We salivate over fried food, but who wants to deal with an unpleasant smell and a disgustingly messy stove, right? Fortunately, there are a few tricks to make frying a little more enjoyable and easier to clean up.
Why does the oil sputter when frying?
In fact, it is not the oil that splatters, but the released moisture from the food we are frying. The liquid will release and form a pocket of steam when it comes in contact with the oil. The oil rises up to the level at which the bubble bursts.
How to prevent sputtering?
The most important step is to thoroughly dry the food. The less water they contain, the less they will sputter. A protective sieve that is placed on the pan is also very popular. It lets vapors through, so we don’t have to worry about smothering the steaks, but it doesn’t let oil droplets through.
Our grandmothers solved it in the simplest way. They fried in sufficiently tall pots in a thin layer of oil, then they didn’t have to worry about making a mess of the whole kitchen. They also added a pinch of salt directly to the oil, because it absorbs moisture.
What about the smell?
If you’re like me, you don’t like to fry because then you can’t air out the stink for a few hours. There are several solutions to this predicament as well. First of all, the hood. It should be placed directly above the stove. Check if it is strong enough and functional. And always turn it on. Better close the door when frying so that the whole apartment doesn’t “smell”. After frying, open the windows and ventilate properly. And if you add a few drops of lemon juice to the pan with oil, the meat will be juicier, and the frying won’t stink as much.
Vinegar as an odor absorber
When frying, put a pot of water and a few spoons of vinegar on the side plate. Bring to a boil. Steam from vinegar can reliably absorb odors from frying, because vinegar is an excellent odor absorber. You can try the same trick with lemon. Instead of a few spoons of vinegar, cut a few slices of lemon into the water.
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