Frymaster know about frying!

Frymaster know a thing or two about frying!

What are the benefits of deep frying food?

Asking someone to describe deep fried food, it is very likely they would say that it is "tasty, but unhealthy". This is a reasonable assumption as deep fried food is widely considered to be something we should only eat occassionally. However this might not actually be the reality? Even with negative a media coverage of fried food, there are some benefits of this type of cooking, and both the customers and restaurant owners benefit.

Are fried vegetables healthier than boiled?

It's an facinating question and one that might have a surprising result. Researchers from the University of Granada last year published findings in the Food Chemistry journal which suggested that vegetables contain more phenols when fried in extra virgin olive oil than when boiled in water. Researchers applied three cooking methods – frying in olive oil, boiling in water or boiling in a combination of water and olive oil – to four different vegetables; eggplant, potato, pumpkin and tomato. Vegetables that are deep fried could be 'healthier' than when boiled.The purpose of the experiments was to decide which cooking method released the highest level of phenolic compounds – a healthy antioxidant that vegetables provide. Tempura Vegetables are a popular dish To everyone's surprise, the vegetables that had been fried had more of these valuable antioxidants than in those boiled or even raw. "As a cooking medium, the extra virgin olive oil increases the amount of phenols in the vegetables, in contrast with other methods such as boiling, which use a water-based heat transfer medium," Professor Cristina Samaniego Sánchez, one of the authors explained. Although the quality of the vegetables were improved when fried, Samaniego cited that the calorie count also increased. So the research blurs the lines between 'healthy' and 'unhealthy' ways to prepare food and may help restaurants decide on the merits of buying deep fryers from a health standpoint.

Faster than traditional cooking methods

One of the obvious benefits for restaurant owners and chefs with using a Frymaster Deep Fryer is the speed of cooking compared to other methods. Heat transfer between a hot oil and solid food is certainly much faster than food heated in an oven. Like all cooking processes, the art of deep frying is a science. The science is very simple: when the oil is hot enough, the surface of the food will cook instantly, forming a seal that the oil will not penetrate. At the same time, the moisture inside the food is converted to steam, which cooks the food from the surface inwards. Typically this process is done at oil temperatures of between 175°C and 190°C. In cafes and restaurants where food needs to be delivered fast and accurately, deep frying is a good option. Of course, not all foods can go in a deep fryer, but in kitchens where food such as chips are in hot demand, chefs can pump out food consistently to customers.

Tender end product

Deep fried food is tender and doesn't go dry. Cooking food for too long can have dire consequences. As well increasing the chance of burning, food tends to dry out if left exposed to heated air for too long. This is certainly not what chefs want to be sending to their customers and plays into the benefit of deep fryers. No matter how long you deep fry something, it will continue to hold its moisture within the inner layer. Fish, chicken, ice cream – it's all locked in! The outer layer would eventually become inedible if left, but this doesn't affect what's inside.

Improved flavour

Most of us love the smell and taste of a freshly fried chip. As customers unwrap their fish and chips, you want the surrounding fats and oils to have sealed in the flavour so when someone takes a bite, it releases a burst of flavour. This is how foods that have been deep fried using a Frymaster taste better than other cooking methods to some people. There are also countless recipes that call for deep fried ingredients. In modern dishes, it's now popular to add deep fried garnishes to the plate for added crunch.