Deep-fried

[FRYING]

FRYING

Introduction

Deep fat - the name of the cooking fat and at the same time the cooking method in which this fat is used. Deep frying is usually melted lard from the inside, sometimes with the addition of vegetable oil, placed in a special deep fryer, resembling a soup tureen, but without a support leg, and brought to a quiet boil by overheating. Deep fat is always pre-strained before frying something in it. After frying, it is filtered again and reused. Therefore, the minimum dose of deep fat is 1 kg of lard or 1 liter of melted fat. When deep-fried, the food item or product is dipped into it as a whole, until it is completely immersed - either with a special spoon or on a special grid - and frying usually takes 1-2 minutes, and sometimes less. Deep-fried products have a flat, properly fried surface and a beautiful golden appearance, which is why deep-fried products are mainly used in restaurant kitchens.
From the "Culinary Dictionary" V. Pokhlebkin

Deep fat - fat for frying potatoes, fish, donuts, various products in the dough. You can recommend the following deep-fat composition: 30% baked lard, 30% baked beef lard, 40% refined vegetable oil (olive oil may be unrefined, but this is a matter of taste). A little ghee (3-5%) can be added to give the deep fat a good taste.
Nowadays, just any vegetable oil is often used as deep fat - in this case, it is not recommended to mix various vegetable oils.

1. FRYING

Deep-fried in the sense of the same tension. But only with the complete predominance of oil (medium) over the product. When deep-fried, the food or product must float, must be completely immersed in oil, but must not reach the bottom of the cookware, or rest on the bottom. This method came to Russian restaurant cuisine as early as the 19th century from French cuisine, when Russian style was almost forgotten here.
Deep fat is an ordinary pork kidney, internal fat, melted, strained and heated in a volume of at least one liter (1 kg), placed not in a round pan, but in a special oval deep fryer.
Deep-frying is super fast: from a few seconds to a minute, maximum two. The products are simply immersed in hot fat and instantly cooked in it, covered with a delicate, beautiful and even golden crust.
This is mainly how dough is fried - puff pastries with a filling, donuts, brushwood, restaurant potatoes for side dishes, some vegetables for crunching, fish in batter and in dough, fruits in dough (apples).
It is better to take out and lower food into deep fat not with a spoon or even a slotted spoon, but with a special net. On the grid, everything that is deep-fried is dried from excess oil before serving the dish on the table.
Deep-frying is convenient and fast for large batch production. In the household, it is especially convenient to use it when many guests gather, on major holidays. In this case, it is simply irreplaceable: roasting is fast, the products get a beautiful look, their standard is exactly maintained.
Deep fat, the lard itself, can be used many times, stored in the refrigerator in a frozen state for a week or two, and if necessary, reheat it countless times, periodically filtering it after frying to remove small particles of fried foods (otherwise they will gradually burn and spoil the whole deep fat).

2. ELECTRIC FRYER

"Friture" is a French word and means a very deep layer of vegetable oil or animal fat in which culinary products are fried. The products do not come into contact with the bottom and walls of the dishes, but literally float in oil, by the way, heated to a very high temperature (150-200 ° C).
Despite the fact that the name is French, this method of cooking has been used in China since time immemorial. However, deep-fried dishes have long been listed in Russian cuisine. The famous cookbook by Elena Molokhovets of the late 19th century contains many such recipes: here and Kiev cutlets, and veal and lamb legs, and rice and egg croquettes, and apples and cherries fried in batter, sweet brushwood, dozens of types of pies .. ...
They say that the poet Eduard Bagritsky cooked fish “in Odessa” in boiling butter incomparably ...
Handling hot deep fat requires dexterity, patience, skill, time ... Generally speaking, it is advisable to have some kind of permanent dish for deep fat, designed exclusively for this purpose. For deep-frying, cookware with a thick bottom and walls (stainless steel is preferred) is best. Usually they use pots, saucepans, sometimes deep cast-iron pans. A large, low aluminum pan will do. Cooking fat or vegetable oil should be poured into it, which will not be used anywhere else except for deep fat ...
However, the 21st century is already in the yard! This means you need to buy an electric deep fryer, which will not take up much space in the kitchen, but will make life easier and reduce the time spent at the stove.
Cooking in an electric fryer is very easy and convenient even for novice home cooks. Modern devices heat the oil exactly to the temperature set by the thermostat, and a timer with an audible signal keeps track of the set time. Moreover, it is not even necessary to be literate in order to use it, or to have a good memory in order to remember the cooking time of each dish: all popular dishes are pictographically depicted on the body with a hint of the cooking time and temperature.
Please note that in the overwhelming majority the timer does not turn off the heating at the end of the specified time, but only gives a sound signal repeating several times. And rightly so, automatic shutdown is pointless here, because the oil has a large thermal inertia, and if the “culinary masterpiece” is not taken out immediately “on the whistle”, it will burn even with the heating turned off.
Many models have a non-stick oil bowl for easy maintenance. A permanent filter protects the air from cooking odors, even appetizing ones.
Some models also have a built-in microfilter to clean the oil after each preparation. As a result, one portion of the oil is used many times.
Fryers with "cold walls" have a plastic body and reliable thermal insulation. Even when the oil inside is heated to a temperature of 180 ° C, you can grab the body with your hands without the risk of getting burned.
Deep fat is usually stored directly in a lidded fryer until the next fry.

