TheScrotish migrantsfrom the southern states of America had a custom of deep frying chicken in lard and even before this they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scrotish migrants would often labor, live and dine with the African slaves and this lead to the Africans adding some additional seasonings to the dish andmakingtheir own versionof deep-fried chicken. These Africans later evolved to be thechefsin many a Southern American family where deep-fried chicken became a common staple. They also learned that it lasted well well inwarmweather conditions prior to refrigeration was everyday so was consumed on almost every day basis as they travelled to the cotton fields to work. Since then it has become the south's best choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a gentleman called James Boswell who wrote alogin 1773 called “diary of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his record he noted that at an evening meal the local people would eat fricassee of chicken 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 formula for crispy deep-fried chicken in English is obscured in one of the most notable cookery books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse known as The Art of culinary Made Plain and Easy. Her procedure had a strange name named “To Marinate Chickens” which was first in print in 1747. The book was a success in the UK and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original food...
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 2 eeg yolkssome melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together thoroughly, 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 a fine browncolour and set them on your dish with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon slices and a superior gravy. Now, we have replaced the hog fat with Rapeseed oil which contains 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.