So, you want to deep fry? Unfortunately, all you have is a nonstick wok. With you is a burning question. Can you deep fry in a non-stick wok? To know how to effectively deep fry in a wok, continue reading. Here you will find your perfect answer and process of deep frying in a nonstick wok at your kitchen.
Can You Deep Fry in Non-stick Wok?
The answer is a resounding YES. You can deep fry in a non-stick wok, owing to its feature and shape. But how do you do it? Here you will find the step-by-step process of deep frying in a nonstick wok, The advantages, And what factors to consider when deep frying in a nonstick wok.
Let’s get to it.
deep frying in a non-stick wok: Step-By-Step Process
Safety measures and precaution
Before you start deep frying with wok pan, take the measures and precautions. This is because some non-stick wok—like the round-bottom ones, are not stable. You will need a wok ring if using a flat top cooking range. That will ensure your safety from spillage and accidental burns.
Preparation
When you want to deep fry in a nonstick wok , you will prepare the food before you start cooking it. Among the preparations are cleaning and drying. Ensure that you drain all the water from the food. Skipping this step will lead to the food emitting super-heated vapor upon the food getting into the heated cooking oil.
Choosing the right oil
After drying the food, choose the oil you will use to deep fry. The cooking oil you settle for should be one with a high smoking point. The temperature should range from ranging 350®F – 490® F. Some of the best oil to use is sunflower or peanut vegetable oils. This is because they are flavorless and easily attain the smoking point.
Season the nonstick wok
If your wok is brand new, season it before you start deep frying. Although unnecessary for nonstick wok, it will give your food flavor and enable faster deep frying.
Add cooking oil and food in the heated nonstick wok
After seasoning, add the chosen cooking oil to the preferred depth level and heat it until it reaches the smoking point. You will know this by the oil producing gaseous vapor—marker that it’s decomposing. Note that different foods require different temperatures to evenly cook. You will have to set the appropriate one for your deep frying.
Winding-up
After reaching the smoking point, you will add your food. Deep fry until the food is golden brown then remove it to dry. You can use a dry paper towel for this process. This will leave your food crispy.
For safety measures and achieving desired results, there are tips to use.
deep frying in a non-stick wok: tips
- Ensure you dry the food before deep frying. Otherwise, the moister will cause oil splashes which poses risk.
- Never fill the wok with oil. The maximum you can put is ¾ full. This will leave room for the volume of the food you want to cook.
- To know the attained temperature, use a deep-frying thermometer. In as much as you can see the gas bubbles, use the device to be sure.
- For even cooking, add food in the heated oil one at a time. Putting all the food into the oil will lead to a sudden temperature drop. The drop makes causes the food to lose its crispness.
- When putting the food in the hot cooking oil, move as close as possible to the wok then gently drop the food in the oil. This will inhibit oil splashes.
- After you are done deep frying, use a skimmer to remove the bits of food particles.
There are reasons why it’s better to deep fry in a nonstick wok. In the next section, we will look into9 the advantages of deep frying in this cooking apparatus.
Advantages of deep frying in a non-stick wok
Even heat distribution
A wok is ideal for deep frying since, apart from even heat distribution, it also withstands high heat. The high heat enables the cooking fat to heat to the smoking point.
Fewer oil splatters
Wok’s distinctive wide diameter sloped sides, and shallow depth causes fewer oil splatters. When you put food in the wok containing cooking oil, the features prevent splash.
Uses less oil to cook
Non-stick wok pan uses less oil to deep fry. This is because owing to its raised sides, you will need less oil to attain the desired oil depth.
Easy to use
You can easily deep fry in a wok since it’s easy to move food around in the cooking apparatus. The gentle sloppy side also ensures even cooking.
Contain large volume of food
If you have a large volume of food you need to deep fry, a wok will come in handy. A non-stick wok can hold a large volume of food compared to other cookware.
So, with the steps and advantages, what can you deep fry in a non-stick wok?
What food is best to deep fry in a non-stick wok?
As the rule of the thumb has it, you can’t deep fry everything in a nonstick wok. This cookware is ideal for small-sized food. This way, you will avoid overcrowding which leads to uneven cooking. For best results, you can deep fry french fries, karaage, or calamari. You can also deep fry floating food such as donuts, funnel cake, or beignets.
For food such as chicken, you will have to cut it into pieces. Deep frying large pieces like chicken breasts can be futile owing to the wok’s shape. The sloppy sides will limit even frying of the food.
Wrapping up
As you have read, it’s possible and advisable to use a nonstick wok to deep fry. It not only comes with a wide range of benefits but also cooks well. The best thing to do at this point is to grab your wok and start your deep fry. Remember to choose cooking oil with a high smoking point and refer to the step-by-step process above for effective cooking.
Not only deep fry but also different types of food you can cook by your wok. If you want to know more about it, then check out our another post on What can you cook in a wok beside stir fry.