TheScottish immigrantsfrom the southern states of America had a tradition of deep frying poultry in lard and even previously they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The migrants from Scotland would often labor, live and eat with the African slaves and this lead to the Africans adding some extra seasonings to the dish andbuildingtheir own versionof crispy deep-fried chicken. These Africans later went on to become thecooksin many a Southern American family where crispy deep-fried chicken became a prevalent staple. They also observed that it travelled well inhotweather conditions in the times before refrigeration was everyday so was consumed on almost every day basis as they journeyed to the cotton fields to work. Since, it has become the region’s best optionfor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a chap named James Boswell who wrote alogin 1773 named “record of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his journal he noted that at meals the local folks would eat fricassee of capon which he went on to say “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 crispy deep-fried chicken we will probably never know but the earliest known recipe for crispy deep-fried chicken in English is hidden away in one of the most prominent cooking books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse called The Art of cooking Made Plain and Easy. Her procedure had a strange name called “To Marinate Chickens” which was first released in 1747. The book was a success in the United kingdom and more importantly in the US 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 eggsa little melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together very well, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a first-rate 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 lemons and a first-rate gravy. Today, we have changed 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 mix has walked worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
