How to Deep Fry Anything

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Introduction: The Joys of Deep Frying

• Deep frying is a delectable way to enjoy food. When you deep fry something, a delicious, crisply browned outside surrounds warm goodness inside. And you can deep fry anything: cookies, vegetables, chicken, ice cream, fruit, and more. In fact, if you get it in your fryer, you can eat it! Keep in mind that deep frying needn't mean excessive fat consumption; your food will absorb no more fat than when you sauté or stir-fry. Perhaps most importantly, the proper attention will make deep frying as safe as any other means of cooking. So take the plunge and enjoy!

Step 1: Choose a Deep Frying Container

1. Deep frying means submerging food in hot oil to cook it. That means you need a container large enough to cover your food with oil as it fries.
2. A pot or wok can serve as a deep fryer.
   • You will also need a separate thermometer to check the temperature of your oil, and a slotted spoon or metal tongs to remove items.
3. Alternately, you can use an electric deep fryer.
   • Most deep fryers have temperature settings, so you can maintain the desired temperature.
   • Other common features include: timers, vented covers (to prevent spattering), and automatic shut-offs.

Step 2: Choose a Deep Frying Oil

• Once you've found the perfect container for your frying needs, you need to find the right fat to fry in.

Bread food like pickles before frying. (Creative Commons photo by Benny Mazur)

1. You want to choose an oil with a high smoke point. At its smoke point, an oil will emit smoke and give foods an unpleasant flavor. The higher the smoke point, the higher temperature you can deep fry at, without imperiling quality.
2. Wikipedia lists the smoke points of some popular oils as:
   • Canola oil (Refined): 468°F (242°C)
   • Corn oil (Refined): 450°F (232°C)
   • Grapeseed oil: 420°F (216°C)
   • Lard: 370°F (182°C)
   • Peanut oil (Refined): 450°F (232°C)
   • Safflower oil (Refined): 450°F (232°C)
   • Sunflower oil (Semirefined): 450°F (232°C)
   • Vegetable shortening: 360°F (182°C)
     • These smoke points are not set in stone, as much depends on the oil brand and refinement process. A general rule is that lighter, more refined oils have higher smoke points.
3. Many cooks prefer to use oils with neutral flavors, such as:
   • Lard
   • Safflower oil
   • Canola oil
   • Vegetable shortening
4. The New York Times's Mark Bittman recommends grapeseed oil as best for frying.

Deep Frying Health Concerns

1. Concerns about trans fats, ingestion of which is believed to increase the risk of heart disease, have reached the world of deep frying. The Indiana State Fair even banned oils with trans fats in August.
   • To avoid trans fats, do not use any oil labeled "hydrogenated" or "partially hydrogenated."
2. Saturated fat is another health concern, as high levels may raise your blood cholesterol. Wikipedia lists the saturated fat content of popular frying oils as:
   • Canola oil: 6%
   • Corn oil: 13%
   • Grapeseed oil: 12%
   • Lard: 41%
   • Peanut oil: 18%
   • Safflower oil: 10%
   • Sunflower oil: 11%
3. Despite their unhealthy reputation, deep-fried foods usually contain no more oil than stir-fried or sautéed dishes.
   • As long as your oil is hot enough, deep frying heats the moisture in your food, causing it to release steam. The outflow of steam prevents oil from seeping in.
   • The amount of oil a food will contain depends on its surface area; a potato slice will soak up more oil than a broccoli floret.
4. Fried, grilled, or broiled animal products may contain toxins called "advanced glycation end products" (AGEs), which have been linked to inflammation, insulin resistance, diabetes, vascular and kidney disease, and Alzheimer's disease. Limiting the amount of fried foods you eat will limit your exposure to these toxins.

Step 3: Deep Frying Safety

• Deep-frying with hot oil can be dangerous, so make sure to exercise proper caution.

1. First, make sure your kitchen is clean and that there are no combustible items near the stove or deep fryer.
2. Wear short or tight-fitting sleeves. Long, loose sleeves can dangle and possibly catch on fire.
3. Fill your fryer no more than halfway full; oil will spatter as you submerge food and you don't want to get burned!
4. Oils begin to burn at 400 °F and catch fire at 500 °F, which is very close to deep frying temperatures. For this reason, NEVER leave your cooking unattended.
5. Do not put water in hot oil; any combination of the two will result in an explosion.
6. Oil is easily splashed, so exercise caution. Spilling oil onto your heating element can result in a quickly-spreading fire.
7. Should a grease fire break out, cover the flame and remove its heat source.
   • DO NOT try to carry the flaming pan, you will only splash the oil and spread the fire!
8. You can put baking soda on the grease fire to extinguish it.
   • DO NOT put water on the a grease fire! This will only cause the fire to spread.
   • DO NOT put flour or baking powder on a grease fire; this can also spread the fire!
9. You should also keep a fire extinguisher in the kitchen, ready to use if a fire breaks out.
   • This should be a last resort, as using a fire extinguisher may cause a small fire to spread.

