Fry And Fry Again: The Science Secrets To The Double Fry

Source: http://www.npr.org/sections/thesalt/2016/03/24/470396393/fry-and-fry-again-the-science-secrets-to-the-double-fry?utm_medium=RSS&utm_campaign=thesalt

We used science to unlock the secrets of fried Oreos and other twice-fried foods.

We used science to unlock the secrets of fried Oreos and other twice-fried foods.

Morgan McCloy/NPR

I’ve been trying to get the perfect crust on my fried chicken for a while now. To be specific, I’ve been working on a dish called Chongqing Sichuan spicy chicken or chicken with chilies. This can be one of the most transformative experiences to ever come out of a wok, and I’ve been chasing a crisp, almost glassy crunch on my chicken for a long time.

But science can unlock many secrets, and cooking is science. To understand how to get the effects I want, there are a couple of universal rules of frying to nail down, according to Scott Andrew Paulson. He’s a physicist at James Madison University, and he’s been through a similar journey trying to create the perfect French fry.

That glorious sizzle is from water boiling away from the potatoes, beginning the fry’s construction of a great crust.

<img src="http://www.npr.org/assets/img/2016/03/14/McCloy_FrenchFries1.gif" alt="…

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