Deep fat frying

Deep Fat Frying

Deep fat frying (pronunciation: /di:p fæt fraɪɪŋ/) is a cooking method that involves submerging food in hot fat, most commonly oil, as opposed to the shallow oil used in conventional frying done in a frying pan. Normally, a deep fryer or chip pan is used for this; industrially, a pressure fryer or vacuum fryer may be used.

Etymology

The term "deep fat frying" and its many other forms come from the process of frying food deep in fat or oil. The word "deep" refers to the depth of oil, "fat" refers to the oil or fat used for frying, and "frying" is a cooking method that involves cooking food in oil or another fat.

Process

Deep fat frying is classified as a dry-heat cooking method because no water is used. Despite the use of liquid oil, the oil is heated to such a high temperature that any water within the food rapidly evaporates. This is contrasted with other cooking methods such as boiling, steaming, or poaching, which are wet-heat cooking methods.

Health Concerns

Deep fat frying can make food taste delicious, but it's not the healthiest cooking method. Foods cooked in this way are often high in calories and trans fats, which can contribute to heart disease and other health problems.

Related Terms

Frying: The process of cooking food in oil or another fat.
Cooking oil: Fat used in frying, cooking, and other types of food preparation.
Deep fryer: A kitchen appliance used for deep frying.
Pressure frying: A variation on pressure cooking where meat and cooking oil are brought to high temperatures while pressure is held high enough to cook the food more quickly.
Vacuum frying: A process of frying and dehydrating food using less oil and lower temperature, thus making the food healthier.