3. IS FRYING HARMFUL?

Once there was a rumor around the world that dishes cooked in
deep fried, allegedly harmful in that overheated oil contains carcinogenic substances. In this regard, our beloved pasties, pies, whites and donuts began to conceal an allegedly terrible threat to health. We will answer this with stubborn facts - the whole country was fed with Soviet public catering - and nothing, even the war was won. There is one more fact: the Chinese have been deep-fried since ancient times. And it is also as if they are not complaining about the decline in population.
The question of the harmfulness of deep-fried foods is similar to the question of the harmfulness of cutlets. If the cutlets are made from good fresh ingredients, then they are healthy, and if they are made from any rubbish from the landfill, then they are harmful.Unfortunately, in the pursuit of profit, often in catering establishments and almost always in industrial deep-frying, fats that are not very healthy or simply unacceptable in the diet (including trans fats) are used. Without a doubt, foods fried in such fats are either unhealthy or harmful. Dishes fried in good deep fat are the same dietary and healthy for adults and children, as well as boiled ones.
In the above-mentioned recipes of Elena Molokhovets, preference was given to animal fats with a high boiling point. Well, yes, it was the century before last. Since then, a lot has changed, and since then deep fryers have simplified in composition and became cheaper.
Modern kitchen often uses vegetable oils for deep fats (by the way, there is no cholesterol in any vegetable oils). Why are they better? Without going into details, let's say: First, they help lower unhealthy cholesterol levels in the body. Secondly; contain vitamin E, one of the main functions of which is to protect cell membranes from the destructive process of oxidation and reduce the risk of developing cancer. And modern refined oils, which we recommend using for deep frying, do not have a specific sunflower smell.
For those who follow their figure, it will be interesting to know: experts have calculated and found that dishes cooked in "vegetable" deep fat are less high in calories than is commonly thought. In addition, the modern cooking method preserves vitamins and minerals.
Well, the benefits from a culinary point of view are well known. Foods sharply dipped in hot deep fat acquire a crispy, crispy outer crust. Hot oil immediately "grasps" their surface, without penetrating inside, so the dishes are tender. Children especially like this.
To be continued...

[4. SOME RULES FOR USING THE FRYER]

