Fried food is one of the most popular items that restaurants serve. Whether you’re selling fried chicken, pork cutlets, shoestring fries, or onion rings, you can always expect a steady stream of customers as long as you have fried food on your menu.
There will always be a special place in American cuisine for fried food, but with more and more people becoming more conscious about their health, fried food has taken on a bad reputation. Many restaurants have started dropping deep fryers, too, due to nutrition and safety concerns.
While you’re busy worrying about your breakfast restaurant franchise cost, let us put your mind at ease: Fried food will never go away. We can help you improve your deep-frying skills. Let’s get started.
1. Use the right oil
Many people assume that the best oil for frying is olive oil because it’s associated with healthy food. But let me tell you why using olive oil for frying is a bad idea. For starters, it’s expensive. You’ll blow through your budget. Two, it also has a low smoke point. And finally, the taste profile isn’t what you would typically associate with fast food.
You want to choose a cheap oil with a high smoke point and a neutral flavor profile. Some good cooking oils for frying include canola, safflower, and sunflower. Using oil with no distinctive taste profile allows the fried food to shine on its own. Grape seed and peanut are two other popular oil choices that have a high smoke point and a neutral flavor.
2. Invest in the right equipment
If you want to cook consistently crispy fried food, then you have to have the right kind of equipment in your kitchen. Frying with a pan is fine for home cooking, but there is simply no substitute for a proper deep fryer if you’re running a restaurant.
One alternative to a dedicated deep fryer is to use a deep pot with a thick and heavy bottom for frying. Like a deep fryer, a deep pot also keeps the temperature consistent with minimal heat fluctuations. This ensures a quick and even frying. A deep pot also reduces splatters. Always keep in mind that you should never go beyond the halfway point when filling a pot with oil, or you could have a dangerous grease fire on your hands.
Apart from the pot or deep fryer, you need a reliable digital thermometer. While a pot is sufficient for deep frying, a deep fryer is just safer and better for you.
3. Check the flour
Flour is one of the most important ingredients in cooking. The right flour will make the frying process easier, enhance the taste, and retain the moisture inside the meat while ensuring a crisp and even coating.
It doesn’t matter whether you’re deep-frying fried chicken or a chocolate bar, the first step to frying food is coating it in flour. The flour allows the batter to stick to the food. You can also infuse the flour with spices to improve the taste.
These things will help you improve your deep-frying in a commercial kitchen. Commercial cooking is all about streamlining processes and reducing costs, so using the right oil, equipment, and flour will result in perfectly fried food that won’t hurt your budget.
