Theimmigrants from Scotlandfrom the southern states of America had a tradition of deep-frying chicken pieces in lard and even prior to this they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The migrants from Scotland would often work, live and eat with the African slaves and this lead to the Africans adding some more seasonings to the recipe andbuildingtheir own presentationof fried chicken. These Africans later went on to become thefood preparersin many a Southern American family where crispy fried chicken became a common staple. They also found that it transported well inwarmweather in the times before refrigeration was seen everyday so was eaten on almost an every day basis as they journeyed to the cotton fields to work. Since, it has become the southern state's best optionfor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a man known as James Boswell who wrote alogin 1773 called “log of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his log he noted that at mealtime the local folks would eat fricassee of fowl which he went on to say “crispy deep-fried chicken or something like that”. What he in actuality 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 fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known procedure for fried chicken in English is obscured in one of the most famed cooking books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse known as The Art of cookery Made Plain and Easy. Her recipe had a strange name called “To Marinate Chickens” which was first available in 1747. The book was a success in the England and more importantly in the American Colonies.
Here is the original procedure...
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 2 eeg yolkssome melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together thoroughly, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a fine deal of pork shorteningwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of a fine browncolour and serve them on your plate with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemons and a superior gravy. In the present day, 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 process has travelled worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
