Battered fried food is delicious and a customer favorite. Which is why it’s a staple in restaurants and foodservice establishments around the world. However, while customers love the crispiness of battered fried foods, operators know freshly battered and breaded dishes can be tricky to cook consistently. After a few batches, the oil can get full of bits, forcing workers to have to clean the oil out, slowing production. So, what’s the trick to preventing batter from sticking to a commercial fryer basket?
Understanding Why Battered Food Sticks
One of the primary challenges operators face when adding fried dishes to the menu is how to prevent batter from sticking to the fryer basket. Sometimes, the batter can become so problematic that workers must empty and refill the fryer before making the next batch, causing lengthy downtime and lost sales.
But why is battered fried food so tricky?
First, if the fryer oil temperature isn’t at the right level, it won’t keep the batter adhered to the food. That’s because the batter is at a lower temperature than the oil in the fryer, which causes the batter to ooze off and not stick. When the oil is hot enough, it helps keep everything contained better.
Another area for improvement is overcrowding. When dozens of orders are waiting, it’s tempting for workers to add more items to a single basket. Unfortunately, this crowding means the batter binds with both the basket and other foods next to it.
Finally, the batter itself can create challenges. If it’s too thin, it’ll seep almost immediately and drip into the fryer oil. So, operators must make the batter thick enough to stay on but not so thick that it makes it harder for the rest of the food to cook.
Pitco’s Pro-Tips for Stick-Free Frying
If a battered fried dish is a popular menu item, operators can avoid many of the challenges above by upgrading to a better frying system. Pitco offers high-end fryers that can handle larger volumes without the risk of batter sticking to each commercial fryer basket. Operators can also mitigate the problem by focusing onproper frying procedures.
For example, workers should season each basket by dipping it in the hot fryer oil before adding food. This layer of oil helps prevent the batter from sticking to the metal. Similarly, workers should use a shake time counter to ensure all excess oil and debris come off once an item comes out of the fryer. Then, they can skim any leftovers from the surface before the next batch.
High-efficiency fryers can also make the job much easier. Horizontal racks designed for high-volume frying won’t cool down as much between cooking sessions, and they allow employees to put more items on the rack without anything touching them. Workers can also submerge the rack before adding the food to prevent sticking.
Overall, Pitco fryers give operators more flexibility with their menu options. A consistent, stick-free frying experience makes it easier to keep up with demand. Plus, with automatic filtration and top-off features, operators can worry less about dirty oil ruining batches later in a shift.
Discover how Pitco fryers can help your foodservice business succeed with a consultation from a fry expert:
FAQs
Pitco's Pro-Tips for Stick-Free Frying
How to keep batter from sticking to a fryer basket? ›
Use a Small Amount of Oil
One thing you should do both for crispy texture and to prevent sticking is use a small amount of oil. Cooking without any oil whatsoever may sound appealing, but fat promotes browning and can help food crisp up. It also makes it less likely to stick.
How to stop battered fish sticking to the basket? ›
The sticky batter will sear on the hot metal and stick. Instead of dropping the fish/shrimp into the hot oil, gently release it. Hold onto the fish and let it float on top of the oil first before releasing it completely. It should continued to float instead of sink and be ok.
How to deep fry without sticking? ›
How do you prevent fried food from sticking to the pan or pot? Get your pan hot first, before adding anything. Then add oil or butter and wait for it to heat up. Then add whatever it is you are frying.
How do I keep food from sticking to my air fryer basket? ›
How to prevent food from sticking in the air fryer? : follow...
- PREHEAT THE AIR FRYER. ...
- USE OIL IF YOU DESERVE IT. ...
- GREASE THE FRYER BASKET. ...
- YOU SHOULD NEVER USE AEROSOLS IN THE AIR FRYER. ...
- DO NOT OVERLOAD THE BASKET. ...
- SHAKE THE BASKET DURING COOKING.
It's all about pan prep
Your goal is to prevent your cake from sticking by creating a barrier between batter and pan (e.g., parchment, nonstick spray, or shortening and flour) prior to adding cake batter.
How do I keep my frying pan from sticking? ›
To be sure, you can also add some vinegar as soon as the oil has warmed over low heat. Otherwise, use a teaspoon of butter to grease the pan before frying the eggs, meat or vegetables. In order not to burn the fats, cook at a moderate temperature and add a pinch of salt.
How can I make my batter stick better? ›
Dry the chicken off. Put it on a cooling rack after you bread it for twenty minutes or so. This will let the breading get stronger and absorb less oil when you get it.
How do you keep batter on fish when deep frying? ›
For anyone that has a problem with the beer batter not sticking to the fish, I have a simple trick. Set out a bowl with about a cup of flour, and before you dip the fish in the beer batter, coat the fish in flour. Also- to keep them crispy, make sure to drain the excess oil on a paper bag after frying.
How do you get flour to stick to fish when frying? ›
Corn starch is essential to fish breading.
Add a heaping tablespoon of it because it will help the batter adhere to the fish.
Add enough oil to the pan before adding food. You'll want to use enough oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Foods that are prone to sticking, like eggs, may require a bit more oil, while fatty foods, like chicken thighs, don't need quite as much oil to keep from sticking.
How to stop batter from sticking to a fryer basket? ›
For example, workers should season each basket by dipping it in the hot fryer oil before adding food. This layer of oil helps prevent the batter from sticking to the metal.
Can you put parchment paper under the basket of an air fryer? ›
Parchment paper can handle the heat inside your air fryer - up to 428°F (220°C). To get the best results, add the parchment paper to the air fryer basket at the same time as you add your ingredients. This prevents the paper from lifting up and coming into contact with the heating element while cooking.
Why should you not overload the fry baskets in a deep fryer? ›
As a quick tip, be sure to be mindful of how much product you are placing in the fry basket at once. If you overload the basket then your product will not cook evenly. Also, if you load these baskets with too much heavy product, the basket will be unnecessarily heavy to lift and you run the risk of injury.
How do you keep breading from falling off when frying? ›
Place the breaded chicken on a cooling rack (or a platter) and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This cooling time will help the layers of breading ingredients solidify and adhere better after the chicken cooks. Once you start cooking the chicken, be patient and don't flip it over too early.
How do you get batter to stick when deep frying? ›
If you are deep frying your breaded chicken, the oil should be at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Your best bet is to use a thermometer — and don't try to fry too many pieces at once. This causes the temperature to drop, and cold oil will soak into the breading instead of crisping it up.
How do you keep fish from sticking to air fryer basket? ›
How do you keep fish from sticking in the air fryer? Brush the inside of the air fryer basket with oil before cooking or line the basket with parchment paper before cooking the fish.