4. SOME RULES FOR USING THE FRYER

At first glance, it seems that the deep fryer requires too much oil - 1.5-2 liters - isn't it wasteful? But in fact, it takes 2-3 times less than with ordinary everyday cooking.
You can cook your favorite French fries every day, and with careful handling of the oil, one “bay” is enough for 15-20 cooking cycles. Now estimate how much it takes for 20 frying in a pan? In addition, in the deep fryer, grease does not splatter and does not stain the stove and nearby dishes. In the intervals between cooking, you do not need to drain the oil, the main thing is that the lid is closed. In a deep fryer, oil is normally stored for up to 6 months. It is unlikely that gourmets have the patience to stretch 20 preparations for six months.
Almost any transparent refined vegetable oil that does not foam when heated and has no smell is suitable for deep fat. Sometimes on sale you can find oil marked on the label: for deep-fried dishes.
But never mix different types of oil!
Do not add fresh oil to used oil, but replace the contents of the bowl completely.
If your fryer does not have an oil microfilter, it is easy to clean the used oil by hand. To do this, you need to drain it into a saucepan, put filter paper or folded gauze on the bottom of the lattice basket and pour the oil back into the fryer through this makeshift filter.
And yet, let's take into account that modern chemists and doctors do not advise eating repeatedly boiled oil. The boiling of fat during frying leads to the formation of new chemicals, in particular acrolein, which severely irritates the biliary tract. The decomposition of fat is accompanied by the formation of substances with an unpleasant odor and taste. When frying, it is not necessary to bring the fat to smoke formation and thermal decomposition (over 200 ° C). The temperature to which oil is brought in modern deep fat fryers is not higher than 190 ° С.
Protein-containing foods (meat, fish) cause the oil to darken after 5-6 cookings. But the matter is fixable.Even after cooking the fish, to prevent a specific fishy smell, it is enough to heat the oil to 160 ° C and dip two slices of white bread into it. When the air bubbles around the bread disappear and it turns evenly brown, you can take it out; the oil will be freed from the unpleasant odor. Try to add salt and pepper after you remove the finished food from the basket so as not to degrade the quality of the oil.
It is time to replace the oil in your deep fat fryer if: - it starts to boil when heated; Has acquired a rancid taste or odor; - has become dark, and its consistency is syrupy.
Never pour used oil down the sink! You can irreparably ruin the drain. Let the oil cool and throw it away with your other household waste.
Rinse sliced ​​potatoes with cold water (to rinse off the potato starch) and pat dry in a tissue paper before placing sliced ​​potatoes in the fryer basket. Then the slices will not stick to one another during cooking. Any other deep-fried food should also be as dry as possible to prevent the oil from boiling over and extend its useful life.
For French fries and potato chips, old potatoes are better; young potatoes are too watery. When cutting into strips, make sure that the thickness of the pieces is the same.
If you are cooking frozen food in the deep fat fryer, it should be smaller than usual (no more than 3/4 of the basket capacity), as they cool the heated oil. Shake the frozen food well over the sink before deep-frying it to loosen the fine ice crystals.
When deep-frying breaded foods, you can keep the butter clean by placing a filter paper in the bottom of the basket before loading.

