Making Fried Foods Healthy!

No, you didn't read that wrong; it is possible to make fried foods healthy with a few simple techniques. The proper temperature, fryer and oil make all the difference when it comes to frying foods. If you follow these six simple rules, you are sure to have the perfect fried treats with out the guilty conscience.

Rules:

• +Make sure the fryer is big enough to submerge food completely
• +Heat the fryer to 375 F
• +Cook in batches
• +Use healthy oils like canola instead of lard
• +Use a cooling rack instead of paper towels
• +Change the oil regularly

The first rule is simple. Make sure you have a large deep fryer with an immersed heating element. When frying it is important to make sure the food is completely, not partially, submerged to prevent any batter or coatings from soaking up the oil. The immersion heating element ensures consistent and even heating so that all the pieces will fry evenly. Next, and most importantly, make sure the oil it HOT!!! If the oil is too cold the food will sit in the oil and soak it up before it start to cook. For most foods, 375 degree is the proper temperature for frying. Try to find a fryerthat has a built in thermometer or have a thermometer ready before you start cooking.

Once the oil is ready, it is crucial that you cook in batches rather than overloading the the fryer. When too much food is placed in the fryer, especially frozen items, the oil temperature drops dramatically and again, its all about the temperature. When deciding how much to cook at a time, take into account the size and starting temperatures of the items and make sure the oil can reach all sides of each piece. If it can't, there is too much in the fryer.

Now for the obvious rule. Health oils make healthy foods so try using canola oil versus typical lards. Once the food is done, don't put it paper towels, put it on a cooling rack with a pan underneath. Yes, the paper towel soaks up grease but then your food sits in a pool of grease and will eventually soak it back up. Using a cooling rack in lieu of paper towels will let the oil drip down preventing it from re-absorbing and keeping your food crisp for longer. Lastly, make sure to change the oil regularly based on usage to prevent contamination and spoilage. If your oil looks discolored, begins to have an odor, or starts smoking then its time to change it.