DEEP FAT FRYING
BASICS
Deep frying is one of surest ways of locking
in flavor and developing great texture (also known as "crunch")
in cooking.
The premise of deep-frying is simple. Food,
usually battered (to keep the food's surface moisture from coming
into contact with the hot oil, which would cause splattering),
is added to a pot of hot fat. The fat immediately surrounds the
food and cooks it from all sides, creating an exterior layer
that seals in the food's flavors and juices inside. The fat temperature
determines how long the food will take to cook through on the
inside and become golden and crisp on the outside. When prepared
properly, deep-fried foods absorb much less fat than you would
expect.
First, be sure to read the recipe all the
way through before starting. Take the time to gather all the
ingredients and cooking equipment you'll need.
Be sure to choose a pan that's larger in
circumference than the heat source. Because oil catches fire
easily you want to avoid spilling it altogether. But mistakes
do happen and working with a pan that's larger than the burner
you're working on will ensure if any oil accidentally spills
over there is less of a chance it will drip down the sides and
catch fire. Also by using a pan that's wider than it is deep
will ensure you can fry more than you can in a narrower but deeper
pan. Many experts feel a Dutch oven made of seasoned cast iron
is ideal.
Always use clean, fresh oil. Although chefs
will debate the merits of vegetable versus peanut oil (not to
mention the more costly virgin or pomace olive oils) one thing
they all agree upon is that food fried in old "stale"
oil, especially oil in which a pungent food like fish has been
fried in, can never taste quite as good as fresh.
Never fill your pot more than half full
of oil. Remember you'll need at least 3 inches between the surface
of the oil and the top of the pot to allow room for the oil to
bubble up.
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