Why you should fry with EVOO
Let no one be deceived: frying with virgin olive oil is always the best option to obtain health and flavor in equal parts. It doesn't matter what dish we bring in our hands: 'nuggets', croquettes, fritters, potatoes, fish... "It is recommended that the olive oil we use is always extra virgin, since it is the highest quality on the market," explains the chef Iolanda Bustos.
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The chef explains that the chain of polyphenols present in extra virgin olive oil means that it does not require such a high temperature as refined oils. The latter, says Yolanda Bustos, "need more heat and, therefore, burn sooner", which not only interferes with the flavor, but also causes nutritional properties to be lost. This is because the chain of polyphenols, fundamental antioxidants present in extra virgin olive oil, exerts a waterproofing effect on the food that we are frying, which means that the oil does not penetrate as much and, therefore, the result is also better from an organoleptic point of view.
“When the polyphenol chains break, which happens when we fry with refined oils, an acid is released. For this reason, on many occasions, if the fried foods are not well done, many people can have heartburn”, explains Bustos.
These are some tips for frying with extra virgin olive oil and achieving perfect frying:
- The temperature of the extra virgin olive oil should not exceed 180º. If we do not know how to calculate it, we can always buy a kitchen thermometer, which is cheap and allows us to specify temperatures.
- It is recommended that the foods that we are going to fry are completely submerged in oil, so that they are completely sealed everywhere.
- It is best to fry little by little, in small quantities, so that the contrast between the temperature of the food and that of the oil does not lower that of the latter.
- Despite the fact that if the food is fried correctly, it does not have to be oily, but well sealed and crunchy, it is best to always drain it on kitchen paper before serving to eliminate possible excesses.
- If it is strained correctly through a paper filter or a strainer that ensures that there are no remains, the oil can be reused several times without affecting its health or organoleptic properties. "Extra virgin olive oil can not only be recycled, but it must be done if we also want to contribute to having a more sustainable planet," concludes Bustos.
