Ido Fishman Shares Some Deep Fat Frying Tips

As more and more people are becoming health conscious nowadays, they do not want to deep fry foods. But, there is no denying that fried foods are downright delicious and sometimes, they are all you want to eat. If you are going to take in the calories, you need to ensure that the food is perfectly fried. How do you do that? Deep fat frying can be helpful in this regard. It is a dry heat cooking method and is named so because it doesn’t use any water, unlike microwaving, poaching, or simmering. You need to learn how to do it safely and in the right way.

Here are some deep fat frying tips shared by Ido Fishman that can come in handy for you:

• First and foremost, you have to be very careful when choosing your cooking oil. Ido Fishman recommends oils that have high smoke points. These are considered the best because you don’t have to worry about them breaking down at deep frying temperatures. Some of the choices you can explore, include sunflower oil, safflower oil, canola oil and peanut oil.
• The next step is to opt for a very heavy and deep skillet for frying purposes. Leave a headspace of about two inches when you add some oil to the cold pan. This will give you some safety margin when the oil begins bubbling up, as you add the food.
• Another tip shared by Ido Fishman is to ensure that the food you are planning to fry is dry. If it is not, you can always dry it yourself. Either coat it in bread crumbs or flour, or allow it to sit on paper towels. If you decide to coat the food, you should leave it on a wire rack for about 20 to 30 minutes. This will allow the coating to dry and set.
• Start heating the oil and keep the heat medium-high. Ido Fishman suggests that you use a deep fat frying thermometer if you have it. The ideal temperature is between 350 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit. In case you don’t have a thermometer, you can check it in another way as well. Drop a 1-inch cube of white bread into the oil. If it takes 60 seconds to brown, then the temperature of the oil would be about 365 degrees Fahrenheit.
• Make sure the pan is not overcrowded. Add the food carefully and leave plenty of space around each piece so it will cook evenly. Adding too much food at once will cause the oil’s temperature to drop. Rather than searing instantly, the food will end up absorbing fat.
• Chef Ido Fishman recommends that you watch the food carefully when it is cooking. The heat should be regulated for keeping the oil temperature between 350 and 375 F. When the food is done, use a heavy stainless steel sieve, or a slotted spoon to remove it. Put it on paper towels for draining.
• You can keep fried foods warm in a 200 F oven until you are done frying it all.
• One of the top tips by Ido Fishman is to keep water away from the oil because the two just don’t mix. Pouring water on the oil will cause the mixture to explode. If the oil starts smoking, or catches fire, you can use a cookie sheet or pan lid to cover it. Grease fires can be put out with baking soda.
• Always have a fire extinguisher handy in the kitchen, as you never know when it may be needed.
• While some people suggest straining and reusing the oil, Ido Fishman doesn’t recommend it. The oil has already started breaking down from the heat, which means trans fats have formed and these are unhealthy. Allow the oil to cool and discard it safely.

With these tips by Ido Fishman, you will be able to eat fried foods in a healthy way.