Get cooking in your kitchen with the technique of pan-frying. This involves oil to transfer the heat, creating steam to cook your foods while rendering them brown and crispy. The results are delicious of course, so here’s what you need to know in this basic guide to pan frying.
Is Pan-Fried the Same as Deep-Fried?
Although both involve skillets and frying, deep frying requires submerging your food completely in hot oil and lots of it. Without going the deep way, you get similar results and use less fat, plus it’s far less messy too.
What to Know About Proper Pan Frying
If you want to try this technique, these tips will help you master it in your kitchen.
– Select the right pan
For starters, you will need to choose the proper vessel for the job. A skillet or sauté style of cookware is ideal as long as it is wide and has a heavy bottom. The sides should be ample in height too. One of the best options will be nonstick cookware because it will prevent the coating from sticking.
– Use a coating for crispiness
Coatings help you get that beautiful, crispy crust. They also keep your culinary creations from overcooking. You can coat with flour, cornmeal, breadcrumbs, crushed nuts, and more.
– Choose the right fat
The right oil for frying will have a high smoke point. Highly-refined types will bode best in this method while butter isn’t going to achieve that level you need. Think peanut, vegetable, avocado, coconut, or olive oils here. Additionally, you should make sure you use enough of it to cook in this way. Proper technique ensures that it reaches about halfway up the side of the food you’re cooking.
How to Fry with This Cooking Method
Now that you know the basics, here’s how to put pan-frying into action.
– Preheat
Over medium-high heat, you’ll want to put the cold fat in and let it get hot for several minutes.
– Check the oil
When it hits 350F, it’s ready. If you don’t have a kitchen thermometer, you’ll know it’s ready when you put a wooden spoon handle in and it bubbles. Put the food in when it does that.
– Avoid moving the food too soon
You don’t want that coating to come off, so let it cook properly first. You only want to flip it once during this time.
– Don’t overcrowd things
Adding too much in there will lower the temperature of the oil and cause things to cook unevenly. Plan on doing a couple batches to get every piece cooked right.
– Get that beautiful brown
Food browns at high temperatures so once you achieve that golden color, you can slightly lower the temperature to have everything cook through. That said, make sure everything going in the liquid is about the same size and thickness for even cooking.
Basic Guide to Pan Frying
Once you’re done, set your fried creations on a paper towel-lined plate to sop up any excess grease and enjoy your delicious crispy, crunchy meal!
Disclosure: this post has been contributed to Lavender and Lime and comments have been closed as requested.