Jim Speaks Out!: How to Fry SuccessfullyThe Finer Points of Frying Food

In today's health-conscious society, the idea of "fried" food has gotten a lot of bad press. According to the health-pundits out there, it's responsible for every kind of ill ranging from heart attacks and strokes, all the way to ingrown toenails.

And frying's bad press is well deserved, primarily because people have lost touch with the proper way to fry foods. Properly done, frying is no more, or less, healthy than many other ways of cooking - and if the research is any guide, it's probably healthier than the back-yard cookout!

What's wrong with frying? Simple. People have forgotten exactly how to properly fry food. Done right, it's a great way to cook. Done wrong and it's an invitation for disaster.

So, what are the issues that have caused frying to get such bad press?

Frying is a skill, that requires both patience and practice. It's a lot like making bread. You can't just toss some stuff in a pot and then go watch TV.
Frying requires you to pay attention to what you're doing. Again, it's not like throwing something in the microwave. If you don't have the time or patience to supervise what you're cooking, you should not try to fry foods. (Actually, you probably should not be cooking at all. . .)
Frying requires you to pay attention to the details. Time, temperature, materials, are all important.

So, what are the finer points of frying that you need to know?

The most important point is that you have to have both the time and patience to supervise foods you are frying. Done right, frying can be a delicious way to cook. Done wrong, and you can have a disaster, (literally!), on your hands.
Since frying has to be done in HOT oil, you need an oil that will not break-down at 400-or-so degrees. This counts out most vegetable oils, (except for, maybe, peanut oil). Shortening used to be popular because it would not begin to scorch and decompose at the high temperatures needed for frying. It got a bad rep., because people didn't cook at a high enough temperature and it soaked in.
Like I said before, in order to successfully fry, the oil has to be HOT. One of the biggest problems with frying today is that people do not heat the oil nearly hot enough. This causes the oil to soak into the food instead of cooking it. Ergo, frying's bad reputation for being "greasy". If it's greasy, the oil wasn't hot enough.
Not only does the oil have to be hot, there has to be enough oil to substantially cover the food. Pan frying, (as in "fried chicken", etc.), has the oil depth about 1/3 to 1/2 the thickness of the chicken. you''re frying.
Because the frying oil has to be HOT, you have to pay attention to the temperature. Too cold, and the food will be greasy. Too hot, and you could have an oil-fire on your hands. (Always a bad idea, in my opinion.)
You have to be careful. You don't want to be spilling boiling oil all over yourself. That includes having a lid that fits the pan properly, since you don't want to have oil spattering all over.

If you're interested in learning the techniques of frying food, there are things you can do to help ensure success.

The best thing is to either take a class at a local college, or find someone who is already expert at this art to help you learn.
Read up on the subject. Both your local library, as well as the Internet, are your friends.
Practice, and don't be afraid to have an occasional bad batch. Even fancy French chefs burn food occasionally.
If you're just learning, the "buddy system" will be helpful. In other words, don't try to do this alone! Have someone around who can help you with heavy pans, watch over things if you need to make a run to the bathroom, and such.

Bottom line:
Don't be afraid of frying. Just don't take it for granted.

What say ye?

Jim (JR)