TheScottish immigrantsfrom the southern states of America had a custom of deep frying chicken in fat and even further back they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The migrants from Scotland would often work, live and eat with the indentured Africans and this lead to the Africans adding some additional seasonings to the formula anddevelopingtheir own interpretationof crispy fried chicken. These Africans later went on to become thecooksin many a Southern American house where crispy fried chicken became a common staple. They also learned that it travelled well inhotconditions prior to refrigeration was prevalent so was consumed on almost a daily basis as they went to the cotton fields to work. Since, it has become the southern state's best choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a man known as James Boswell who wrote adiaryin 1773 named “journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his log he noted that at mealtime the local folks would eat fricassee of hen which he went on to say “deep-fried chicken or something like that”. What he in actual fact heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not 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 recipe for crispy fried chicken in English is obscured in one of the most eminent cookery books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse known as The Art of culinary 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 United kingdom and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original procedure...
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 the yolks of two eggssome melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together thoroughly, dip yourchicken piecesin the batter and fry them in a fine deal of pork lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of a fine browncolour and place them on your bowl with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and a good quality gravy. Presently, we have swapped out 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 travelled worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
