Virginia Housewife Frontier Chicken (1824)
Found Along The Way
Long before fried chicken became a Southern staple, Mary Randolph was writing recipes for frontier kitchens in her 1824 cookbook The Virginia Housewife. Her simple method is believed to be the earliest published fried chicken recipe in the United States. Nearly two hundred years later, it still proves that good food doesn't need to be complicated—just honest ingredients, a hot skillet, and a little patience.
Gene Dog reckons some recipes survive this long for a reason.
Virginia Housewife Frontier Chicken (1824)
Mary Randolph's The Virginia House-Wife was published in 1824 and is one of the first American cookbooks. Her fried chicken recipe is the earliest published recipe for fried chicken in the United States. Simple, hearty and made for frontier life.
The Inventory
- 1 whole chicken (3½–4 lbs), cut into pieces
- 1½ cups all-purpose flour
- Salt to taste
- Pepper (optional)
- Lard or vegetable oil for frying
- Fresh parsley, fried until crisp
- Cornmeal mush fritters or hush puppies
The Drill
- Cut chicken into serving pieces and pat dry.
- Season lightly with salt.
- Dredge thoroughly in flour.
- Heat lard or oil to approximately 350–375°F.
- Fry until golden brown and cooked through.
- Drain and rest briefly.
- Serve with fried parsley and cornmeal fritters.
