6.2 Deep Fat Frying

General Directions for Deep Fat Frying

1. If the frying pan is heated on the range, put it on a back burner for safety.  If an electric fryer is used, place it in a safe position where no one can inadvertently catch the cord.
2. Keep a lid or flat baking sheet close to the fryer to extinguish a fire in case the oil should flame.  Do not cover the fryer unless the oil ignites.
3. Fill the fry kettle only ⅓ to ½ full with oil.
4. Insert a thermometer and heat oil to the desired temperature.
5. Use a slotted spoon, tongs, or basket, depending on the food, to transfer food into and out of the oil.  Do not crowd food.  Make sure doughnuts, onion rings, etc., are not more than one layer thick.
6. Hold food over oil to drain excess oil before transferring it to a paper towel.
7. Never leave heating oil unattended!  (In case of fire, turn off the burner and place the lid or baking sheet on the fry kettle to smother the flame.  Use a wet towel, fire blanket, or fire extinguisher to smother other flames.)  Do not use water to extinguish an oil fire.
8. Cool used oil, then pour through a strainer lined with two or three thicknesses of cheesecloth to reuse the oil.

Recipes

French Fried Potatoes

Ingredients

• 3 medium russet potatoes, peeled

Instructions

Cut potatoes into ¼-inch strips (or  cut ⅛-inch strips for shoestrings, latticed slices for chips.)  Soak potatoes in cold water if they are not fried immediately. Dry thoroughly before frying.

Immerse in 375°F (190°C) oil (oil temperature will drop). Maintain temperature at 365°F (185°C) until well browned and cooked through, about 2–3 minutes. Drain on absorbent paper towels, sprinkle with salt, and serve hot.

French Fried Onion Rings

Ingredients

• 1 large mild onion
• ½ cup milk
• 1 cup flour
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1 cup fine dry bread crumbs

Instructions

Peel onion, cut into ¼-inch slices, and separate into rings.

Dip rings into milk, then flour. Combine egg and buttermilk. Dip floured rings into egg-buttermilk mixture, then coat with crumbs. Place in a single layer on a baking sheet and let stand for 20 minutes.

Fry in 365°F (185°C) oil until golden brown. Drain on absorbent paper towels and sprinkle with salt.

French Fried Chicken

Ingredients

• ¼ lb. boneless breasts cut into strips
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ cup flour
• ½ teaspoon paprika
• ½ teaspoon dry mustard
• ½ teaspoon onion powder
• ½ teaspoon garlic salt
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• ½ cup buttermilk
• ½ -1 cup fine dry bread crumbs

Instructions

Coat chicken with salt, flour, and seasonings. Combine egg and buttermilk, and dip chicken in this mixture and then in crumbs.

Heat oil to 350°F (180°C) and add chicken a few pieces at a time. The temperature will drop; regulate heat to keep frying temperature at 330°F (165°C). Fry until golden brown, about 6-8 minutes. Drain on absorbent paper towels.

Larger pieces may need to be placed in a 350°F oven to finish cooking.  (This may take 10 to 15 minutes; internal temperature needs to reach 165°F.)

Orange Puffs

Ingredients

• 1 cup flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• ¼ cup sugar

Orange Glaze

• 1 cup powdered sugar
• 2 Tablespoons orange juice
• ¼ teaspoon grated orange zest

Instructions

Sift flour, baking powder, and salt together and set aside.

Beat egg until thick and lemon-colored. Add sugar gradually, beating until dissolved. Stir in orange zest and melted butter.

Add approximately half of the flour mixture and stir until moistened. Stir in orange juice and milk. Add remaining flour mixture, stirring just until blended.

Drop by teaspoonfuls into 375°F (190°C) oil and fry for 2 minutes or until the interior of the puff is done. Turn once to brown evenly. Drain on absorbent paper towels. While hot, dip in orange glaze.

For the glaze:
Blend powdered sugar with orange juice and orange zest.

Spiced Donut Balls

Ingredients

• 1⅓ cups all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ⅓ cup sugar
• ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
• ¼ teaspoon allspice
• ½ cup milk
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Cinnamon-Sugar Mixture

• ½ cup sugar
• 2 teaspoons cinnamon

Instructions

Sift flour, baking powder, salt, sugar, nutmeg, and allspice together.

Combine milk, egg, and vanilla. Then, add liquid to dry ingredients, stirring only until blended.

Drop by teaspoonfuls into 365°F (185°C) oil.  Fry doughnut balls for 3 to 5 minutes or until brown on both sides and cooked throughout. Drain on absorbent paper towels.

