TheScrotish migrantsfrom the southern states of Us had a custom of deep-frying chicken pieces in lard and even further back they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scrotish migrants would often work, live and eat with the African Americans and this lead to the Africans adding some extra seasoning to the formula andgeneratingtheir own presentationof crispy deep-fried chicken. These Africans later went on to become thecaterersin many a Southern American household where deep-fried chicken became a common staple. They also observed that it journeyed well inwarmclimatic conditions prior to refrigeration was seen everyday so was consumed on almost an every day basis as they journeyed to the cotton fields to labor. Since then it has become the southern state's top choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a guy known as James Boswell who wrote adiaryin 1773 named “log of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his log he noted that at mealtime the local people would eat fricassee of capon which he went on to say “crispy deep-fried chicken or something like that”. What he actually 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 formula for crispy fried chicken in English is hidden away in one of the most notable cookery books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse known as The Art of cooking Made Plain and Easy. Her process had a strange name known as “To Marinate Chickens” which was first available in 1747. The book was a hit in the England and more importantly in the US Colonies.
Here is the original recipe...
Joint two chickens into quarters; steep 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 very well, dip yourchicken piecesin the batter and fry them in a first-rate deal of pork shorteningwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of bronze incolour and lay them on your bowl with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with cut lemon and a superior gravy. In the present day, we have swapped out the hog fat with Rapeseed oil which features 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 recipe has went worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
