Appliances Review - Deep Fryer

TopTenReview

Frying is a longstanding preferred method of cooking in the South. Foods like catfish and hush puppies just happen to taste better when fried, and even the well-established okra tends to be a dish best served fried. Using a deep fryer for cooking adds a unique texture and flavor to meals. While it carries with it a negative stigma associated with high calorie and high-fat foods, it is quite possible to create low-fat meals.

The process of battering and frying food adds fat and calories to a meal, but getting a quality deep fat fryer will reduce the amount of oil absorbed and calories created. By reducing oil absorption with consistent and high heating, you lose none of the texture and flavor you may love with fried foods.

Electric Deep Fryer: What to Look For

The process of deep frying foods entails submerging food in hot oil, a type of liquid fat. While the fat itself is liquid, it is still considered a solid and thus creates dry heat. Cooking food in oil properly will have the end result of very little oil being retained in them, which is only accomplished through a quality fryer that can seal in moisture, maintain temperatures and create non-oily foods.

Heating Element
One of the most important elements of any electric deep fryer is its ability to maintain a constant temperature. Oil retains heat, and at temperatures of over 375 degrees Fahrenheit, they can begin to smoke and easily burn food. At the other end of the spectrum, cooking at too low of a temperature often results in oil absorbing into the meat and increasing the calories and fat content of a meal drastically. Keeping to the ideal temperatures of 325 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit will result in more effective cooking and reduce the absorption of oil in foods for healthier and tastier meals.

Features
The goal of a deep fryer is to create fried rather than oily foods. The features of any fryer will work in tandem toward that goal, offering temperature settings ideal for sealing moisture and reducing oil absorption. The design of small and large deep fryers alike should facilitate the safe cooking of food without putting you at risk of burning from oil bubbles popping. In addition to covers to protect against oil spatters, the device should likewise facilitate the easy addition and removal of oil for regular use.

Ease of Use
Using a deep fryer should be as simple as adding oil, turning on the heat and adding food. The main element of using a deep fryer that requires some skill and attention is cook times. It is quite easy to overcook food, and the oil can remove moisture just as easily as sealing it in. The best deep fryers will facilitate easy, stress-free interaction with you.

Warranty
Like with any other appliance, the warranty is critically important in ensuring you can use your low fat fryer in the years to come. In addition to having the individual parts of the fryer covered, you also need a warranty that will protect the heating element, which would protect against inconsistent temperatures that could potentially ruin meals.

Purchasing a deep fryer adds a whole new range of meals you can eat. For even the health-conscious, these fryers can create delicious, low-fat food that is still fried. All it requires is a little practice and creativity when putting together recipes, and you can recreate you favorite foods with ease.