Almost all people love fried food, so if you are into cooking, you will want to know the best method by which you can make the most delicious fried food.
In this article, we will help you cook the best way you can by putting an end to deep frying vs pan frying that has always been a debate.
In the following, you will find their main differences, pros and cons.
Short Answer:
Deep frying requires more oil but gets your food done quickly.
On the other hand, if you use pan frying, you will need less amount of oil, but the food will take time to be cooked.
What Is Deep Frying?
The oil only cooks the surface. The secret behind this is the natural repulsion between oil and water.Â
Deep frying makes food that has a crispy exterior and moist interior.
You completely submerge the food in the oil, and when it reaches the state of being crispy on the outside, moist on the inside, you take it out.
Then, you dry the food by placing it on a tissue so that it does not have a lot of oil.Â
What Is Pan Frying?
Before placing your food into the pan, heat it.
When you use this method, you should partly submerge the food in the oil and keep turning it to make sure it gets properly cooked. It also does not need as much oil as deep frying.
Unfortunately, with pan-frying, the food does not have a crispy outside.
Deep Frying vs Pan Frying – Full Comparison:
Amount Of Oil
Deep frying requires a more amount of oil than pan frying.
As mentioned before, if you are using deep frying, you got to submerge the food in the oil fully; therefore, you use more oil.
In some cases like frying bacon, deep frying requires no oil at all.
On the other hand, with pan frying, you got to put enough oil to cover the food halfway.
Moreover, you can choose to use butter because it helps preserve flavour in some cases.
Time
If you need to cook your food quickly, then deep frying is there to help you do that.
Since the food is completely submerged in the oil, it is not exposed to air, so it is cooked faster.
Temperature
Indeed both methods require oil and temperature, but they use different amounts of oil and varying temperatures.
As a manifestation, with deep-frying, the oil should be heated in 400 Fahrenheit; whereas, pan frying requires the oil’s temperature to be 350 Fahrenheit.
If you use cold temperature during deep frying, the water will seep into the oil rendering the food greasy and underprepared.
Result
Deep frying food gives the food a crispy outside and a moist centre. The deep-fried food has a less greasy taste and texture because the moisture within the food repels the grease.
On the other hand, food that is pan-fried does not have a crispy exterior. Moreover, to cook it properly, you should flip it at least once.
Conversely to what happens with deep frying, if the temperature is not hot enough while you are pan frying, the food will have a greasy taste and texture.
Uses
You can use both methods to fry your food; however, each one of both ways is better suited for certain kinds of food.
For example, deep frying is better for frying snacks and foods like cheese sticks, french fries, onion rings and doughnuts; whereas, pan frying is better for light food items like bacon, pork chops and pancakes.
What We Like and Do Not Like About Deep Frying and Pan Frying:
Deep Frying:
Pros
- Quickly cooks food
- Better taste
- Gets food with a juicy centre
Cons
- Might deplete the nutritional value
- Dangerous
- Not very healthy
Pan Frying:
Pros
- Not necessarily unhealthy
- Les oil
- Easier
Cons
- Takes more time to get the food cooked
- Food is not crispy, and the centre is not juicy
Bottom Line ðŸ’
By now, you have known the differences between both methods of frying.
Both are excellent methods, so the food is the only factor that should determine which method of frying to choose.
Also, if you need your food to be done quickly, use deep frying and if you want to use a small amount of oil, use pan frying.
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