How high (height-wise) should the oil be for frying chicken?
I thought the point of fried chicken is to have enough oil to deep fry it, but I've seen a lot of recipe discussing to fry the chicken for x-time, then flip over and fry for y-time.
Does this mean for recipes that involve flipping chicken in fryer we don't want the oil too high (height-wise), or does it make a difference even when completely covered in oil to cook on each side.
Best Answer
Deep fry and shallow fry both work. At home, when using oil in a wok (safest way because of the sloping sides), I flip whether the oil is deep or shallow. This is just to ensure even browning. For shallow, I would use an amount of oil that is at least half the thickness of the chicken.
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Quick Answer about "How high (height-wise) should the oil be for frying chicken?"
Heat the oil to 350°F: Pour enough oil into a large deep skillet or Dutch oven (at least 3-inches tall) so the oil depth is at least 2-inches deep. Heat the oil on high until it reaches 350°F. If you don't have an instant read thermometer or deep frying/candy thermometer, drop a 1-inch cube of bread in the oil.How deep should the oil be for fried chicken?
The fat should be about one inch deep in the skillet, coming about halfway up the food. Get the fat good and hot before adding the chicken. The fried chicken oil temperature should be about 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Using tongs, carefully lower chicken pieces into the oil skin-side down.How high should the stove be to fry chicken?
Use medium-high heat to brown chicken. For the best browning, the skillet should be hot when you add the chicken. Let the chicken cook on one side without turning.Do you fry chicken on low medium or high?
To fry, heat 5 or 6 tablespoons of oil in a heavy skillet over a medium-high burner until the oil is very hot. Place the chicken pieces in the hot oil, skin side down, one piece at a time. Leave enough space between pieces so that they are not crowded. This allows the pieces to cook and brown more evenly.How high up the level of the item being fried should the oil be when pan frying?
Battered foods can be coated and put into the oil immediately. Use a pan with straight sides that are at least 2 inches tall; the sides of the pan should rise about 1 1/2 inches above the oil. Don't crowd the pan because this reduces the oil temperature too much, and the food might steam instead of fry.Fry Fidelity: The Science Of Fried Chicken
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Answer 2
Fried chicken does not mean a (deep fat) fryer. It just means fried in oil. You could fry it in a pan with just a small amount of oil and turn the chicken or immerse it in a deep fat fryer (or deep pan). Immerse needs a lot of oil so at home it is common to use a pan (or wok) and turn.
Answer 3
As far as height goes, I try to use as little oil as possible because it feels wasteful to me (personal preference). What's worked for me with shallow-frying in the past was adding enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan and then a bit more. More specifically, about 1-2 cm of oil.
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