Frying is a method of cooking in which heat is communicated to the article by immersion in hot fat.

Temperature Of Fat For Frying

The item of first importance in frying is the temperature of the fat. The temperature required is not always the same, but varies with the article to be cooked. However, for the most part, but two ternperatures are required. One is for articles previously cooked. These are usually surrounded with batter or egg and crumbs. The frying encases them in a crisp, delicately-browned crust while they are being reheated; the other temperature should be such as will cook the raw article while it is being browned, and is, obviously, a lower temperature than the first.

Smoking hot fat is often spoken of, when the proper temperature of fat for frying croquettes and other cooked substances is referred to, but fat that is really smoking is utterly spoiled for nice results in frying. The fat for frying mixtures or articles covered with egg and crumbs or batter must be hot enough to stiffen this coating the instant it comes in contact with it and the final browning must not be long delayed. Such fat will crackle when a croquette or other slightly moist object is set into it.

Fat is hot enough for frying uncooked articles when it bubbles vigorously, upon a crumb of bread being thrown into it. The crumb should brown in ninety seconds when uncooked material is to be fried and in sixty seconds if the preparation has been previously cooked.

Utensil For Holding The Fat

The utensil for holding the fat during frying should be of iron or well-tinned copper, and should be made without seams. It should be rather deep, that when containing fat to two-thirds its height or less, there may be sufficient fat to cover well anything to be fried in it. The vertical-sided, iron kettle called a "Scotch bowl" is well adapted to this purpose.

Other Utensils For Frying

A wire basket of appropriate size, a long-handled fork for lifting and lowering the basket, a skimmer, soft paper for draining, and two or three tin plates for holding the fried articles, and the basket, complete the list of necessary utensils.

Kinds Of Fat For Frying

That medium is best for frying which can be heated the highest without burning. The table given below settles this part of the question conclusively, but in selecting a medium for frying expense has to be considered. Olive oil may be raised to 5540 F. without burning.

Other vegetable oils may be raised to 4820 or even 518° without burning.

Lard may be raised to 3920 without burning.

Beef may be raised to nearly 356°.

Unclarified butter burns after 2480 F. Clarified butter burns after about 2700 F.

Care Of Fat After Frying

After using fat for frying, let it stand about five minutes to settle and cool a little. Spread a piece of old linen or two folds of cheese cloth over a strainer in a clean receptacle and pour in the fat. Use the cloth to wipe out the frying kettle. Wash the kettle and return the fat to it. When thoroughly cold cover and set aside.

Minute particles will be left in the fat after the frying of almost any article - unless it be potatoes; these particles burn at a much lower temperature than the fat and, if they be not removed, will cause whatever is fried thereafter to take on a muddy appearance. The cleaner the fat the cleaner - both in appearance and flavor - is the article cooked in it. Also by this means is the time of the usability, or life, of the fat prolonged.

Preparation Of Fish For Frying

Dip the fish in milk, then roll in flour, or completely cover with egg and sifted crumbs. The crumbs, flour and milk should be seasoned a little with salt and pepper. Occasionally fish is marinated in lemon juice, oil and onion juice, before coating as above. The object of thus coating fish is to make a covering to keep in the juices of the fish, which would otherwise exude into the fat and be lost, and also spoil the fat. Fish and chops thus cooked retain their flavor more perfectly than in any other way of cooking. Chops are egged and crumbed.

For Preparation of Salpicon Mixtures for Frying see Chapter VI.