Topics In This Section
1. Introduction
2. General Rules of Frying
3. Temperature Control
4. Preparation of Food
5. Fat Absorption and Topping Up
6. Choice of Frying Medium
7. The Spoilage of Fats and Oils
8. Cleaning
9. Frying Specific Foods
10. Recommended Frying Temperatures
11. The Basic Chemistry of Fats and Oils
12. The Chemistry of Fat Spoilage
13. The Visible Effects of Chemical Spoilage
14. The Role of the Oil Refiner
15. The Role of the Fryer
16. Fire Hazards
Reproduced with permission from Pura Food Products Limited
4. Preparation of Food
All food to be deep fried should be as dry as possible before immersion in hot oil. If foods - particularly potatoes - are fried too wet, there will
be a tendency for the oil to froth and break down. As a result the oil will have a shorter life and frothing oil is dangerous. Fragile foods and foods with
loose coatings must be handled carefully to avoid break-up during frying and the accumulation of charred material at the bottom of the kettle. The accumulation
of material can accelerate fat spoilage.
Chips and other potato products are often prepared in advance of requirements. It is well known that potatoes discolour under these circumstances.
There are several preparations on the market which stop this discolouration. Care should be taken not to use solutions which are too strong. Soaking
for too long or neglecting to drain carefully after treatment also tends to discolour a frying oil more rapidly.
Do not add salt to the food before frying. If salt accumulates within the fryer, the oil will deteriorate prematurely (see Section 12).
Specific foods are discussed in Section 9.