TheScottish immigrantsfrom the southern states of Us had a tradition of deep-frying chicken in fat and even previously 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 other flavorings to the mix andcreatingtheir own versionof deep-fried chicken. These Africans later evolved to be thecooksin many a Southern American household where fried chicken became a ordinary staple. They also observed that it journeyed well inhotclimatic conditions in the times before refrigeration was common so was eaten on almost every day basis as they travelled to the cotton fields to work. Since, it has become the region’s most suitable choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a fellow named James Boswell who wrote ajournalin 1773 known as “log of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his diary he noted that at dinner the locals would eat fricassee of chicken which he went on to say “fried chicken or something like that”. What he in actuality 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 deep-fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known recipe for crispy deep-fried chicken in English is obscured in one of the most celebrated cooking books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse called The Art of cooking Made Plain and Easy. Her dish had a strange name called “To Marinate Chickens” which was first released in 1747. The book was a hit in the England and more importantly in the US Colonies.
Here is the original process...
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 yourchicken piecesin the batter and fry them in a first-rate deal of hogs lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of light golden incolour and arrange them on your plate with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and a fine gravy. Now, we have replaced the hog fat with Rapeseed oil which has 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 dish has travelled worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
