TheScottish immigrantsfrom the southern states of America had a tradition of deep-frying chicken pieces in lard and even before this they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scrotish migrants would often labor, live and eat with the indentured Africans and this lead to the Africans adding some more seasonings to the recipe andbuildingtheir own presentationof crispy fried chicken. These Africans later went on to become thechefsin many a Southern American household where crispy fried chicken became a typical staple. They also observed that it transported well inwarmclimate in the times before refrigeration was common so was eaten on almost a daily basis as they travelled to the cotton fields to work. Since then it has become the south's best choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a fellow called James Boswell who wrote adiaryin 1773 called “record of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his diary he noted that at meals the local people would eat fricassee of fowl which he went on to say “deep-fried chicken or something like that”. What he really heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not crispy 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 procedure for deep-fried chicken in English is obscured in one of the most well-known culinary books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse called The Art of culinary Made Plain and Easy. Her mix had a strange name known as “To Marinate Chickens” which was first available in 1747. The book was a hit in the United kingdom and more importantly in the American Colonies.
Here is the original procedure...
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 2 eeg yolksa little melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together very well, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a fine deal of pork lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of a fine browncolour and arrange them on your platter with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemons and a fine gravy. Nowadays, 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 procedure has journeyed worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
