Deep fat frying is a method of cooking by immersing food in very hot fat. If properly fried, foods cooked in this manner should not be unwholesome to persons in normal health. Vegetable oils are the best fats to use for deep fat frying because they can be heated to a higher temperature before the burning point is reached than animal fats. Fat should be heated until just an indication of a delicate blue smoke or vapor arises. If the smoke is decidedly perceptible, the fat is too hot for use. Heated to the point when the smoke can just be noticed and the food to be fried added to the fat, the temperature will be immediately reduced to the right degree of heat. To test the fat have several cubes of bread when the fat is hot, but not smoking. Drop in one of these cubes of bread and count 40, about as the clock ticks. If the bread turns a golden brown in that time, the fat is ready for mixtures that require heating through, such as croquettes, fish balls, fritters of cooked fruit or vegetables which have only a coating of thin batter. If the foods to be fried are uncooked mixtures, such as doughnuts or fillets of fish, the bread should take 60 seconds to brown.

The fat should be tested each time before the food is added.

To heat, place the fat in the kettle, cover and allow to heat gradually, watching carefully.

A heavy kettle is always an advantage, as it may be kept at a more even temperature than a light-weight one. Any fat may be used, the vegetable oils now on the market proving very satisfactory. This includes both corn and cottonseed oil, all of the lard substitutes, and, of course, the pure leaf lard.

Unless a strong-flavored food has been cooked in the fat, such as onions, etc., it may be used over and over again if clarified after using.

Frying baskets are a great convenience, particularly with delicate frying, as it saves handling. The articles to be fried are placed in the basket then submerged in the hot fat. When the food is brown, the basket is lifted out. In this way each article is perfect.

If the fat bubbles or sputters while heating it denotes the presence of water, and it will be impossible to fry the food successfully, for the fat will not become hot enough. To overcome this condition, allow the water to evaporate, and then it will heat to the right temperature for frying.

Fat which has been overheated at any time is unwholesome and should not be used. It has become decomposed, and cooling and reheating will not restore it. The fat absorbed by food cooked in such fat will be irritating. After using fat for frying let stand until somewhat cool to allow any particles of food to settle. Then strain through a double thickness of cheese cloth to remove all remaining particles. If not overheated and carefully strained, vegetable fats can be used over and over a number of times. If fat becomes dark in color add a few slices of raw potato and heat very slowly. This will quickly absorb the various impurities and clarify it. To prevent food from absorbing fat have fat heated according to the test already given, using cubes of bread. Forty seconds for cooked mixtures, 60 seconds for uncooked articles. Do not put too many cold articles in the fat at once, thereby reducing the heat too much. Test fat each time before food is added. Do not have mixtures to be fried too rich. Do not use too much baking powder. And, except for flour mixtures, have food well coated with eggs and crumbs. The egg forms a coating which prevents the food absorbing fat if the temperature of the fat is correct.

The flour mixtures should contain enough egg to prevent the mixture absorbing fat if the fat is of the right heat.

Sauteing is cooking food in a small quantity of fat; however, the term frying is more commonly used. Many experiments have been carried on to determine which method of cooking was preferable, deep fat frying or saucing, and it has been decided that if properly done the deep fat method will absorb less fat than sauteing or cooking in a small amount of fat.