Themigrants from Scotlandfrom the southern states of America had a tradition of deep-frying poultry 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 indentured Africans and this lead to the Africans adding some supplementary spices to the food anddevelopingtheir own interpretationof crispy fried chicken.
These Africans later evolved to be thecaterersin many a Southern American household where crispy fried chicken became a ordinary staple.
This is said to have come from a male known as James Boswell who wrote adiaryin 1773 named “journal of a Tour to the Hebrides”.
In his journal he noted that at mealtime the local people would eat fricassee of chicken which he went on to say “fried chicken or something like that”.
What he really heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not crispy fried chicken but you could say that where it was first named.They also found out that it lasted well well inhotweather before refrigeration was prevalent so was enjoyed on almost an every day basis as they went to the cotton fields to labor.
Since then it has become the south's best choicefor just about any occasion.
The very true origins of crispy deep-fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known food for crispy fried chicken in English is hidden away in one of the most famed cooking books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse called The Art of cookery Made Plain and Easy.
Her formula had a strange name named “To Marinate Chickens” which was first available in 1747. The book was a hit in the England and more importantly in the American Colonies.
Here is the original process...
Joint 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 yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a fine deal of hogs lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of light golden incolour and lay them on your platter with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with cut lemon and a good gravy. Now, 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 food has travelled worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