While still warm, dip in a cinnamon-sugar mixture.

For the Cinnamon Sugar Mixture:

Mix sugar with cinnamon.

Rosettes

Ingredients

• ½ cup flour
• 1 Tablespoon sugar
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• ½ cup milk
• 1 egg, slightly beaten
• 1 Tablespoon butter, melted

Instructions

Combine flour, sugar, and salt.

Beat together milk, egg, and melted butter. Then, mix the wet ingredients with the dry ingredients. Refrigerate for thirty minutes to one hour.

Heat timbale or rosette iron in 365°F (185°C) oil. Let oil drip off the iron back into the kettle.  Dip heated iron into batter until ¾ covered. Quickly immerse the iron back in the hot oil.  While submerged, use a fork to gently remove the rosette from the iron.

Fry briefly, flip over and remove when delicately brown. Hold the rosette upside down over the fry kettle to drain, and then place it on absorbent paper towels. Keep iron in oil to remain pre-heated. Stir batter occasionally.

Sift powdered sugar over rosettes.

Funnel Cakes

Ingredients

• 1 ½ cups milk
• 2 eggs
• ½ teaspoon vanilla extract
• 2 cups flour
• 1 teaspoon baking powder
• 2 Tablespoons sugar
• ½ teaspoon salt
• 3/4 cup powdered sugar for dusting

Instructions

Heat oil to 375°F (191°C).

For the batter:

In a large bowl, beat together the milk, eggs, and vanilla extract. Sift together the flour, baking powder, sugar, and salt. Stir the sifted dry ingredients into the liquid ingredients until a smooth batter forms.

To form the funnel cakes:

Fill a funnel or pancake dispenser with the batter. Start dispensing the batter in the center of the fry kettle and use a swirling motion to dispense the batter in concentric and overlapping circles to make a 6- or 7-inch round.

Fry on both sides until golden brown, approximately 2 minutes per side. Remove from the fry kettle and let drain on paper towels. Sprinkle with powdered sugar and serve warm.

Vegetable Tempura

Ingredients

• Broccoli florets
• Cauliflower florets
• Green pepper strips
• Sweet potatoes cut into ⅛-inch slices
• Onion rings

Tempura Batter

• ⅓ cup all-purpose flour
• 1 Tablespoon + 1 teaspoon cornstarch
• ¼ teaspoon baking powder
• ¼ teaspoon salt
• 1 egg
• ⅓ cup ice water

Tempura Sauce

• ¼ cup chicken broth
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup water
• 1 teaspoon sugar

Instructions

Select vegetables from the list. Cut into bite-sized pieces; pat dry if necessary.

Heat oil to 375°F (190°C).  Dip vegetable pieces into tempura batter; allow excess batter to drip back into the bowl. Fry a few pieces at a time until golden brown, turning once. Drain on absorbent paper towels. Serve with tempura sauce.

For the Tempura Batter:
Sift flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt until well blended. Beat egg and water until smooth. Add dry ingredients to liquid ingredients and stir just until ingredients are blended; refrigerate the batter for thirty minutes to one hour before using.

For the Tempura Sauce:
Combine all ingredients in a saucepan. Heat to serving warm temperature.

Eggrolls

Ingredients

• ¼ pound ground pork
• 3 Tablespoons chopped green onions
• ¼ head green cabbage
• 1 carrot, grated
• 1 Tablespoon soy sauce
• 1 teaspoon grated fresh ginger
• 1 egg, blended
• 1 package egg roll wrappers

Instructions

Combine meat, onions, and vegetables.

Sauté in a large sauté pan or in two medium sauté pans. Add soy sauce, ginger, and egg.  Mix and heat thoroughly.

Place 1–3 tsp. of the mixture in each square of egg roll paper. Dampen two opposite corners and fold to form a triangle. Fold two narrow ends together and press tightly to hold the filling inside.

Fry in deep fat at 375°F for 4–5 minutes to golden brown. Drain and serve hot.

Characteristics of Standard Products for Deep Oil Fried Foods

Appearance	Texture	Flavor
The outside surface should be relatively smooth and cooked to a uniform golden brown color. The interior should be cooked throughout and show minimum oil absorption.	The crust should be tender and/or crisp (not soggy).	Products should be free from any greasy flavor or mouthfeel.

Sensory Evaluation

Recipe	Sensory Observations
Funnel Cakes
Orange Puffs
Spiced Doughnuts
Rosettes
Onion rings
Chicken
Egg Rolls
Tempura
French Fried Potatoes