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.