Themigrants from Scotlandfrom the southern states of Us had a custom of deep-frying chicken in lard and even previously they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The migrants from Scotland would often labor, live and dine with the indentured Africans and this lead to the Africans adding some additional seasonings to the procedure andproducingtheir own interpretationof crispy deep-fried chicken. These Africans later evolved to be thechefsin many a Southern American household where fried chicken became a typical staple. They also learned that it transported well inhotconditions before refrigeration was everyday so was enjoyed on almost an every day basis as they journeyed to the cotton fields to work. Since, it has become the south's preferred choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a guy called James Boswell who wrote adiaryin 1773 named “diary of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his log he noted that at an evening meal the locals would eat fricassee of hen which he went on to say “fried chicken or something like that”. What he really heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not fried chicken but you could say that where it was first named.
The very true origins of fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known procedure for crispy deep-fried chicken in English is stashed in one of the most eminent cooking books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse known as The Art of cookery 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 UK and more importantly in the US Colonies.
Here is the original formula...
Cut two chickens into quarters; marinate 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 superior deal of pork lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of golden incolour and serve them on your bowl with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon slices and a good gravy. Now, we have substituted 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 travelled worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
