How to fry efficiently? What should you pour into the deep fryer to make the chicken coating even crispier and more golden? What is blended oil and how does it differ from traditional oil? Find out what you need to know before choosing the right frying fat.
What to use for deep-frying?
You have chosen the commercial fryer, the menu has been decided, what remains is to decide what you will use for frying. What’s better for frying fries, traditional oil or blended oil? And if blended oil, which one? What should you consider when choosing a product used for frying?
What’s better for frying fries, traditional oil or blended oil?
As you know, only refined fats should be chosen for frying. The question is, which ones? Traditional oils or blended oils? What is the difference? Frying fats are popular and everyone has come across them at some point: palm oil, canola oil, coconut oil. And what is blended oil for restaurants?
What is blended oil?
Blended oil used for frying is a blend of carefully selected oils designed for long-term frying at very high temperatures. The composition of vegetable fats makes blended oil versatile and excellent for deep frying. It can be used for the preparation of all types of food which require frying at high temperatures, i.e. fries, breaded chicken, breaded fish, vegetables and doughnuts.
What to consider when choosing a frying fat
What to look for when choosing products for frying? Here is a list of the most important criteria when choosing frying fat for the deep fryer:
Stability of fat
That is, resistance to oxidation and other reactions occurring in fats during frying. High temperatures require increased stability of the fat. When looking for a suitable fat for frying, it is important to choose fats with a high content of monounsaturated fatty acids (MUFA) and saturated fatty acids (SFA). The higher the saturation of fatty acids, the higher the fat’s resistance to oxidation.
Smoke point
Frying fats have a smoke point above 200°C. Such a high smoke point is characteristic for refined oils and it should be noted that only this type of fat can be used for frying food – in a deep fryer or frying pan.
A smoke point above 235°C will make frying not only safer, but also more comfortable – the fat doesn’t smoke, doesn’t irritate the eyes and doesn’t emit toxic substances. The high smoke point is characteristic of liquid and semi-liquid blended oils, which are mixtures of vegetable oils combined in the right proportions.
Raw material base and consistency
The right choice of fat ingredients, including a high content of monounsaturated fatty acids, affects both stability and consistency. Fluid fats have a high content of monounsaturated (MUFA) and saturated (SFA) fatty acids, making them both highly resistant to oxidation but also convenient to use. Therefore, when given a choice between solid and semi-solid fat, it is worth opting for the latter.
Time required for the fat to liquify
Liquid fats are highly resistant to oxidation, but also convenient to use. Liquid blended oils, for example, are more convenient to handle and use than solid blended oils. They do not need to be pre-liquified at a lower temperature and can be heated to the correct frying temperature straight away. It is also easier to clean – the filtration process of liquid blended oils is convenient and efficient.
Taste and aroma
No cook wants the dish they are preparing to smell or soak up the smell of fat. Therefore, when considering what to use for frying, it is advisable to choose high-quality products which are neutral in flavour. This will ensure that the food does not smell of fat and that the natural flavour and aroma of the food are enhanced during frying.
Shelf life – resistance to degradation, replacement frequency
When choosing the right type of frying fat, it is worth looking at the fat’s resistance to degradation and connected to this, the frequency of replacement. Here, blended oil is a definite favourite – it degrades more slowly than vegetable oil when exposed to high temperatures. As a result, it does not require frequent replacement and this offers the potential for big savings for the restaurant.
Savings
When choosing between traditional oil and blended oil, it is worth considering the economic factor and the savings involved. As we mentioned, blended oil is more resistant to degradation, making it last longer, up to five times longer than canola oil! This translates into specific benefits:
Longer life of blended oil not only means economic savings in terms of expenditure, but also less waste and more time saved, which you don’t have to spend changing blended oil and your restaurant has no downtime.
So what to use for the deep fryer: traditional oil or blended oil?
Both traditional and blended oil will work well for frying fries and breaded chicken. However, if you want to fry in a way that is both efficient and economical, opt for a good quality liquid blended oil.
A blend of vegetable oils suitable for high-temperature frying will produce satisfying frying results – dishes will be crispy and aromatic. The high smoke point will allow for comfortable preparation and the high stability will ensure that the products are resistant to the unfavourable changes occurring during the frying process.