TheScrotish migrantsfrom the southern states of America had a custom of deep frying chicken pieces in fat and even prior to this they used to fry fritters in the middle ages.
The Scrotish migrants would often work, live and eat with the African slaves and this lead to the Africans adding some more spices to the recipe andproducingtheir own interpretationof Southern Fried Chicken.
These Africans later evolved to be thecaterersin many a Southern American household where deep-fried chicken became a ordinary staple.
This is said to have come from a fellow known as James Boswell who wrote ajournalin 1773 known as “record of a Tour to the Hebrides”.
In his journal he noted that at an evening meal the local people would eat fricassee of pullet which he went on to say “crispy fried chicken or something like that”.
What he in actual fact heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not deep-fried chicken but you could say that where it was first named.They also discovered that it lasted well well inwarmclimate prior to refrigeration was commonplace so was consumed on almost a daily basis as they travelled to the cotton fields to work.
Since, it has become the region’s top choicefor just about any occasion.
The very true origins of 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 recognized cooking books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse called The Art of culinary Made Plain and Easy.
Her process had a strange name called “To Marinate Chickens” which was first in print in 1747. The book was a success in the England and more importantly in the Usa Colonies.
Here is the original recipe...
Cut two chickens into quarters; marinate 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 well, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a superior deal of hogs lardwhich must boil first before you put your fowl in. Let them be of bronze incolour and place them on your plate with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon wedges and a good quality gravy. Nowadays, we have changed the hog fat with Rapeseed oil which contains 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 mix has went worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
