Deep frying is very simple to do, and allows you to cook all those foods that you would otherwise have had to buy pre-cooked. You can also control the amount of fat and sodium that ends up in your food, making it healthier than fast food. Donuts, tempura, falafel, chicken, french fries… Aren't you hungry?
Steps
Part 1 of 4: Organization
Step 1. Get your tool:
pan, saucepan, pot, or deep fryer. Some say that the wok is the simplest to use, especially because it causes less damage, the corner walls are able to fend off a lot of splashes and give the oil more room to expand if things go wrong. But any pot with a rim of about 10cm will do the trick.
For the purposes of this article, let's consider the fact that you don't cook with an immersion fryer. If you do, you'd better read the instruction booklet attached to that particular model. It will probably say something like “Turn it on. Fill it up to the temple. Put the food inside”. It will be very direct
Step 2. Take the sugar thermometer or frying thermometer, tongs, frying basket, wooden spoon or deep frying spoon, do not shake
Here are the reasons why these things are recommended but not necessary:
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In many places you will find that the thermometer is "necessary, necessary, necessary". The oil must be around 150 ° (depending on the recipe) and the only way to check it is to use a thermometer. However, if you don't have one, you can use a wooden spoon. If you put the tip of the spoon in the oil and you see that bubbles appear around it, then the oil is ready.
However, if you are thinking of making this type of frying a habit, you'd better invest in a thermometer
- The tongs, a frying pan and a deep-frying spoon are needed above all for your safety. The last thing you would like is for some hot oil to end up on your skin, and these tools give you an extra hand. But they are not necessary for the process, no.
Step 3. Choose your oil
What you will need is a "neutral" oil with a high smoke point. The best choices are peanut oil, soybean, grapeseed, sunflower and pecan seeds. What is the best? This is a matter of preference.
- Can I use olive oil? Well, of course, as long as you don't mind the taste and keep it below 150 °. Olive oil has a lower smoke point (meaning it burns more easily) than most oils.
- Canola oil and other vegetable oils are fine, and are also an economical option. If you are broke, this is an ideal option.
- If you fry pasta, use fat or lard, you will get crisper and less greasy foods. Non-hydrogenated lard is the best quality lard.
Part 2 of 4: Frying the Food
Step 1. Fill the chosen container with oil
How much will you need? Well, it depends on what you are frying and how big your pot is. A good rule of thumb is: just enough to submerge the food in half. But if you have enough space and enough oil, aim for complete immersion.
If your pan has low edges, fill it halfway. A couple of inches of space are needed for the inevitable sketches
Step 2. Heat the oil to the desired temperature
The temperature should be between 150 ° and 190 ° (° C, of course). It should correspond to a medium-high flame. If it is lower it will not brown, if it is higher it will burn before being cooked.
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If you don't have a thermometer and don't trust the wooden spoon method, you can use a couple of other techniques. A pinch of flour sizzles nicely and won't burn if the temperature is optimal. Even a popcorn opens smoothly. And if you want, you can test a piece of the food you want to fry. If the oil is too cold, it sinks and stays there. If it is too hot it does not even break the surface.
But, again, using a thermometer is better. These are not super scientific methods
Step 3. Make sure the food is not moist before placing it in the pan
Putting water in hot oil is anything but a good idea. It can blow up the oil and, in the worst case scenario, make it overflow. Do you need other reasons? Frying consists in removing all the water from the food. If it is wet, you will get softer food. So pat it down before you put it in.
Step 4. Pour the food into the oil gently, a little at a time
A tongs or a basket can help prevent splashes, but if you don't have them you can just go easy and put them by hand. For long or wide pieces of food, try placing the bottom in the oil and on the side that is not facing you, make sure that each splash or spray is directed somewhere else.
- Many beginners get scared and end up throwing food into the pan from above. In two words: bad idea. It will splash everywhere! You have to immerse the food as close to the pan as possible. If you have a long food, submerge it slowly, and let it go only when it is completely inside the oil.
- If you throw away all the food at once, the oil temperature will drop considerably. Instead, try to take it slow, one piece at a time.
Step 5. Keep the food moving to prevent it from sticking
You will want the oil to be on all sides of the food. If pieces stick together, they won't be able to split easily. Make sure each piece has its own space for better and crispier frying.
It is a good idea to keep food moving also to keep the oil warm. Food at room temperature lowers the temperature of the oil, so moving it prevents the formation of pockets of cold oil
Step 6. Wait, but don't go anywhere
Some pieces of food take thirty seconds, while others take a few minutes. If you fry a bowling ball you will need a few more minutes, but it usually doesn't take long for traditional foods like chicken, donuts and fries. To find out if the food is ready you can:
- Observe it. If it's a brownish gold, it means it's cooked, but you'll need to make sure it's cooked inside as well, especially if you're cooking something large.
- Put a thermometer in it. Some thermometers come with an internal temperature detector that tells you when a specific food is cooked.
- Put a toothpick in it. If it goes soft, it's probably cooked. Some foods need better verification.
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Taste it. If it tastes cooked, it should be cooked. Only do this when the food actually feels edible. Foods such as eggs may require proper cooking before being tasted.
