Theimmigrants from Scotlandfrom the southern states of America had a tradition of deep frying poultry in lard and even prior to this they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The migrants from Scotland would often labor, live and eat with the African Americans and this lead to the Africans adding some other seasoning to the mix andmakingtheir own presentationof crispy fried chicken. These Africans later evolved to be thecaterersin many a Southern American house where crispy deep-fried chicken became a typical staple. They also learned that it transported well inwarmweather in the times before refrigeration was prevalent so was enjoyed on almost a daily basis as they walked to the cotton fields to labor. Since then it has become the south's top choicefor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a chap named James Boswell who wrote ajournalin 1773 called “record of a Tour to the Hebrides”. In his diary he noted that at dinner the local people would eat fricassee of hen which he went on to say “fried chicken or something like that”. What he in actuality heard was the Scottish dish Friars Chicken, not crispy 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 food for fried chicken in English is hidden away in one of the most celebrated cooking books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse named The Art of culinary Made Plain and Easy. Her procedure had a strange name named “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 eggssome melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together well, dip yourchicken piecesin 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 a fine browncolour and arrange them on your dish with a garnish of fried parsley. Serve with lemon slices and a first-class gravy. In the present day, 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 formula has went worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.
