TheScottish immigrantsfrom the southern states of Usa had a tradition of deep frying poultry in lard and even previously they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scottish immigrants would often work, live and eat with the African Americans and this lead to the Africans adding some supplementary seasoning to the procedure andproducingtheir own presentationof deep-fried chicken. These Africans later went on to become thecooksin many a Southern American household where crispy deep-fried chicken became a prevalent staple.
They also observed that it journeyed well inhottemperatures prior to refrigeration was prevalent so was eaten on almost a daily basis as they journeyed to the cotton fields to work. Since, it has become the region’s best optionfor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a fellow named James Boswell who wrote alogin 1773 named “journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his record he noted that at mealtime the local folks would eat fricassee of capon which he went on to say “crispy deep-fried chicken or something like that”. What he in reality heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not crispy deep-fried chicken but you could say that where it was first named.
The very true origins of deep-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 well-known culinary books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse named The Art of cooking Made Plain and Easy. Her mix had a strange name named “To Marinate Chickens” which was first in print in 1747. The book was a hit in the United kingdom and more importantly in the US Colonies.
Here is the original food...
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 2 eeg yolkssome melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together very well, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a first-class deal of pork lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of bronze incolour and lay them on your plate with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon slices and a fine gravy. Today, we have exchanged 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 recipe has walked worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
