Fried food is delicious, and making it at home allows you to fry anything you want at a much lower price point than buying pre-fried foods. The process of frying itself can be complicated, however, and imperfect technique can make your fried foods soggy and gross, or sometimes even inedible. With some precautions and informed choices, your food will taste great and provide that perfect fried crunch.
1. Choice of Oil
According to Chef Will Made It, if you’re not sure what oil you need, standard vegetable oil is always an inexpensive, functional option. You can consider other oils with high smoke points, such as peanut oil and canola oil. The specific oil you choose should be based on personal preference since there is not much of a functional difference in frying with these high smoke point oils. Avoid using olive oil for deep frying if at all possible. It has a relatively low smoke point, which leads to overheating and improperly cooked fried foods.
2. Batter is Everything
The seasonings in your batter will vary quite a bit depending on what you’re making, but there are a few tips that apply to basically every frying batter you’ll use. Always make batter fresh for the best results. Having a well mixed batter that hasn’t settled or thickened at all is essential for serving as a cushion to protect the food from the oil. Leave the batter sitting for no more than a few hours, otherwise it’ll start to thicken. You’ll also want to whisk the batter frequently to keep it light and aerated, which will help give the final fried product a soft crunch.
3. Maintain the Temperature
The perfect temperature for frying foods is generally between 350°F (176°C) and 375°F (190°C). If the temperature is too low, foods that have finished frying will be oily and soggy. If the temperature is too high, foods will either be burned or will be raw and uncooked in the center. Having a deep fry thermometer is essential to ensuring all of your fried foods are cooked properly. Dropping too much food into the oil can lower the temperature of the oil dramatically, so ensure you fry in batches.
4. Fry Safely
There are a lot of mistakes that can cause oil to splatter, and this can cause some pretty uncomfortable burns. One of the most frequent mistakes cooks make is not drying the food before they flour and batter it. Moisture on meats will interact poorly with the hot oil and cause a lot of splatter. Also, if the oil starts smoking, turn down the temperature immediately. Grease fires are very dangerous, and should be put out with baking soda and covered with the lid of the pot you’re frying in. Great thing that Chef Will Made it shares to never try to put out a grease fire using water, as this will cause the flaming grease to splash and essentially explode.
5. Clean Up Properly
Did you know that you can reuse your oil the next time you deep fry? You can automatically filter the oil using your dedicated deep fryer if you have one, or you can just strain it through a cheesecloth. Store it in a closed container away from the light, and your oil can actually last for about three uses or a few months if not used otherwise. Ensure that it doesn’t have a foul smell and that it’s not cloudy, and it’s perfectly fine to use for deep frying again. When it comes time to dispose of your oil, do not dump it in the sink. Seal it in a closed container and throw it in the trash.
Deep frying can be nerve-wracking, but with a few precautions, it’s actually a simple, easy process. Staying alert and using common sense should be about all you need for a safe experience. By using proper ingredients and techniques, you’ll achieve restaurant-quality fried foods at a fraction of the price.
About Chef Will Made It
Chef Will Made It is a friendly, enthusiastic Chef with 15 years of specialization in high volume fine dining and a lifetime of experience making delicious home cooked meals. He loves how cooking enables him to express himself and has become a well recognized figure in the culinary world with over 20,000,000 views on Youtube and 3 highly-anticipated cookbooks in production.
Chef Will Made It provides his private chef services to a-list celebrity families, famous athletes, and movie stars in Southern California and around the world. He loves taking pleasure in the smiles and happiness of people enjoying the meals he has created. As a natural leader, Chef Will Made It is a reliable team player and has a proven track record of making great food that entices his diners and leaves them wanting more.
For more information, follow Chef Will Made It on social media via the links below or join his growing fan club family for sneak peeks of his favorite seasonal and holiday recipes and for more updates.
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