What makes fried food crispy

Batter recipes vary widely, so results differ depending on ingredients. For example, high gluten flours result in a chewy some might say tough crust, whereas gluten-free flours like rice flour result in a paper-thin ultra-crispy crust think: Korean fried chicken. Adding eggs or sugar to a batter will result in a darker crust, which may or may not be desirable. Batter coatings are smoother and have less surface area than most breaded coatings, so they tend to absorb less cooking oil.

They also tend to offer the most protection for delicate foods, which is why fish are commonly battered before frying think: fish and chips. Breadings result in a crispy, crunchy, textured crust. Breaded coatings can range from fine breadcrumbs think: Chick-fil-A , to large, extra-crispy breadings think: KFC, Popeye's, Japanese tempura. Fine breadcrumbs tend to absorb less oil then the extra-crispy style, since they provide less surface area for oil to soak into, but they are prone to sogginess.

Extra-crispy style breadings are usually achieved by incorporating large, already crispy particles, such as Panko-style breadcrumbs or cereal, such as cornflakes. Although batters and breadings are delicious, some foods don't require a coating at all. Starchy foods, like potatoes, plantains and yucca root will form their own natural protective skin once they're dunked in the fryer.

This makes prep easy and accessible for the home cook. Take a look at the simple fried plantain salad I made while on vacation a few weeks ago. It was quick and easy to throw together, and it's a great starter recipe for frying novices!

Ingredients 1 plantain, mostly brown Soybean, vegetable, corn, peanut, or canola oil, enough to cover Salt and pepper to taste 1 tomato, diced Lime juice, to taste. Directions 1. Heat oil to F in a skillet, or, if you don't have a thermometer that will go that high, check to see if your oil is sizzling hot by sticking the end of a wooden spoon in the oil.

If it bubbles, so will your plantains! Add them to the hot oil. They'll float, so you may need to flip them after a few minutes. Fry until the bubbling has slowed and they have a nice rich, golden brown color.

Drain onto a paper towel and season with salt and pepper immediately. Toss in a bowl with diced tomato and a bit of lime juice, to taste. Add additional salt and pepper if necessary. Serve immediately. Owen R. News U. Politics Joe Biden Congress Extremism. Special Projects Highline. Be sure to strain out any crumbs or food particles, as they can burn, affecting the flavor and degrading your oil. For most home cooks, it's reasonable to expect to be able to cook with any given pot of oil about three times.

Beyond that, the forces of heat and oxidation take their toll, and the oil's smoke point falls significantly, meaning it will start to smoke at a much lower temperature than when it was fresh. This is just an unfortunate reality of deep-frying at home.

Restaurants can squeeze much more life out of their frying oil because they use it continuously, as opposed to using it then storing it for a whole and then using it again, as home cooks are likely to do. For more on how that works, read how restaurants get their fries so crispy. Actively scan device characteristics for identification. Use precise geolocation data. Select personalised content. Create a personalised content profile. Measure ad performance.

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Read More. Your Privacy Rights. Because vodka is more volatile than water, it evaporates more quickly, which dries out the batter faster and more violently. That creates larger bubbles and even more surface area, in turn resulting in a much crispier crust. But vodka does more than add volatility to the mix: It actively inhibits the production of gluten, the network of proteins that forms when flour and water combine.

By limiting gluten development, vodka yields a batter that can be mixed, and subsequently used, for far longer than a traditional batter, which will become doughier and heavier the longer it sits.

It also allows you to thin out the batter, for a shatteringly delicate crust that remains crisp for much longer than a typical flour-and-water mixture. Our formula is simple: Just use equal parts cornstarch, flour, water, and vodka, along with a bit of salt and baking powder.

This method is perfect for frying up food for a crowd, whether it's Korean fried chicken , onion rings , some General Tso's R. Chef Peng Chang-kuei , or Buffalo fried cauliflower. Not using a wet batter at all? You can still use vodka to enhance your crust by simply adding it to your marinade.

An ounce of vodka two tablespoons for every cup of liquid in your marinade, followed by a dredge in your dry ingredient of choice, will go a long way toward enhancing crispness. So long, chewy, leathery crusts! Actively scan device characteristics for identification.

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