Step 4: Deep Frying Foods

• Now that you've prepared, it's time to start frying!

You really can fry anything! (Creative Commons photo by Kurt Nordstrom)

1. Start heating the oil. Heat the oil gradually to avoid spattering grease.
2. You want your cooking oil to get extremely hot, usually between 345-375 °F.
   • Any lower and the food will absorb oil and become soggy instead of being light and crisp. Too hot, and the outside will burn while the inside remains uncooked.
3. Generally, use oil at a lower temperature for cold foods and a higher temperature for room temperature or hot foods.
4. Some foods, like potatoes or skin-on poultry will form a natural skin during the frying process.
5. Most foods need to be breaded or battered before you fry them. The outer layer will become crisp while protecting the inside as it cooks.
   • And, of course, you can also place batter directly into your hot oil for treats like doughnuts!
6. Pat your food or air it on a wire rack so it is as dry as possible before placing it in the hot oil. This will reduce spattering.
7. Place what you're frying into the oil with a long spoon or tongs, submerging it gradually if possible. You do not want to splash the hot oil!
8. Do not overcrowd the cooking pot. You don't want your items to bump into each other as they cook. Adding too many things to be fried at once will lower the oil's temperature and make your food absorb more grease.
9. Use your deep-fry thermometer to keep an eye on the oil temperature. As adding items to the oil will lower the temperature, it is acceptable to let the it increase slightly between batches.
10. Follow your recipe instructions, but also pay attention to the food. When it's golden brown, it's probably done.
11. Remove your food and drain the excess oil onto paper towels.
12. You can keep the first batches warm in a 200 °F oven while you fry.

Deep Fry Recipes

• You really can deep-fry anything, from Mars bars to alligators. Check out the recipes below for ideas, then start thinking of your own!

1. Recipezaar: Deep Fry Recipes
   • Deep Fried Mars Bar
   • Deep Fried Cheesecake Recipe
   • Deep Fried Pickles Recipe
   • Deep Fried Oreos Recipe
   • Deep Fried French Toast Recipe
   • Southern Deep-Fried Sweet Potatoes Recipe
   • Spicy Deep-fried Baby Artichokes Recipe
   • Deep Fried Ice Cream Recipe
2. Epicurious: Deep Fry Recipes
3. Food Network: Deep-Fried Chocolate Chip Cookie Dough Recipe
4. Chiff.com: Deep-Fried Coca Cola Recipe
5. ABC News: Recipe: Deep-Fried Twinkies
6. Visit VideoJug and Expert Village for more deep-frying videos.

Step 5: After Deep Frying

1. Opinion is divided on the re-use of frying oil.
2. Harmful compounds like HNE build up in vegetable oils heated to frying temperature. The foods you fry can absorb this compound, which means you subsequently ingest it.
3. To avoid eating it, do not re-use any vegetable oil used for frying.
4. Trans fats can form in oil that is heated and cooled repeatedly as well.
5. If you do decide to re-use your oil, strain the oil and store it in a capped container, away from light.
6. Always dispose of oil when it turns dark or begins to smell.
7. To dispose of your oil safely, place it in a sealed, non-recyclable container and put it in the garbage. Do not pour it down the drain; this can block your plumbing.
8. And don't forget to thoroughly clean your pot or deep fryer!

Resources for How to Deep Fry Anything

• About.com: Deep Frying Tips
• Allrecipes: Deep-fry
• Allrecipes: Deep Frying
• Epicurious: Come Fry Away
• ExpertVillage.com: 15 Things You Can Deep Fry
• FXCuisine.com: Deep-Fried Mars Bar
• Martha Stewart: Cooking School: How to Fry
• USDA: Kitchen Thermometers
• VideoJug: Advice videos on Deep Fry
• Wikibooks: Cookbook:Deep Fat Frying
• Wikipedia: Cooking oil
• Wikipedia: Deep-frying
• Wikipedia: Smoke point

Articles about How to Deep Fry Anything

• New York Times: "Yes, Deep-Fried Oreos, but Not in Trans Fats" (2007)
• New York Times: "As Easy as Pie, and It Sizzles" (2007)
• New York Times: "Deep Fry, and Don't Forget the Stick" (2007)
• CSMonitor.com: Backstory: If you can think of it, he can deep fry it (2006)
• New York Times: "Hot, Sizzling Temptations, Freshly Fried at Your Stove" (2004)

Health Resources for How to Deep Fry Anything

• American Heart Association: Know Your Fats
• Consumer Product Safety Commission: Recipe for Safer Cooking
• HealthDay: Food Prep May Be as Important as Ingredients Themselves (2007)
• WebMD: KFC to Fry Chicken Without Trans Fats (2006)
• Health A to Z: Reheating Vegetable Oil Releases Toxin (2005)
• FDA: Revealing Trans Fats

Safety Resources for How to Deep Fry Anything

• About.com: How to Put Out a Grease Fire
• Habersham County, Georgia: Fire Life-Saving Tips
• National Fire Protection Association: Cooking oil Safety Tips
• University of Rochester: Apartment Safety

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