FOOD FOR THOUGHT
Mark R. Vogel
Epicure1@optonline.net
Pan-Frying
Pan-frying is a dry heat cooking method whereby food is
semi-submerged in hot oil in a pan on the stove top. Unlike deep frying where
the food is completely immersed in oil, in pan-frying the oil’s depth is no more
than half the food’s height. Another important distinction is that in pan-frying
the food touches the bottom of the pan. In deep frying the food is completely
suspended in oil.
The goal of pan-frying is to produce a crisp, tasty,
golden-brown crust while maintaining a moist interior. This is facilitated by
two factors. The first is the aforementioned contact between the food and the
pan bottom. Food-to-pan abutment enables the crust to become even darker than
the free-floating environment of deep frying. The second factor is the
temperature of the oil.
OK, everybody listen up. Especially you food neurotics and
fat-phobes who think “frying” is a dirty word. It’s time to abandon your
irrational beliefs. Frying is not nearly as “fatty” as you’d think if, and yes,
this is a big if: If it is done right. Fried foods cook, in part by steaming
from the inside out. The hot oil causes the internal moisture in the food to
boil, which then escapes as steam. The outward rush of steam prevents the
surrounding oil from permeating the food and making it greasy. This equilibrium
creates that nirvana of a crunchy outside and a moist, non-oily inside. If the
oil’s temperature is too low, insufficient steam is produced, the oil wins the
shoving match, and your food tastes like a grease sponge. If you’ve ever
received limp, greasy fries at your local fast food dump, you know what I mean.
(Conversely by the way, if the oil temperature is too high, the steam wins the
push-of-war and you’re food overcooks and dries out.) But if done correctly, a
minimal amount of oil is absorbed into the food. You can test this by measuring
the oil in the pan pre and post cooking. You’ll find the difference is not
horrific and at least some of the variation is accounted for by the oil that
dispersed into the air and on your countertop.
Thus, a quick recap: very hot oil causes the food’s internal
moisture to turn to steam and thrust against the oil. The steam keeps the oil
out, while the oil keeps the moisture in. In-between is a crisp, browned crust.
What temperature should the oil be? Most foods are fried in the 350 – 375 degree
range. The shallow depth of the oil used in pan-frying may preclude you from
inserting a thermometer into it. Therefore, when pan-frying proteins I wait
until the first whispers of smoke arise from the oil. For veggies I wait until
the oil at least shimmers.
There are a few demons lurking to muck up the proper oil
temperature. First, adding food to hot oil will drop the temperature of the oil.
Adding a lot of food will lower it so much that it cannot recover quickly enough
before sufficient steam is produced to prevent the oil from infiltrating the
food. Hence, do not overcrowd the pan. It is worth the investment of time to
cook a large quantity of food in batches. Second is the temperature of the food
prior to cooking. Obviously the colder the food, the more the oil temperature
will plummet. Allow refrigerated food to warm to room temperature before
introducing it to the oil. Finally, stoves and pans vary. You’ll have to
practice with your stove and your particular pans to know the optimal thermal
setting to maintain accurate oil temperature. You can’t just turn the heat on
high, hit the target temp and add the food. The oil will eventually overheat.
You’ll have to find the sweet spot on your particular stove’s dial vis-à-vis the
particular pan you are employing.
Foods for pan-frying must be naturally tender cuts of meat,
delicate meats like fish and shellfish, and vegetables. The food must be less
than an inch thick. Thin cutlets are the best. If too thick, the surface of the
food will burn before the center is cooked. Place the food in the oil, wait
until the first side is browned, immediately flip it, and then cook until the
second side browns. The second side requires less time since the food is hotter
when flipping it than when you started it. Later batches of food will also brown
sooner due to the degradation of the oil and bits of food contaminating it.
However, although succeeding batches may turn brown sooner, it doesn’t mean
they’re cooked sooner. Adjust accordingly, strain out errant food particles
between batches, and add additional fresh oil if necessary. Do not save the oil
and reuse it. Used oil has a lower smoke point and can combust sooner than fresh
oil.
Foods to be pan-fried are usually covered with a batter or
breading. Batters consist of dried ingredients such as flour or cornstarch in
conjunction with liquids such as milk, beer, water, etc. Breadings can be as
simple as dusting the food in flour or more commonly what is called the
“standard breading procedure.” The standard breading procedure involves first
dusting the food in flour, (taking care to shake off the excess), then dipping
it in beaten eggs, and finally into bread crumbs or some other form of outer
coating. Season the food with salt and pepper prior to coating. Allowing the
food to rest for 15-30 minutes before frying enables the breading to stick to
the food with greater tenacity.
Now that you’ve overcome your inhibitions about frying, take
some veal cutlets, apply the standard breading procedure, and pan-fry them.
Voila! You’ll have Veal Milanese. Pair it with a tomato and arugula salad and a
bottle of Chianti. Enjoy!