5. FRYING OIL

Fats with a minimum moisture content, which can be heated to high temperatures, are suitable for deep-frying. In addition, they should not change taste, burn or smoke. Such conditions are met by vegetable oil, rendered pork fat, goose fat, beef kidney lard, vegetable fat, mixed fats, etc. You can mix equal amounts (1/3 each) of pork, beef fat and vegetable oil. Fats are always mixed while hot. Butter and margarine are not suitable for deep fat frying, as they decompose easily at high temperatures.
Deep fat usually consumes from 200 to 500 g of fat (the thickness of the fat layer should be at least three fingers). You can add flavors to fat: carrots, parsley and celery roots, onions, garlic, anise, dill seed. But after 3-4 minutes of heating, the additives should be removed by filtering deep fat.
It is recommended to leave only carrots: a few pieces of peeled carrots prevent the fat from burning. For the same purpose, you can put peeled potatoes. To improve the taste of fried foods, deep fats are sometimes salted.
Some cooks pour a tablespoon of vodka into deep fat, others prefer the same amount of alcohol or rum. Just do not pour it into a hot deep fat, as this will lead to explosive boiling and strong splashing.
Before frying, animal fat - this especially applies to surface (not interior) fat - must be cleaned. To do this, the fat is cut, passed through a meat grinder, then heated in a pan and filtered. Melted, liquid fat is mixed with 1 liter of water (for any amount of fat) and 1 glass of milk is poured in. Now the mixture needs to be well salted and, with constant stirring, slowly bring to a boil. After a 5-minute boil, let the mixture cool, put it in the cold, then remove the fat "cake" on top.
The vegetable oil and fat for deep frying must be ignited. To do this, put a pan with fat on medium heat and heat until a slight white haze appears above the surface of the deep fat. At the same time, the fat is cleared of protein impurities and becomes transparent. Dough products are fried in very hot deep fat - 170-180 ° C. The degree of heating is determined by dropping a few drops of water into the fat.If the drops go under the layer of fat, emitting a strong crackle, then the deep fat is not hot enough. If the water, sizzling, evaporates from the surface - the deep fat is heated to the required temperature.
You can throw a ball of breadcrumbs into the fat. If the fat around the ball starts to move, then the deep fat is not very hot. Violent boiling around the ball indicates hot deep fat, and the appearance of a slightly perceptible smell of haze indicates that it is time to start frying.
Perhaps it is most convenient to check the temperature of the deep fat (if there is no thermometer) with a piece of raw potato dipped into it, which should quickly brown without burning. In general, after frying a portion of potatoes, any deep fat becomes much tastier.
With poorly heated deep fat, the frying time changes, the products are excessively saturated with fat, which affects their quality. But too hot fat also spoils the products: they quickly darken, often remaining moist inside. Reduce the heat if deep fat is overheated.
Certain safety rules must be followed when frying. It happens that fat is ignited from too much heating. In this case, you must immediately stop heating and close the pan with a lid. Never extinguish fat with water or salt - this is dangerous. Do not deep-fry many items at once. They should float freely in fat. It is desirable that the mass of fat is 4 times the mass of the products that are fried in it at a time (400 g of fat per 100 g of products). Usually they fried in fat for a short time - 5-7 minutes, and often less. That is why it is convenient to deep-fry portioned pieces of meat or fish quickly in case of mass "invasion" of guests.
The roasting time depends on the size of the product and the temperature of the deep fat. First place the products upside down and turn them over with a spatula or wide knife so that they cook evenly. Remove the finished products with a slotted spoon (never pierce them with a fork!) And place them on a sieve or kitchen paper to drain the grease.
Usually fried foods are eaten immediately after cooking, hot and not heated, as this greatly impairs their taste.
Deep fat can be used many times. Pour some hot water into the cooled deep fat and stir well. The water, along with impurities, will remain at the bottom of the pan, and the fat will rise to the top. Collect it and store it in a dark, cool place (refrigerator).

6. RECIPE FRYING FROM ELENA MOLOKHOVETS

“Every time you have to cut off excess fat from freshly bought beef, chop it finely, melt it in a saucepan, put in the same fat that is removed from the broth; strain all this through a sieve and keep in a cool place; boil it before use; this deep fat with the addition of fresh, can be used several times, each time filtering through a towel; or it is better to boil it two or three times with finely chopped Antonov apples, which cleanse the fat, taking away the bad smell and taste from it, strain through a napkin into an etched pot and put in a cold place.
For frying donuts, brushwood and other pastries, it is better to take goose, and in a shortage it is lard, which can be mixed with Russian butter; boil it before use; for each pound of this lard, pour 1 spoonful of alcohol or strong vodka, and then dip donuts and so on into it. Then clean the deep fat with apples, as mentioned above, or just strain and put in a cold place.
It is best to melt beef fat and lard as follows: cut both very finely, pour in cold water and cook until all the bacon is dissolved, then strain it, take it to a cold place; when the bacon hardens, put it out of the pan in order to drain the water, which, if not boiled away all, will remain at the bottom of the pan. "

BATTLES FOR FRYING

KLYAR - a protective shell for the product during frying

Liquid unleavened dough (batter), salted

Ingredients:
- flour - 250 g,
- eggs - 1 pc.,
- refined vegetable oil - 10 g,
- milk or water - 100 g,
- salt - 2g.
Preparation
Grind egg yolks with vegetable oil, add milk (or water), in which salt is first dissolved. Pour in the sifted flour, stir well, and then add the beaten egg whites and stir lightly again.
This dough is used in the manufacture of some dishes from fish, poultry, vegetables in dough, deep-fried.

Liquid unleavened dough (batter), sweet
Ingredients:
- flour - 250 g,
- eggs - 1 pc.,
- sour cream - 50 g,
- milk - 50 g,
- sugar - 50 g,
- salt - 7 g.
Preparation
Grind egg yolks with sugar and salt, add sour cream, and then pour in cold milk. Pour in the sifted flour, mix well, add the beaten egg whites and stir again slightly. This dough is used in the manufacture of some sweet dishes: apples, berries in dough, deep-fried.