When ingredients float to the top when deep fried is this an accurate indication they are cooked?
When deep frying sausages, chips, small pieces of coated chicken breast etc, a good rule of thumb seems to be when they are nicely browned and float to the top of the oil, that they are totally cooked through. The only exception to this seems to be anything coated in batter (especially with raising agents), which floats fairly quickly due to the trapped gasses.
Is this an accurate indication of the internal temperature and if so, what exceptions are there to this?
Best Answer
For foods that should not be consumed undercooked, no, floating is not a reliable mechanism for determining if the internal temperature of a food is within the safe zone. All it means is that a sufficient amount of water has been converted to steam and either trapped or expelled that the food has become more buoyant than oil.
Only really safe way to determine if the food is safe is to use a food thermometer. The good news is that cooking times in oil are very consistent. Once you know how long it takes to cook a piece of chicken of a given size, for example, if you maintain the oil temperature you can cook the rest of the chicken to be cooked. Always check the largest piece, and I recommend continuing to check the internal temperature of the largest piece in each batch though.
For food that can be eaten raw, usually they are cut into small enough pieces that you can use the external doneness to determine the internal doneness.
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Is fried food cooked when it floats?
Water is heavier than oil, but the process of frying makes the food less dense than the oil surrounding it, thus making it float. However, deep frying oil can reach temperatures of over 400 degrees Fahrenheit.How do you know when deep fried food is done?
Otherwise, your food is usually done when it becomes golden brown and crispy on the outside. And always keep these tips in mind: Never overcrowd the pan, which can cause the oil temperature to drop too low. Low oil temps not only take longer to cook, but they can also make your fried food taste soggy.What does it mean when fried chicken floats to the top?
If the meat floats on top of the water, then your chicken is cooked through! However, another way to tell if your fried chicken is done is to check the weight; home-cooked chicken should always be at least 165\xb0F and weigh between 1/2 and 3/4 pounds.What are the three rules to always follow when using a deep fryer?
Commercial Deep Fryer Safety Tips- Tip #1: Use Fryer Baskets to Add and Remove Food from Oil.
- Tip #2: Keep the Area Around the Fryer Clean.
- Tip #3: Never Use Plastic Around the Fryer.
- Tip #4: Always Keep a Class K Fire Extinguisher Nearby.
Deep Fried Steak Experiment
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Images: Farhad Ibrahimzade, James Ampong Quilario, Maarten van den Heuvel, Lukas