Classic Wines

Getting the Most Out of Fried Food

To fry or not to fry, or to eat fried foods, or not to eat fried foods - such a dilemma! Fried foods are satisfactory, especially in calming post-Phillies party hangovers! Fried foods are visually appealing, too - golden and crunchy - you see something fried, and you want it because you know it's bad. Fried foods are like the bad boy/girl we all wanted to date in high school - they're naughty, rebellious, and satisfying! For those who love the naughty image of fried foods, stop reading now for this column may kill your self-indulgent buzz. For the rest of us who feel guilty after eating chicken fingers, let me assure you, it's not that bad... that is, of course, if the foods are fried properly.

The truth is that properly fried foods contain about as much fat as foods sautéed or stir-fried. Deep frying is considered a dry cooking method (a cooking method conducting heat through air or fat, other types of dry cooking methods are baking, sautéing, and grilling). The high heat from the oil heats the moisture in the food making it steam, the steam pushes outwards (that's what all those little bubbles are), and prevents the absorption of all that fat. The food's surface area will dictate how much oil is in the food.

A few precautionary methods need to be taken into consideration for deep-frying:

1. Keep small children and pets out of the kitchen - this should be standard, but it is especially important when dealing with hot oil. All burns are horrible, but hot oil (and caramel) burns are the worst because they continue to cook your skin after the initial contact. I know for a fact that oil burns suck. Repeat. Oil burns suck and hurt a lot, and could send you, your loved ones, and/or your pets to the hospital. Respect your kitchen, respect hot oil.



2. Do not wear shirts with dangly, long sleeves as they could catch on fire, and make sure your stove is clear of combustible items.



3. Most oils begin to burn at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. If the stove is on, do not leave oil unattended, and do not heat oil with high heat - a gradual heating is key. Grease fires are dangerous. If you see the oil smoking, kill the heat. If your oil is on fire, kill the heat from below and COVER the pot/pan to prevent oxygen from feeding the fire further. Whatever you do, do not attempt to move the flaming pot. Do not attempt to move hot oil period.



4. To avoid grease fire, choose oils with a high burning point, such as canola oil, and get yourself a spiffy food thermometer. If you like fun gadgets, the electronic food thermometers are loads of fun!



5. Monitor the temperature frequently.



6. A fire extinguisher should be the last choice in case of a grease fire (it could spread a small fire), but it's still a valuable tool in your kitchen.



7. Fill your pot/fryer no more than half-way.



8. Try to remove extra moisture from food, and as many of you know, do not add water to hot oil because it makes the oil pop (those are actually explosions).



9. Proper frying temperatures are as follows:




• 325 degrees Fahrenheit for heavy battered items


• 350 degrees Fahrenheit for breaded items


• 375 degrees Fahrenheit for French fries

While there are a million tips for how to fry out there, here are the most important ones:

1. Use cooler oil (325 degrees) for colder food items.



2. Place food items on a wire rack to dry out and remove extra moisture, or blot them dry with paper towels before frying.



3. Place foods into the hot oil with long spoons or metal tongues gradually.



4. Do not overcrowd the pot, as it will lower the oil temperature and increase the amount of oil absorbed by your food. Also, wait a little between batches so that you give the oil time to get back up to the desired temperature.



5. Keep an eye on the temperature, and keep an eye on the food - just because the recipe says five minutes, it doesn't mean that it will be done in five minutes. Food will be done when it's done, and in this case, it'll probably look golden brown. If the food looks golden brown, but it's still raw, your oil temperature may be too hot. Finish the food in the oven (at 350 degrees it should take no more than 2 minutes), and lower the oil temperature.



6. Have fun frying stuff, and after you are done with the oil, let it cool, put it in a container and toss it (forget the drain), or strain it, put it in an air-tight container and store it away from light (toss it if it begins to smell or turns brown, though).

For those of you who decide to fry something, please batter and deep fry an Oreo or two for me, will you? That's probably one of the best foods on this planet!