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Fried Chicken

A historical recipe from Housekeeping in Old Virginia, by Marion Cabell Tyree (1878).

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A historical recipe

Housekeeping in Old Virginia, by Marion Cabell Tyree (1878). Project Gutenberg eBook #42450.

From an old book: a historical recipe, not current advice. Its methods, additives and storage may be unsafe by today's standards.

United States

Known as an American recipe, with similar versions prepared across other nations.

Ingredients 3 ingredients

  1. a teacup of milk
  2. a teaspoonful of butter
  3. a saltspoon of salt

Cook safely

Keep children and pets away from the hob and the oven, and keep oven gloves and a lid within reach.

  • Hot oil. Never put water on an oil fire: turn off the heat and cover the pan with a lid or a damp tea towel. Pat food dry before it goes into hot oil, and lower it in gently, away from you.
  • Boiling water and steam. Turn pan handles inward, away from the edge of the hob. Lift lids away from you, and pour hot water away from your body: steam burns too.
  • Sharp knives. Cut on a board that doesn't slip (a damp cloth under it helps), and curl the fingers of the hand that holds the food.

Method

  1. This dish is best when the chicken is killed the same day it is fried.
  2. Cut off the wings and legs, cut the breast in two, and also the back.
  3. Wash well and throw in weak salt and water, to extract the blood.
  4. Let it remain for half an hour or more.
  5. Take from the water, drain and dry with a clean towel, half an hour before dinner.
  6. Lay on a dish, sprinkle a little salt over it, and sift flour thickly first on one side and then on the other, letting it remain long enough for the flour to stick well.
  7. Have ready on the frying-pan some hot lard, in which lay each piece carefully, not forgetting the liver and gizzard.
  8. Cover closely and fry till a fine amber color.
  9. Then turn over each piece and cover well again, taking care to have the chicken well done, yet not scorched.
  10. Take the chicken up and lay in a hot dish near the fire.
  11. Pour into the gravy a teacup of milk, a teaspoonful of butter, a saltspoon of salt, and one of pepper.
  12. Let it boil up and pour into the dish, but not over the chicken.
  13. Put curled parsley round the edge of the dish and serve.--Mrs.
  14. S.
  15. T.

Plating

Cookware for this recipe

  • Frying pan
  • Saucepan
  • Chef's knife
  • Spatula
  • Sieve
  • Colander
Source Public domain in the USA
Credit

From Housekeeping in Old Virginia, by Marion Cabell Tyree (1878). Digitised by Project Gutenberg, eBook #42450 (https://www.gutenberg.org/ebooks/42450). Public domain in the USA; its status may differ elsewhere.

What was changed: As printed, from the book's text; Project Gutenberg's header and licence removed. Ingredient lines were read out of the text by a program. A historical recipe, not current advice.