The Oil Mistake To Avoid When Shallow Frying Food

Otherwise known as pan frying, shallow frying offers crisp, yet juicy food without having to go through the struggle of deep frying it. The method gives meat, poultry, fish, or vegetables a nice crunchy outside while maintaining the moisture inside. Simpler than deep frying, the healthier cooking technique requires less oil and is easier to clean up. That said, there is one commonly made mistake you should know about before partaking in this process: Allowing the oil to reach its boiling point.

When frying food, choosing an oil with a high smoke point will prevent your food from burning. If the oil goes above that temperature when frying, your food will burn and take on the bitter taste of the oil. Cooking oil that reaches its smoking point also causes the oil's nutrients to be destroyed, releasing compounds that are harmful to your health.

Watch the oil to see how it reacts as it heats up. While oil that's below its smoking point will simmer and bubble like usual, oil that's reached its smoking point will stop simmering and produce smoke instead.