Also make sure it has cooled down! A burned tongue cannot determine whether a food is delicious or not
Step 7. Remove your foods from the oil carefully when cooked and place them on absorbent paper
The skimmer will give you a nice hand at this stage, or you can use tongs or a spoon. Just don't use your fingers!
Make sure you turn off the flame. Oil flare-ups are not fun. While we're at it, it's best to smother them with baking soda, a damp cloth, or a fire extinguisher. Don't try to escape all over the house with the pan in hand
Part 3 of 4: Pour and Clean
Step 1. Put the food to strain before eating it to remove all excess oil
That's what blotting paper is for. You could put it on a metal rack, but the action of the blotting paper will be more effective.
- Be sure to let the food run out from all sides to prevent it from becoming moist. Blot all sides and turn it over, change the absorbent paper if necessary.
- If you are worried about the food getting cold, you can keep it in the oven at a low temperature (65-90 ° C) to keep it warm. This is a good idea if you wait for the rest of the meal to finish cooking.
Step 2. Season it while it is still warm
This is soooo up to you. Salt? Pepper? Cumin, paprika, dill, curry, garlic, lemon? You can also omit this step if you want! But if you want to season them, know that you have to do it now. The aroma is better absorbed when the food is still hot.
Step 3. Store the oil
Don't throw it in the sink! Do not do it! It is bad for the sink pipes and the environment, and you can reuse it next time! Use a skimmer to remove any solid remnants that are left (throw them away, they are carcinogenic). Pour the oil (when it cools) into a cup, then pour it into a container or bottle and place it in the refrigerator to keep it safe. You can use the same oil many times and your food will still taste good.
- Skeptical? Don't be. You will know exactly 100% when the oil has gone bad. It will turn dark brown and smell awful. If that's the case, keep it in its container and throw it away.
- Never throw hot oil in a plastic garbage bag. It just means looking for trouble. Always wait for the oil to cool before doing anything with it.
Part 4 of 4: A few dishes
Step 1. Make French Fries
One of the simplest and most basic dishes to make with this method are French fries. It's hard not to be able to cook them and the total volume gives you plenty of opportunities to perfect your practice. Then even fry some potato chips or potato pancakes at home!
Are you fed up with classic French fries? Why don't you try some sweet potato fries?
Step 2. Fry the turkey in immersion
The turkey, when deep fried, can be ready in less than 45 minutes. If you want to give your meal an edge, here is the recipe!
Step 3. Make fried ice cream
You have surely heard of those restaurants that advertise fried ice cream and you have surely asked yourself "but how the hell do they do it?" Now you can do it yourself! You will be the soul of every party, with your hot and cold powers!
You can do it with ice creams of all kinds and flavors. You don't have to do it with vanilla if you don't want to
Step 4. Fry the cheese
You can do it in the most sophisticated way you see fit. You can decide to turn your cheese strips into homemade morsels, or have some fun with fried French cheese for a nice hors d'oeuvre. Doesn't matter what your path is, fried cheese? Buooooono.
You can use sauces to dip them in, but jam also has its why
Step 5. Fry a Snicker bar
That's right, it's time to test your cholesterol. You may have heard of it at some village fair, but you may have thought it was just a myth. Now you can find chocolate bars from the comfort of your home! Quick, what excuse do you have for throwing a party this weekend? Everyone can bring their favorite bar and have a nice evening! Ah, we are at an insurmountable limit of technology.
If it can be battered, it can be fried. Don't stop at chocolate bars. Fried pizza? Fried bread? Fried lasagna? FRIED STRAWBERRIES ??? You are about to hunt yourself in dangerous waters, experiment with everything that comes your way
Advice
- Check the oil temperature from time to time after adding or removing food and increase or decrease the flame accordingly, or, even better, get an immersion frying thermometer that always keeps you updated on the oil temperature.
- Season immediately after removing the food from the oil
- Always leave at least 5-7 centimeters of space from the top of the pot, to prevent the oil from overflowing when food is added.
- The more oil you use, the more constant its temperature will be, and the longer it will take to warm up or cool down.
- To remove the solid parts with a skimmer, mix the oil in one direction, then use the skimmer in the other direction and collect all the pieces.
- The food you fry should all be the same shape to fry evenly.
Warnings
- When filling the pan, try to infer the volume of the food you are putting in. If the food expands the oil to the point of overflowing and ending up on the flame, you will have to manage the fire.
- The oil and the food will be very hot. Depending on the oil you use, you could blow up the pan if the temperature is too high. In other words, buy a thermometer if you don't use a pan made for frying.
- Never pour water or ice into the oil, otherwise it will become uncontrollable.
- Do not use plastic or rubber tools for hot oil.
- The oil splashes and can burn you, so pour the food gently and use a very large spoon or cover your arms, but remember that the oil stains.
- Metal objects can get very hot
- Do not strain or serve fried food on newspaper for any reason. The ink comes off (fat soluble) and is toxic. There is a good reason why it has been made illegal.
- Make sure there are no flammable objects in the area where you are frying.
- Don't crowd the pot. Food wouldn't fry well.
