TheScottish immigrantsfrom the southern states of Us had a tradition of deep frying chicken pieces in lard and even further back they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The migrants from Scotland would often labor, live and dine with the African slaves and this lead to the Africans adding some additional seasonings to the formula andcreatingtheir own interpretationof crispy fried chicken. These Africans later became thechefsin many a Southern American home where fried chicken became a typical staple. They also found out that it lasted well well inwarmweather in the times before refrigeration was commonplace so was consumed on almost an every day basis as they travelled to the cotton fields to work. Since, it has become the region’s best choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a man called James Boswell who wrote alogin 1773 called “log of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his log he noted that at meals the locals would eat fricassee of capon which he went on to say “fried chicken or something like that”. What he in actual fact heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not 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 dish for crispy deep-fried chicken in English is obscured in one of the most eminent cookery books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse called The Art of cookery Made Plain and Easy. Her procedure had a strange name known as “To Marinate Chickens” which was first published in 1747. The book was a hit in the UK and more importantly in the US Colonies.
Here is the original mix...
Joint two chickens into pieces; steep 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 yolkssome melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together very well, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a high-quality deal of pork lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of golden incolour and serve them on your dish with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemons and a excellent gravy. Now, we have exchanged 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 food has walked worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
