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Classic
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page 40
MODES OF FRYING.
The usual custom among professional cooks is to entirely immerse the article to
be cooked in boiling fat, but from inconvenience most households use the
half-frying method of frying in a small amount of fat in a frying-pan. For the
first method a shallow iron frying-kettle, large at the top and small at the
bottom, is best to use. The fat should half fill the kettle, or an amount
sufficient to float whatever is to be fried; the heat of the fat should get to
such a degree that, when a piece of bread or a teaspoonful of the batter is
dropped in it, it will become brown almost instantly, but should not be so hot
as to burn the fat. Some cooks say that the fat should be smoking, but my
experience is, that is a mistake, as that soon ruins the fat. As soon as it
begins to smoke it should be removed a little to one side, and still be kept at
the boiling point. If fritters, crullers, croquettes, etc., are dropped into fat
that is too hot, it crusts over the outside before the inside has fully risen,
making a heavy hard article, and also ruining the fat, giving it a burnt flavor.
Many French cooks prefer beef fat or suet to lard for frying purposes,
considering it more wholesome and digestible, does not impart as much flavor, or
adhere or soak into the article cooked as pork fat.
In families of any size, where there is much cooking required, there are enough
drippings and fat remnants from roasts of beef, skimmings from the soup-kettle,
with the addition of occasionally a pound of suet from the market, to amply
supply the need. All such remnants and skimmings should be clarified about twice
a week, by boiling them all together in water. When the fat is all melted, it
should be strained with the water and set aside to cool. After the fat on the
top has hardened, lift the cake from the water on which it lies, scrape off all
the dark particles from the bottom, then melt over again the fat; while hot
strain into a small clean stone jar or bright tin pail, and then it is ready for
use. Always after frying anything, the fat should stand until it settles and has
cooled somewhat; then turn off carefully so as to leave it clear from the
sediment that settles at the bottom.
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