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Well, I found out the difference between deep fat frying and pan frying (as opposed to searing or sauteing). I love fish when I can get it and I love fried fish. So since the nearest Long Jon Silver's is about 40 miles away, I tried to fry my own fish.
Now I hate breaded and baked fish which is as limp as as a cooked noodle. I like the fried kind, where you can sink your teeth into them and hear a crackle when you bite. So I decided to experiment and found out that a wet batter can only be done if you are going to deep fat fry. If you are going to pan fry, that's when you can dip the chicken or fish in flour and then dip it in egg and drop it into the pan (or however it's done). Do it the other way around and your chicken with flour in a deep fat fryer will curdle your chicken and a fish with wet batter dropped into a fry pan, even with an inch of oil, is going to disintegrate.
So if I want something seared or heated up, I saute or sear it. If I want something cooked, I pan fry it. If I want something crunchy, I deep fat fry it. And no, so far I have found no method whatsoever that allows me to put something in the oven and have it come out as crispy as deep fat fried. No, no, and no. The only time something comes out of my oven crispy is when I burn the cookies or char the tortillas I'm warming up and forget about.
^ Tip: If you want your baked chicken (or fish) to have a crisp to it, during the last 10-15 minutes or so, put the baking tray on mid/upper rack and set the oven to High Broil. Monitor it so it doesn't burn. Voila. I do it all the time with chicken.
i'd disagree with most of the comments here. if you deep fry at high enough temperature, ie 350-375 degrees, and make sure the oil is drained from the food lifting the basket or dropped on paper towels, you get a less greasy product. when pan frying with oil you're cooking the food onto a metal surface, and the oil seeps into the food.
if you've ever deep fried breaded chicken vs pan fry or french fries, you'll know pan frying soaks up lots of oil.
IMO, the type of oil you use is more important than how much oil you use. I've found that the best and healthiest oil to use for frying is organic coconut oil. I buy the "extra virgin" type for using fresh and use the expeller-pressed for frying since it withstands higher temperatures and doesn't contribute a coconut smell or taste. I've fried with every other oil there is on the market and nothing compares to coconut oil. All the others are pretty unhealthy and they're hard to clean up after (nasty film left in the pan even after it's washed). When I fry with coconut oil, the pan takes on a nice non-stick surface--even after I've washed the pan a couple times. In fact, my cast iron skillet is becoming even more seasoned because I use it to fry corn tortillas for tostados. Conversely, the sticky gummy nature of "vegetable" oils makes the pan a nasty mess even after several washings. I don't like to think about what those oils might do in my body. Lol.
As others have mentioned, temperature plays a key role in frying foods, no matter what oil you use. I never fry below 350 F, and I usually wait until the oil reaches 375 degrees. I fry in small batches and then allow the food to drain. I wait a minute between batches to make sure the oil is back up to temp before I start a new batch. Turns out nice and crispy every time with no extra oil absorbed besides what it takes to cook it. I use a thermometer to measure the oil's temperature since I find that to be more accurate than holding my hand over the pan (though that does work in a pinch if you know how to judge the temp that way).
Can you reuse the oil? How do you store it for the next use?
Having to fill then thriw away the large amount of oil is one of the reasons I've never purchased a deep fat fryer,
I've found that this depends on the kind of oil you use and what foods you're frying. I use high-quality organic expeller-pressed coconut oil and I'm currently only frying corn tortillas in this batch I'm saving. Not once have I "thrown out" any of the oil I started with. I just keep adding to it. Now, if I were frying fish it would be different. Strong-smelling foods will infuse into the oil and you might not want to use it again for anything other than that particular food.
I use a "grease catcher" can to store my used coconut oil. It's one of those stainless steel cans with a strainer and a lid. With my tortillas, I don't need to use the strainer because there aren't any solids to separate. I always use it when frying other things like battered tempura or whatever. The solids can make the oil go rancid quicker.
Oh, and if you use coconut oil and it's the middle of winter, make sure you pour the oil into your storage can while it's still warm since coconut oil solidifies at around 76 F. I forgot one time and had to reheat the oil in the pan so I could transfer it.
I've found that this depends on the kind of oil you use and what foods you're frying. I use high-quality organic expeller-pressed coconut oil and I'm currently only frying corn tortillas in this batch I'm saving. Not once have I "thrown out" any of the oil I started with. I just keep adding to it. Now, if I were frying fish it would be different. Strong-smelling foods will infuse into the oil and you might not want to use it again for anything other than that particular food.
I use a "grease catcher" can to store my used coconut oil. It's one of those stainless steel cans with a strainer and a lid. With my tortillas, I don't need to use the strainer because there aren't any solids to separate. I always use it when frying other things like battered tempura or whatever. The solids can make the oil go rancid quicker.
Oh, and if you use coconut oil and it's the middle of winter, make sure you pour the oil into your storage can while it's still warm since coconut oil solidifies at around 76 F. I forgot one time and had to reheat the oil in the pan so I could transfer it.
This is not a good practice. You can filter it, but you still have to change it periodically especially in deep fryers.
I never deep fry at home. I don't like the mess, smell, and I don't like wasting so much oil. I indulge in deep fried foods in restaurants, only.
I make a lot of oven fried foods like roasted potatoes and vegetables in olive oil, and frozen French fries. Are French fries better deep fried? Sure, but I can get them on any corner if I want.
I used to have a deep fryer and have to agree it is messy, but I still used it and loved every minute of the taste of the food. I saved the oil from time to time for a few times, then, yes, had to discard it; what a waste. That doesn't mean I am not tempted from time to time, not to get another one. I guess it depends on whether one wants the mess.
I used to have a deep fryer and have to agree it is messy, but I still used it and loved every minute of the taste of the food. I saved the oil from time to time for a few times, then, yes, had to discard it; what a waste. That doesn't mean I am not tempted from time to time, not to get another one. I guess it depends on whether one wants the mess.
I had a Fry Daddy, years ago, but I was so afraid of spilling hot oil, or reusing old oil, that I got rid of it.
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