Dry before you fry

Tip for today: Whether it’s mushrooms you want to saute, cabbage you want to stir-fry, steak you want to sear, or potatoes you’re deep-frying, dry it as thoroughly as possible before you fry it. Reasons: Spattering will be reduced. When there’s moisture on the surface, it will boil into steam and insulate the surface of your food from the oil. (If your steaks and stew beef end up more gray than carmelized brown, this is probably why.)

It’s also a good idea to let the food come to room temperature if possible. Moisture condenses more readily on the surface of cold things, the lower differential temperature between the food and the oil means faster cooking, and since you are going to be cooking it at a high temperature, surface bacteria will be destroyed. A bad idea for any ground meat though, unless you are going to cook it very thoroughly.

Tags: tips