When did deep frying come along?

[BillinOregon]

Living as I do in the land of fried chicken, I got to wondering when this technique became widespread. I don't recall reading about it in the 18th century, but have read accounts of chuckwagon cooks famous for their "bear sign" -- a donut-like pastry fried in oil -- drawing cowboys from miles around, post-Civil War.

 

[Bark-eater]

Living as I do in the land of fried chicken, I got to wondering when this technique became widespread. I don't recall reading about it in the 18th century, but have read accounts of chuckwagon cooks famous for their "bear sign" -- a donut-like pastry fried in oil -- drawing cowboys from miles around, post-Civil War.

Well.. you could track down the earliest occurrence of the cast iron "Chicken fryer" Mines a #8 and the only other mark on it is a small #2.

 

[Juice Jaws]

Living as I do in the land of fried chicken, I got to wondering when this technique became widespread. I don't recall reading about it in the 18th century, but have read accounts of chuckwagon cooks famous for their "bear sign" -- a donut-like pastry fried in oil -- drawing cowboys from miles around, post-Civil War.

When was the Colonel born ??

 

[Tumbledown]

Popular for at least 4000 years in some form or another, apparently.

History of Deep Frying

 

[tenngun]

Popular for at least 4000 years in some form or another, apparently.

History of Deep Frying

I was going to say Egyptians were doing it. Japanese liked it
Romans are known for a few dishes of it including a cheese cake. Then later occasional Christians. French liked it too, and Swiss loved it.

 

[BillinOregon]

Reading that Wiki article, it appears that deep frying took off in the South in the early 19th century with the availability of cast iron cooking vessels, although the concept is ancient. French fries arose in the late 18th century, fish and chips in London in 1860.

 

[Brokennock]

Living as I do in the land of fried chicken, I got to wondering when this technique became widespread. I don't recall reading about it in the 18th century, but have read accounts of chuckwagon cooks famous for their "bear sign" -- a donut-like pastry fried in oil -- drawing cowboys from miles around, post-Civil War.

Interesting question.
Apparently frying or deep frying may be older than European settlement in the Americas. So, I guess the question is why it doesn't seem to have been a common thing here until post-revolution? Could it be a lack of large volumes of suitable oil/fat?
I recall a quote from something related to English Army practices in the American Colonies suggesting that all food be boiled to minimize illness. Related? I don't know...

I've always wondered how the fish was cooked when Christ performed his loaves and fishes miracle....

 

[andy52]

I have a couple of reproduction cookbooks from the 18th century and they have several recipes for fried chicken.

 

[Loyalist Dave]

Living as I do in the land of fried chicken, I got to wondering when this technique became widespread. I don't recall reading about it in the 18th century, but have read accounts of chuckwagon cooks famous for their "bear sign" -- a donut-like pastry fried in oil -- drawing cowboys from miles around, post-Civil War.

To fry Onions
Take some large onions, peel them, and cut them into slices, about a quarter of an inch thick; then dip these slices into batter, or an egg beaten, without breaking 'them, and fry them of a nice brown.
From: The Frugal Housewife by Susannah Carter, 1796


To fry Flat Fish.
Dry the fish well in a cloth, rub them over with the yolk of an egg, and dust over some flour: let your oil, butter, lard, or dripping be ready to boil before you put in the fish; fry them off with a quick fire, and let them be of a fine brown.

Before you dish them up, lay them upon a drainer before the fire sloping, for two or three minutes, which will prevent their eating greasy.

AND...

Good Fritters
Mix half a pint of good cream very thick with flour, beat six eggs leaving out four whites ; add six spoonfuls of sack, and strain them into the cream ; put in a little grated nutmeg, ginger, cinnamon, and salt ; then put in another half pint of cream and beat the batter near an hour; pare and slice your apples thin, dip every piece in the batter, and throw them into a pan with boiling lard.
From: The Frugal Housewife by Susannah Carter, 1803 edition.

LD

 

[BillinOregon]

"Beat the batter near an hour." Gracious!

 

[Loyalist Dave]

"Beat the batter near an hour." Gracious!

No chemical leavening = trying to froth some air into the batter. Maryland Beaten Biscuits are the same idea.

LD

 

[Captndan]

Thank God for Kitchen Aide.

 

[Master Blaster]

 

[BillinOregon]

Leave it to Jonathan!