried chicken in English is hidden away in one of the most renowned cookery books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse known as The Art of culinary Made Plain and Easy. Her mix had a strange name known as “To Marinate Chickens” which was first released in 1747. The book was a hit in the England and more importantly in the American Colonies.
Here is the original formula...
Joint two chickens into pieces; lay 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 eggssome melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together well, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a excellent deal of pork lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of a fine browncolour and serve them on your platter with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with cut lemon and a superior gravy. In the present day, we have substituted 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 journeyed worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
