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Frying
Frying is cooking in hot fat, not boiling fat, as it is so often called, for fat can be made much hotter than the temperature required for cooking, which is 385°; the temperature for boiling fat is from 565° to 600°. Frying, when properly done, is immersion in smoking-hot fat.
The fat should be deep enough to entirely cover the articles to be cooked; and as it may be used many times, it is not so extravagant as some suppose to use such a quantity. The prime secret of nice frying is to have the fat hot enough to harden instantly the albumen on the outer surface, and thus prevent the fat from soaking into the inside of whatever is to be fried. As a much higher temperature is required than that for boiling or baking, the articles are very quickly cooked; and they have a flavor quite unlike that given by any other form of cooking.
Utensils for Frying
1. A deep iron bowl or scotch kettle. The bowl has one advantage over the flat-bottomed kettle; the sediment from food sinks into the curve of the bowl and does not adhere to food.
2. A wire basket that fits loosely into the kettle. This is to lift food into and out of the kettle. A skimmer will do this but it is not so convenient.
3. A long-handled spoon or fork to hold the basket out of the fat while the food is draining.
4. A pan large enough to hold the basket while it is being emptied or filled.
5. A large pan lined with soft paper on which to drain the food that has been fried.
6. A thermometer for testing the temperature of the fat.
Directions for Frying
All food items that are to be fried should be thoroughly dried and slightly warmed.
If the food is very moist, or very cold, or too many food items are fried at the same time, the fat will become chilled, and the grease soaks into the food. Then, as the moisture heats and boils, it causes such a commotion that the fat and water boil over, and there is great danger from the fat taking fire and spreading to your clothing, to say nothing of the trouble of cleaning the stove and floor. For this reason be careful not to let a drop of water, or of condensed steam from another kettle, fall into the hot fat.
1. Put enough fat into the kettle to submerge to a depth of one or two inches the articles to be fried. Do not fill kettle more than three-fourths full of fat. The fat in an over-full kettle may bubble over and catch fire.
2. Heat fat gradually to the desired temperature, which will be between 300 and 400 Fahrenheit, always, if possible, below the smoking point of the fat.
3. Put only moderate amounts of food into the fat 1 at one time, because (a) when the very hot fat cooks the food it causes the moisture in the food to boil and this vigorous bubbling may cause the fat to bubble over the edge of the kettle, with risk of fire; and (b) too much food may so cool the fat as to delay the cooking and increase absorption of fat thus making a greasy product.
4. When the food is cooked to the desired brown color, re- move at once, drain over the kettle for a few seconds, then place on soft paper to finish draining.
5. After frying is completed, let fat cool until it is safe to handle, then strain through several thicknesses of cheesecloth placed over a strainer. Clarify it frequently, after each time of using, if possible, as it will lengthen the lifetime of the fat.
If fat used in frying is not overheated, and if it is frequently clarified, it may be used over and over again, even if the smoking temperature is comparatively low.
If fish is well egged and crumbed before being fried, it will not seriously flavor the fat in which it is fried and the fat is then useful for frying foods other than fish.
Testing Fat for Frying
Fats should never be brought to the smoking point as a test of heat. Use a thermometer or drop into the fat a one-inch cube of bread from the soft part of the loaf. Judge the heat of the fat by the length of time it takes the bread to brown.
1. If the fat is the right temperature for large pieces of raw food breaded chops, etc., (350-375 F.) it will take from 1 to 1 54 minutes, for bread to brown.
2. If the fat is the right temperature for smaller pieces of raw food or raw batters and doughs (360-390 F.) the piece of bread will brown in 50 to 60 seconds.
3 . If the fat is the right temperature for most cooked foods croquettes, fish balls, etc., (375 to 390 F.) the bread will brown in 40 to 50 seconds.
HAVE THE RIGHT TEMPERATURE IN FRYING If fat is too hot, it scorches the food, or does not cook it through, or spoils the fat. If it is too cool, the food becomes soaked with fat. Fats of low smoking temperature will naturally soak into food a little more than fats of high smoking temperature, because the food must remain longer in the fat.
Testing for Frying
The Test for Hot Fat: When the fat begins to smoke put in a bit of bread; if it brown quickly, or while you can count sixty as the clock ticks, it is hot enough for fried potatoes, doughnuts, etc.
When hot enough to brown the bread while you count forty, it will do for fish balls, croquettes, etc.
Egging and Crumbing Foods for Frying
Except in the case of foods like doughnuts, fritters, potatoes and fried breads, foods are ordinarily either egged and crumbed or dipped in an egg batter before being fried. This is because the egg or egg batter hardens in the hot fat, making a case about the food which keeps it from becoming fat soaked.
For crumbing, use dried bread crumbs rolled and sifted or soft crumbs forced through a strainer.
Break an egg into a shallow plate and beat it with a fork only enough to mix the yolk and white and not enough to beat air into it. Blend into the mixed egg two tablespoons water for each egg.
Place some crumbs on a board. Roll the food to be fried in the crumbs, covering all parts with crumbs.
Dip the crumb-covered food into the egg bath, being careful to cover every part with egg.
Lift food from egg with broad-bladed knife and roll again in crumbs.
Let stand a few moments to dry. The food is then ready for frying. Foods may be egged and crumbed several hours or even a day before being fried.
Frying Fish
Meat, fish, oysters, croquettes, etc., should be dried, and rolled in fine bread-crumbs, to absorb any moisture; then rolled in beaten egg, and in fine crumbs again. The hot fat hardens the albumen of the egg instantly; and that, with the crumbs, makes a fat-proof crust.
Fish balls, fritters, and fried muffin mixtures contain egg and albumen sufficient to keep them from soaking fat, if the fat be only hot enough. A Scotch bowl, or deep iron or granite kettle, and a wire basket small enough to fit down into the kettle, are best to use in frying.
Frying Using Baskets or Deep Fryers
When you are ready to fry your food, plunge the basket into the hot fat to grease it, and then place in it the croquettes, or whatever you may be frying, so that they will not touch each other. Hold the handle of the basket with a long fork, and plunge it quickly into the fat, but do not drop the handle, because if the fat begin to boil up, you can then raise the basket quickly, and wait till the ebullition has subsided before plunging it in again; and thus avoid the danger of burning from the overflowing fat. The fat cools rapidly, when many articles are fried at once, and should be reheated to the test point before frying any more.
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