master-cooks | Andrew Zimmern's Unusual Kitchen Tool Tip For Better Frying

Andrew Zimmern, renowned chef and host, shares an unconventional kitchen tool tip for enhancing your frying technique. He suggests using a potato ricer, typically reserved for creating smooth mashed potatoes, to achieve better frying results. The key lies in its ability to evenly distribute pressure and moisture, which is crucial for ensuring a consistent texture and flavor in fried foods. By employing a potato ricer, cooks can press out excess moisture from ingredients like shredded potatoes or grated vegetables, which is essential for achieving a crispier crust. This step helps prevent the soggy, uneven texture often associated with frying. Zimmern emphasizes that removing moisture is vital, as water and hot oil don't mix well, and excess moisture can lead to oil splatter and uneven cooking. The potato ricer becomes an unexpected yet valuable tool in the kitchen, enhancing the quality of fried dishes by ensuring a more even and controlled cooking process. By integrating this tool into your frying routine, you can elevate the taste and texture of your culinary creations, making them more enjoyable and professionally executed. This simple yet effective tip offers home cooks a practical way to improve their frying skills with minimal effort.

Fry your food with the right kitchen tools

Similar to Andrew Zimmern, it's advisable to utilize metal utensils when frying food. Stainless steel is durable and heat-retentive, while nonstick plastic tools can warp or chip over time—definitely not the flavor enhancement you want in your meal. It's also perfectly safe to use metal utensils on cast iron cookware. Although stainless steel may stick more, Zimmern's preheating technique effectively addresses this concern.

He prefers using a slotted spoon, such as OXO's Good Grips model, for frying tasks. This design is advantageous because the spoon's rounded edges can gently lift your fried items while allowing excess grease to drain away. Skimmers and spider strainers (the kitchen tools, not the insects) serve the same purpose effectively. For example, Swify offers a set of three spider strainers in various sizes. Another reliable option for turning and serving fried foods is a sturdy pair of tongs, like those from KitchenAid. These are excellent for handling multiple smaller pieces or flipping larger cuts of meat. When dealing with a flat or delicate piece of fish, a fish spatula may be the best choice. If you're truly out of options, a long fork will do, but expect some judgmental looks. Regardless of the tool you choose, maintain cleanliness in your kitchen utensils and keep your food crispy by following Andrew Zimmern's preheating method.

Andrew Zimmern's Unusual Kitchen Tool Tip For Better Frying

Fry your food with the right kitchen tools

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