Homemade KFC Chicken Wings
Theimmigrants from Scotlandfrom the southern states of Usa had a tradition of deep frying chicken pieces in lard and even further back they used to fry fritters in the middle ages. The Scottish immigrants would often work, live and eat with the indentured Africans and this lead to the Africans adding some new spices to the mix andgeneratingtheir own presentationof crispy deep-fried chicken. These Africans later became thecooksin many a Southern American family where crispy fried chicken became a typical staple.
They also found that it journeyed well inwarmweather before refrigeration was everyday so was consumed on almost an every day basis as they went to the cotton fields to labor. Since, it has become the southern state's best optionfor just about any occasion.
This is said to have come from a guy named James Boswell who wrote alogin 1773 known as âlog of a Tour to the Hebridesâ. In his log he noted that at an evening meal the locals would eat fricassee of poultry which he went on to say âfried chicken or something like thatâ. What he in fact 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 deep-fried chicken in English is obscured in one of the most eminent cooking books of the 18th century by Hannah Glasse called The Art of cookery Made Plain and Easy. Her formula had a strange name known as âTo Marinate Chickensâ which was first released in 1747. The book was a hit in the England and more importantly in the US Colonies.
Here is the original procedure...
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 2 eeg yolksa little melted butter and nutmeg. Beat it all together thoroughly, dip yourfowlsin the batter and fry them in a good 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 cut lemon and a superior 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. Itâs amazing to think how far this food has walked worldwide and how different cultures have adopted their own versions.