Themigrants from Scotlandfrom the southern states of Us had a custom of deep-frying chicken in fat and even further back they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scrotish migrants would often labor, live and eat with the African Americans and this lead to the Africans adding some extra spices to the dish andgeneratingtheir own versionof crispy fried chicken. These Africans later evolved to be thecaterersin many a Southern American family where deep-fried chicken became a typical staple. They also observed that it transported well inhotweather in the times before refrigeration was commonplace so was enjoyed on almost an every day basis as they went to the cotton fields to work. Since then it has become the south's preferred choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a man called James Boswell who wrote arecordin 1773 called “journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his record he noted that at dinner the local people would eat fricassee of chicken which he went on to say “deep-fried chicken or something like that”. What he in actual fact 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 mix for crispy fried chicken in English is obscured in one of the most renowned cooking books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse known as The Art of cookery Made Plain and Easy. Her recipe had a strange name named “To Marinate Chickens” which was first released in 1747. The book was a success in the UK and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original procedure...
Joint 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 yourchicken piecesin the batter and fry them in a fine deal of pork shorteningwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of golden incolour and arrange them on your plate with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon slices and a good quality gravy. Now, we have substituted 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 procedure has travelled worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
