Prep & Assembly

Fry

Cook food in hot fat until crisp and golden

Frying cooks food in hot fat — a shallow film or a deep bath — until it crisps and browns. It's a broad term covering everything from a fried egg to fritters. Keep the oil at temperature and don't overcrowd, so the fat stays hot and the crust stays crisp rather than greasy.

Difficulty: Easy

Types & varieties

Shallow fry

A film of oil in a pan; flip to cook both sides.

Deep fry

Fully submerged in hot oil for all-over crisp.

How to do it

1
Heat the oil to the right temperature and check with a thermometer.
2
Add food in small batches to keep the heat up.
3
Fry until golden, turning shallow-fried items.
4
Drain on a rack or paper and season while hot.

Common mistakes

Cool oil and crowding both drop the temperature, so food absorbs grease instead of crisping. Work in batches and let the oil recover between them.

Oil too cool — greasy, pale results
Overcrowding the pan
Not draining well after

Common uses

Fried chicken and cutletsFritters and tempuraDoughnuts and churrosFried eggsFrench friesSpring rolls

Tips & pitfalls

Use a high-smoke-point oil for deep frying.
A thermometer beats guessing — most deep-frying lives around 175–190°C, though par-frying or blanching (like the first fry of fries) runs cooler, ~150–160°C.
Rest fried food on a rack, not paper, to keep the bottom crisp.