meat absorbs more oil.

In the hot oil the moisture that moves outward from the center of the meat turns into

steam near the hot surface that exerts an outward pressure to keep the oil out of the food. The

sizzling you hear is the steam escaping through the hot oil bath. More moisture from the inside

moves outward continuously, turns to steam near the surface of the food and continues to keep

the oil out. If the oil temperature drops suddenly, steam production slows down and the oil can

seep into the food. This happens if you either don’t use plenty of oil, add too many pieces into

the oil at once or the food is too moist. Too hot oil is bad, too. The outside of the food browns

too fast and inside remains partially cooked.

The ideal frying temperature must be close to 375°F (192°C). To fry small or thin pieces

of meat, you can heat it a little higher, but for larger pieces set it between 350°F to 365°F (178°C

to 186°C) so you won't burn the outside before the inside is done.

Choose a neutral-flavored vegetable oil with a high smoking point for frying or deep-

frying. Almost any salad oil works well except olive oil which has too low smoking point (even

though some recipes recommend it). If you don't have a deep-fryer, heat up enough oil in a large,

heavy pot, so you can totally submerge the food without any piece touching the bottom. Keep

track of the temperature as you are heating the oil, and as soon as it hits the mark, gently slip the

meat, one at a time, being prepared to quickly cover the pot with a splash screen in case the oil

spatters. Even better, use a frying basket if you have one, that you can momentarily lift out to

avoid a mess. Oil only spatters for the first few seconds while the excess moisture generates

plenty of steam, then it subsides. Keep adding a few pieces at a time to maintain the temperature

and deep-fry until the meat is well-browned, then remove the pieces with a slotted spoon and set

them on paper towels to absorb excess oil.

Fresh oil is best for frying though many chefs claim that oil they have used more than

once fries foods better. To save the used frying oil, let it cool and filter through a cheese cloth or

paper filter. Store it in a closed container with as little air as possible to reduce oxidation (oxygen

turns it rancid). Keeping it in the refrigerator also helps. Once you heated oil, it requires more

care than fresh oil—it oxidizes faster and it deteriorates a little after each use. The smoking point

lowers and the surface tension decreases, allowing it to seep into your food more readily. You

can slow this process of deterioration if you blend fresh oil into to the used oil next time you use

it.

Stir-frying is a time-honored, quick Oriental method, now popular in the West, that uses

very little oil. It is an excellent cooking method for tender meats. Stir-fried food develops superb

flavor, because it works so fast. You need the highest heat you can generate and shortest time

possible (novice cooks often stir-fry too long—they cannot believe any food can cook so

quickly). A heavy wok over a burner that can provide intense heat is ideal. Neither a light-weight

wok nor and electric wok work as well. Having not enough heat on your burner can also be a

problem.

To stir-fry, have all ingredients and all equipment at your fingertips before you begin.

Then heat the wok until very hot. Add just a smear of oil, then the food and toss and turn

continuously until the food browns on the outside. It doesn't take more than a few minutes.

Contact with the hot metal surface transforms food faster than any other method except a

blowtorch.

Roasting, the last dry cooking method, is relatively slow because the heat is only

moderate and is transferred to the food through air, which is a poor heat conductor. Preheat the

oven before putting the food in and keep checking the food temperature to avoid overcooking.

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