TheScrotish migrantsfrom the southern states of America had a custom of deep-frying chicken in lard and even prior to this they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The migrants from Scotland would often labor, live and eat with the African Americans and this lead to the Africans adding some other flavorings to the dish andbuildingtheir own presentationof crispy deep-fried chicken. These Africans later evolved to be thefood preparersin many a Southern American household where fried chicken became a typical staple. They also learned that it travelled well inhotweather conditions before refrigeration was common so was consumed on almost every day basis as they went to the cotton fields to work. Since, it has become the south's most suitable choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a male named James Boswell who wrote adiaryin 1773 called “record of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his log he noted that at mealtime the locals would eat fricassee of poultry which he went on to say “crispy fried chicken or something like that”. What he in reality heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not crispy 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 food for fried chicken in English is stashed in one of the most recognized cooking books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse named The Art of cooking Made Plain and Easy. Her mix had a strange name known as “To Marinate Chickens” which was first released in 1747. The book was a success in the UK and more importantly in the American Colonies.
Here is the original procedure...
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 2 eeg yolkssome melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together well, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a first-class deal of pork shorteningwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of a fine browncolour and arrange them on your dish with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with cut lemon and a good gravy. Presently, we have replaced 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 process has walked worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
