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Crispy, golden brown, delicious fried foods are the best way to kick off a party, and—we promise!—they’re easy to make once you’ve mastered the basics
We get it: Frying can be intimidating. The hot oil, the risk of soggy food, the worry that you’ll blacken something into oblivion. So why are we crazy about frying for a crowd? Picture guests arriving to your dinner or cocktail party greeted by a platter of hot, crispy vegetables and seafood. And these? Just some homemade potato chips. Your company will thank you, beg for more, and ask how you pulled it off. The truth is, you don’t need a fryolator or a hazmat suit—or the stress. You just need a little planning and some oil intel, which we’ll happily share. Read on, then fry, fry away.
◀The most-used tool in my kitchen rarely does what it was designed to do. Sure, I sometimes use my bamboo skimmer (or spider), a Chinese restaurant staple, to skim foam while making stock. But that’s not why I reach for it so often. As a mini-colander, it can’t be beat for pulling short pasta shapes from boiling water, retrieving blanched veggies, or scooping up grains. Best of all, it fishes out frites and fritters from hot oil so well I won’t fry without one. What won’t it do? Break the bank. Find one for a few bucks in a Chinatown near you. —Scott DeSimon, deputy editor
Safety First! You’ve got a vat of boiling oil, so don’t be careless. A few rules to fry by: 1. Make sure there are at least 3 inches from the surface of the oil to the top of the pot so that when the oil bubbles up, it doesn’t bubble over. When in doubt, use a bigger pot.
2. When frying in a pot with a handle, make sure the handle is tucked to the side—never sticking out over the stove—so no one knocks into it and tips the pot.
3. Gently lower food into the pot. This is not the time to make a splash.
There are a few things you’ll need before you take the plunge.
WORKSPACE (AND THE RIGHT OUTFIT)
Clear the area around the stove to defend against grease splatters (maybe throw some newspaper on the countertop, too). Dress the part with an apron: You can wipe oil off of kitchen counters; a silk blouse, not so much.
THE POT
You want one that conducts heat well, is wide enough to fry without overcrowding, and high-sided so bubbling oil stays in the pot. A Dutch oven is perfect, but the size depends on what’s on the menu. Four quarts is plenty of room to make a bowl of stuffed olives. Planning platters of risotto balls? Increase to a 6- or 8-qt. pot.
THE THERMOMETER
Pick a deep-fry/candy thermometer that clips onto the pot. We prefer analog ones, like Taylor’s 12" version.
THE OIL
Neutral, affordable oils like vegetable, peanut, canola, and corn are best. Depending on how much you’re frying, you’ll need anywhere from 6 to 10 cups of oil. Better to have too much than not enough, so spring for the extra bottle.
THE WIRE RACK
It allows air to circulate, keeping food crisp (steam leads to sog). Place it inside a rimmed baking sheet to catch any drips, then lay a few paper towels on top to absorb excess oil.
THE RETRIEVAL METHOD
A mesh spider works for pretty much everything, but so will a slotted spoon (make sure it’s heatproof!).
If you’re frying when entertaining, pick a manageable workload. (A little fried food is fun; a lot, and you won’t see your guests much.) These are two of our favorite recipes when we’re hosting: The potato chips can be made ahead, and the fritto misto is as beautiful as it is delicious.
CRISPIEST POTATO CHIPS
Keys to great chips: A lower frying temp gets the moisture out; a vinegar soak ensures they’re crisp.
Get the recipe: Crispiest Potato Chips
While You Fry: Maintain the Temp
Once your oil is at the right temperature, it’s important that it stays that way. (Too hot and you’ll burn the food; too cool and your fry-up will be greasy.) Keep an eye on the thermometer and adjust the heat as needed. The temperature will naturally drop a bit when food is added; give it a minute or two to bounce back, then turn up the heat slightly if it doesn’t.
Science of the Soak
When frying potato chips, starch and sugar in the spuds can cause them to brown too quickly, leaving them toasty on the edges but undercooked inside. Rinsing them in vinegar and water accomplishes two things: It not only minimizes those problematic starches, but the vinegar also helps keep the potato cells intact, so they fry up crisp, not mushy. The result: beautifully browned, evenly cooked, unbeatably crunchy potato chips. We fried a lot of potatoes: These little purple ones and russets are the best. —Alison Roman
FRITTO MISTO
A good fritto misto crust is light and crunchy (thanks, cornstarch!). If the batter thickens as you work, thin it with a bit of soda water as needed.
Get the recipe: Fritto Misto
__While You Fry:__Fight crowding
Don’t pack the pot! Food will stick together, the temperature will plummet, and nothing will fry evenly. Small batches are best.
Skim Away
A good batter is a loose batter, which means it’s more likely to stray once it hits the oil. No big deal, just make sure to skim any rogue bits before they burn.
Technique Spotlight:
Whisk
When making the batter, don’t overmix or it can become too thick.
Batter
Submerge one item at a time, allowing the excess batter to drip off.
Fry
Some ingredients cook quicker than others; remove them as they finish.
Fritto Misto Favorites:
Here’s our roster, but it’s easy to vary. (Not into squid? Up the shrimp!) - ¼ small kabocha squash, very thinly sliced
- ½ small fennel bulb, very thinly sliced lengthwise
- 1 leek, white and pale-green parts only, halved lengthwise, layers separated
- 1 lemon, very thinly sliced into rounds, seeds removed
- 2 oz. maitake or shiitake mushrooms, trimmed, torn into pieces
- 4 oz. large shrimp, peeled, deveined, halved
- 4 oz. squid or baby octopus tentacles
- ½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
- ¼ cup sage leaves
If you’re looking for a do-ahead party trick for a 100-person rager, this ain’t it. With the exception of potato chips, fried foods are best served right away. Bring out each batch as you finish—think how excited your guests will be each time you emerge with a fresh platter. Heartier foods can hold briefly: Things like fried chicken or falafel will do fine on a wire rack set in a baking sheet in a 275° oven for up to 30 minutes.
__Save that Oil!__Don’t let all the used oil go to waste. Let it cool completely in the frying pot, then strain into a glass jar. Store in a cool, dark place. The life span of the oil will vary depending on what you fried (if it was seafood, toss it), but you should be able to reuse it three or four times. When the oil is dark or has pieces you can’t strain out, it’s spent. Check to see if your town recycles cooking oil. If not, throw it away in a container.