You might be wondering how restaurants get that consistent golden color every time without fail. Their food has this picture-perfect quality that gives their café or bistro a coveted Michelin star rating. How do you get that fried chicken to be that crispy yet juicy? Or are you craving for some potato fries comfort? A pan and some oil may do the trick. But how sure are you that you cooked it well? The secret to the success of these restaurants lies in the perfect deep-fried dishes.
The best deep fryer may look like a luxury to most people. They may think that only eateries and diners are allowed to have these modern appliances. You may feel it is a waste to have one as you do not always fry food. But in reality, a deep fryer is a piece of indispensable kitchen equipment. Preparing food takes a lot of time and effort. Putting it in a fryer is one of the fastest and most efficient ways of ensuring that your family and friends get healthy and delicious food within minutes.
If you are still weighing on your options, check out the numerous advantages and some disadvantages to deep frying.
The Pros of Deep Frying
Delicious, crispy food is the main benefit of using a deep fryer for cooking food. Frying on a regular pan will do the part of the job, but will lack in terms of visual appearance and taste. When you deep fry fat, it assures you that your food is cooked well inside out. No matter what the food is, it becomes tender and never goes dry as jerky. You are also able to put food on the table faster compared to other forms of cooking.
Traditional deep fryers are generally electric. But some people prefer using gas-powered appliances based on the belief of cost-effectiveness. Now, modern manufacturers understand the need for other preferences. So you also have the option of using gas or electricity to power up your best deep fryer.
Deep frying is also economical since you can save more oil. It may not look like, during your first use, that you need to put in a lot of oil before completely dunking in your uncooked food. But in doing so, you can cook it a lot faster as compared to simple pan-frying. You can cook a chicken leg in a deep fryer in half the time, unlike when cooking half of one side before turning over to the other. The quick-cooking time allows for less burning of the oil, so it is still clear and free of impurities when you finish frying. Then you can reuse the oil several times for your small pan-fried or the different deep-fry needs without compromising your health.
And the best part is that recent reports say that some food – vegetables, in particular – could be healthier when fried. Based on a University of Granada study, frying is better than boiling and sautéing. Phenolic compounds – linked to antioxidants – are ever-present in vegetables. These composites are best known for the ability to fight against diabetes, cancer, and loss of vision. Boiling food for a long time releases these phenolic mixtures, but gets lost in the water. Sautéing needs specific foods to be cooked for a longer time, losing the vital composites in the process. But frying via oil increases these antioxidants. So you get to eat healthy vegetables when fried.
The Cons of Deep Frying
Touching the pot immediately after cooking may cause burns. And since you are dealing with immensely scalding oil, accidental spills may cause third-degree injuries on any part of your body. So it is best to be careful when using a fryer.
Cleaning is also a usual complaint about those who have deep fryers. Some appliance manufacturers have tried to address the need by making frying hassle-free. But sometimes, there is still a splatter of oil in the surroundings. So aside from cleaning the fryer itself, you also need to remove the possible grease on the counters or walls. And what will you do with all that used oil? Improper waste disposal could also be an issue. Although once you get the hang of using your new fryer, less and less spills will be made.
There will always be a danger for any food preparation and cooking. But you want a healthier, quicker cooking lifestyle, so you forge through it all. A deep fryer is an appliance that you will need for the rest of your life.