Handy hints
13
Food should be crisp when deep fried. If results are
soggy, it’s because the oil isn’t hot enough. This can
be attributed to one or more of the following:
• Not enough preheating time.
• Temperature setting is too low.
• Too much food in the basket (do not fill more than
two thirds full).
• Do not use solid frying oil, only use liquid oils.
• Use a good quality liquid oil. For best results we
recommend the oils listed in the table below. We
do not recommend fats that deteriorate quickly
such as lard or dripping. Deep frying in butter or
margarine is also not recommended because of the
low smoke-point temperatures.
• Oil can be re-used several times before it starts to
break down (smoke-point decreases ie. The oil will
burn at a lower temperature, fried food will be less
crisp). Filter the cooled oil through a fine sieve
then store in an airtight container in a dark place.
As oil will absorb food flavours, it’s a good idea to
label the container with the type of food the oil
was used for. For example you wouldn’t deep fry a
dessert in oil previously used for cooking fish. A
fine sieve can be a new chux cloth, paper coffee
filter or clean cotton material.
• Olive oil is not recommended for deep frying due
to its low smoke-point.

Recommended oils

Vegetable oil:
A general term that refers to a blend of oils extracted
from various seeds and fruits. Vegetable oil has a
very mild flavour and aroma. It is low in cholesterol
and saturated fats.
Sunflower oil:
The oil is extracted from the seeds of the sunflower
plant. It is pale yellow in colour with virtually no
flavour. Sunflower oil is high in polyunsaturated fats
and low in saturated fats.
Canola oil:
Made from seeds of the canola plant. It is relatively
low in saturated fats, contains Omega 3 fatty acids
and has a bland neutral flavour.
Safflower oil:
Safflower oil is derived from the seeds from the
safflower. It is strong in flavour, rich in colour and has
a high smoke-point. Safflower oil is high in
polyunsaturated fats and vitamin E.
Peanut oil:
Peanut oil is obtained from the kernels of the
groundnut or peanut. It has a delicate flavour, nutty
odour and has a high smoke-point. Peanut oil is high
in mono-unsaturated oil and vitamin E.
Cooking guide
The cooking times given in this chart are only a guide, and should be adjusted to suit the quantity
of food being deep fried.
12

Food Temperature Approximate cooking time

Fish (in batter) 180°C 5-7 minutes
Fish cocktail pieces (in batter) 190°C 4-6 minutes
Chicken pieces (crumbed) 170°C 12-15 minutes
Prawn cutlets (raw, crumbed) 180°C 3-4 minutes
Potato wedges (pre cooked) 170°C 7-10 minutes
Potato chips (thick) 190°C 5-6 minutes
Potato chips (thin) 190°C 2-4 minutes
Onion rings 190°C 2-4 minutes
Spring rolls (small) 180°C 4-6 minutes
Mushrooms 150°C 4-5 minutes
Fruit fritters 180°C 4-5 minutes

DO NOT USE SOLID FRYING OILS, ONLY USE LIQUID OILS AS PER THE RECOMMENDATIONS.

BR6482 BDF300 Booklet.qxp 23/12/04 11:35 AM Page 12