TheScrotish migrantsfrom the southern states of America had a custom of deep-frying poultry in fat and even previously they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The migrants from Scotland would often labor, live and dine with the African Americans and this lead to the Africans adding some new flavorings to the process andmakingtheir own presentationof crispy deep-fried chicken. These Africans later became thecaterersin many a Southern American home where crispy deep-fried chicken became a frequent staple.
They also found out that it lasted well well inhotconditions prior to refrigeration was common so was eaten on almost every day basis as they walked to the cotton fields to labor. Since, it has become the region’s preferred choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a male known as James Boswell who wrote adiaryin 1773 known as “log of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his record he noted that at dinner the local folks would eat fricassee of rooster which he went on to say “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 fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known recipe for deep-fried chicken in English is stashed in one of the most well-known cooking books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse known as The Art of cooking Made Plain and Easy. Her formula had a strange name called “To Marinate Chickens” which was first published in 1747. The book was a success in the UK and more importantly in the American Colonies.
Here is the original recipe...
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 eggsa little melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together well, dip yourchicken piecesin the batter and fry them in a excellent deal of pork lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of bronze incolour and set them on your bowl with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with cut lemon and a fine gravy. Now, 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.
