Owner`s manual

be hot enough to quickly seal the surface of the food, but not too hot to burn the
outside before the inside is completely cooked. Done correctly at a proper
temperature, only a minimal amount of oil is absorbed into the food.
Pan Frying
This form of frying is characterized by the use of significantly less hot oil where
food is semi-submerged in hot oil in an electric skillet or in a fry pan over an open
flame. When pan-frying, the oil’s depth should be no more than 1/2 the thickness of
the food. Pan frying differs from deep frying since the food touches the bottom of
the pan and the exposed top side of the food allows some loss of moisture in the
food as it cooks.
The advantage of pan frying is the use of less oil, this is also a disadvantage as it
is more difficult to maintain temperature of the oil. The moisture loss and faster
browning of pan fried foods can be advantageous or detrimental depending on the
choice of foods to be pan fried. The best candidates for pan frying include fish,
shellfish, tender meats and vegetables. Foods to be pan fried are generally
covered with a batter or breading and have a rich texture that contrasts with the
crispy, crunchy outside.
When pan-frying use an electric skillet with a thermostat to control oil temperature
if possible. Otherwise, some experimentation may be required to control oil tem-
perature. When oil temperature is reached, add the food to the pan; and fry on one
side until brown. Using tongs or a spatula (never a fork) turn and brown the second
side realizing that the second side generally takes less time (it’s hotter when turned
over than the first side was) to cook. As with all forms of frying, never crowd the
pan as this can dramatically reduce oil temperature. Recovery time is the duration
of time necessary to return the oil to the desired cooking temperature. When
cooked too long, food will likely be greasy without the seared crunchy exterior most
people desire from fried foods.
Oven Frying
Oven frying produces a result that is healthier (usually less oil yet similar to fried
foods even though it isn’t a real frying process. Generally food is baked in a hot
oven and basted once with a small quantity of fat or cooking spray. As with
deep-fried foods, most foods are breaded or battered prior to being baked to seal
in the juices and produce a crunchy, crispy crust. Food normally does not require
turning and cooks quickly using this high heat (450˚ – 500˚F) method. This works
especially well with fish fillets, chicken pieces and pork chops. Generally bread
crumbs or corn flake crumbs are utilized to produce a crispy crust when
oven-frying.