Theimmigrants from Scotlandfrom the southern states of America had a tradition of deep-frying chicken in lard and even further back 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 seasoning to the procedure anddevelopingtheir own interpretationof crispy fried chicken. These Africans later evolved to be thecooksin many a Southern American home where crispy fried chicken became a universal staple. They also learned that it travelled well inwarmconditions prior to refrigeration was everyday so was enjoyed on almost a daily basis as they went to the cotton fields to work. Since, it has become the region’s top choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a chap known as James Boswell who wrote alogin 1773 called “log of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his record he noted that at meals the locals would eat fricassee of chicken which he went on to say “crispy 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 deep-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 prominent cookery books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse named The Art of cooking Made Plain and Easy. Her dish had a strange name called “To Marinate Chickens” which was first available in 1747. The book was a success in the England and more importantly in the American Colonies.
Here is the original mix...
Cut 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 eggsa little melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together thoroughly, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a superior deal of pork shorteningwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of a fine browncolour and lay them on your bowl with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon slices and a good gravy. These days, 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 formula has went worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
