Theimmigrants from Scotlandfrom the southern states of Us had a custom of deep-frying poultry in lard and even before this they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scottish immigrants would often work, live and dine with the African slaves and this lead to the Africans adding some extra spices to the dish andbuildingtheir own versionof fried chicken. These Africans later went on to become thechefsin many a Southern American house where crispy fried chicken became a frequent staple.
They also discovered that it travelled well inhotweather before refrigeration was seen everyday so was eaten on almost a daily basis as they journeyed to the cotton fields to labor. Since then it has become the southern state's most suitable choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a male known as James Boswell who wrote alogin 1773 known as “journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his record he noted that at mealtime the local folks would eat fricassee of chicken which he went on to say “crispy fried chicken or something like that”. What he in actuality 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 crispy fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known mix for crispy fried chicken in English is hidden away in one of the most celebrated cooking books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse called The Art of culinary Made Plain and Easy. Her recipe had a strange name named “To Marinate Chickens” which was first published in 1747. The book was a hit in the United kingdom and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original process...
Cut two chickens into quarters; 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 eggssome melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together thoroughly, dip yourchicken piecesin the batter and fry them in a first-class deal of hogs lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of golden incolour and lay them on your bowl with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon slices and a good quality gravy. Nowadays, 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 dish has journeyed worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
