Stuffings, Breadings, Batters & Predust - Reference

THE FRYING PROCESS

One of the most important, and often overlooked, factors in ensuring great deep-fried food is the selection and
use of the oil used to fry the product. Here are some key things to keep in mind when choosing, and using, oil in
frying.

1. Always use oil that has a neutral flavour, such as Canola or Safflower.
   
   This will prevent any distinct ‘off-flavours’that can be caused specifically by the oil’s flavour.
   
   
2. Make sure that the oil you select has a high smoking point.
   
   The ideal temperature for deep-frying is 375°F (190°C). Olive oil, as an example, is not well suited to deep frying as its smoking point is below ideal frying temperature, leading to a scorched taste in the products you fry, as well as a smoky kitchen! Take care when setting frying temperatures, as some oils will burst into flames at temperatures as low as 500°F (260°C).
   
   
3. Do not over-fill your deep fryer.
   
   If the frying basket is crowded with too much product, the temperature of the oil will plummet rapidly, leading to an excessively greasy and unappealing finished product.
   
   
4. Be aware of (not ‘beware of’!) the Health Conscious Consumer.
   
   In today’s world, you will most likely have to field questions from your customers about what oil is used to deep fry your product. Oils such as palm and coconut are high in saturated fat, so you may want to avoid these. It may be helpful if you keep a “Nutrition Facts” panel from your oil container present, so you can answer these questions quickly and easily.
   
   
5. Change your oil as often as is economically feasible, and try to fry “like products” at the same time.
   
   If you deep fry chicken, pork and fish in the same oil, try to do the chicken all at the same time, pork at the same time and fish at the same time. This will help you to avoid any cross over of flavours. If you must use the same oil for all three, fry the fish last, as it has the most distinct odour and flavour. Changing the oil will prevent these ‘off-flavours’.

Questions? Contact our technical specialists
@ 1-888-456-6252, or at lab@malabarsuperspice.com.
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