For many of us, there is nothing better than golden-brown deep-fried, crispy chips. Some though, still consider them as unhealthy. But what is really the situation with this popular dish?
Unfortunately, mistakes can be made during the frying process that can increase the fat content of chips by up to 25% which can be avoided. The average fat value is only 8%. Oil is an optimal heat transfer medium and cooking times are very tight, even vitamins and proteins are largely preserved during the deep-frying process.
Believe it or not, the main requirement for properly fried food is in the correct handling of the frying oil. Old and overheated oil must be avoided if you are to get the best results. A sign of well-maintained frying oil are large bubbles during the frying process.
But what is the secret?
Well actually, it’s a little bit of knowledge about chemistry. On the outside of chips within a 0.3-millimeter thick zone, free sugar molecules react with proteins under influence of the heat. This reaction is known as the ‘Maillard reaction’.
The result: An aromatic golden-brown layer with the typical fried taste and a light, fat free core on the inside.
So, in order to get optimal results when deep frying, the cross-section of the potato chip should not be too small.
Furthermore, the oil should not be heated to more than 175 degrees Celsius. Frying in higher temperatures does not accelerate the process, but actually decreases the quality of the oil and the formation of acrylamide is accelerated.
Finally, and one of the most important things to remember is to filter the frying oil regularly to remove suspended and bitter sediments. Otherwise the dark particles will stick to the chips.
For the optimal solution to this problem, and to save up to 50% in your fryer oil costs try the Vito frying oil filter.