TheScrotish migrantsfrom the southern states of Us had a custom of deep frying poultry in fat and even previously they used to fry fritters in the middle ages.
The immigrants from Scotland would often labor, live and eat with the African slaves and this lead to the Africans adding some extra flavorings to the food anddevelopingtheir own versionof crispy deep-fried chicken.
These Africans later became thecaterersin many a Southern American family where crispy fried chicken became a prevalent staple.
This is said to have come from a guy called James Boswell who wrote arecordin 1773 known as “log of a Tour to the Hebrides”.
In his journal he noted that at mealtime the locals would eat fricassee of rooster which he went on to say “crispy fried chicken or something like that”.
What he in fact heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not crispy fried chicken but you could say that where it was first named.They also found out that it travelled well inwarmclimate before refrigeration was everyday so was consumed on almost a daily basis as they went to the cotton fields to work.
Since, it has become the region’s go-tofor just about any occasion.
The very true origins of crispy fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known process for fried chicken in English is hidden away in one of the most renowned cookery books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse named The Art of cooking Made Plain and Easy.
Her mix had a strange name known as “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 dish...
Cut two chickens into quarters; 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 the yolks of two eggsa little melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together very well, dip yourchicken piecesin the batter and fry them in a superior deal of pork lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of light golden incolour and lay them on your bowl with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with cut lemon and a fine gravy. Today, we have swapped out 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 journeyed worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
