How does an electric fryer work?

How does an electric fryer work?

The concept of a fryer is simple – oil is held in a pot and heated to a specific temperature in order to cook food submerged in it. As simple as it sounds, there are many variables that can impact how the equipment is used and the quality of the resulting food, including the type of heating elements or burners, the shape of the pot, and the power source, just to name a few.

Frying is neither a difficult nor a very time-consuming exercise. Food is placed in a vessel where oil has been heated to between 325-400ºF.

The purpose of this is (1) to give food that beloved, crisp exterior, and (2) to cook your food.

Different food types take different lengths of time to deep fry. With that said, one shouldn’t let the food fry for too long, as this is what makes it turn greasy

To understand this process, we’ll explain in details how it works. We can identify four phases within the process.

First Phase: Initial heating

The oil is heated to between 325-400ºF. Food is then placed in the oil, at which point the food begins deep frying. This sudden heat increase cooks the food’s surface and seals the moisture of the as-yet uncooked food.

Second Phase: Surface boiling

The moisture that is inside the food heats up and becomes a vaporous form of water. The vapor then cooks the food – much like boiling would cook an egg or a potato.

Tiny bubbles start to appear where the food’s surface meets the oil, forming a gas barrier. That barrier keeps the oil out, which keeps the food dry throughout the deep-frying process.

These bubbles are in fact water: the water inside the food becomes gas when the food touches the hot oil, exiting before the heat seals the remaining water vapor inside the raw food.

Oil and water do not mix, meaning practically no oil reaches the food’s surface at this point. The bubbles shield the food so that no oil penetrates inside the food.

Third Phase: Decreasing heat transfer

At this point, the transfer of water from the food begins to decrease. The last dregs of liquid become steam inside the food.

Fourth Phase: Bubble end point

The bubbles vanish from the food’s surface; at this stage, there is no boiling or deep frying of the food’s external layer. The food should be removed to prevent oil entering the deep-fried meal (the bubbles no longer protect the surface).

The right temperature

The temperature of the oil must be between 325-400ºF for the first stage of frying to take place. If it isn’t, the food will not cook; the surface won’t seal and oil will be allowed to penetrate it, making it greasy and unpleasant.

At the same time, don’t leave the food inside longer than it takes to deep fry fully. The bubble shield can no longer ward off the oil; thus you will have the same outcome.

The dry crust, the main reason people love deep-fried food, comes from a balance between these two factors.

Which oil should you use?

When choosing an oil to deep fry with, find out which oils give the best outcome, and which are the unhealthiest. The more saturated fats there are, the better.

Coconut oil has proven to be the best for deep frying. Research shows that this oil can be reused even after it is cooked for a long period.

Other oils that work in deep frying are those made from olives, peanuts, palm and avocado. Animal fat works and is acceptable.

Do not use vegetable oil (soybean, corn, canola, grapeseed, sunflower) as these tend to produce compounds that are deleterious to your health.