Deep-Fat Frying



Success in deep-fat frying depends in large part on the temperarure of the cooking oil - it must be hot enough so that the food does not absorb the oil and become greasy but not so hot that the outside burns before the interior is fully cooked. The optimum cooking temperature may vary from between 180 C (350 F) and 200 C (400 F), depending on the size of the food being cooked (larger foods requiring a slightly lower temperature). An accurate deey-fat thermometer will take the guesswork out of frying. Use a large, deep saucepan to deep-fry and never fill it more than one-third full with the oil, which may bubble up when the food is added. At Le Cordon Bleu, peanut oil is always used for deep-fat frying because it does not burn easily at high temperatures. Vegetable or corn oil also works well. To maintain the oil at a constant temperature, always deep-fry small batches of food - frying too much at a time will lower the temperature of the oil.