Shallow-Frying

What It Is

Cooking in roughly 1 cm of oil held at 175–180 °C — hot enough to set and brown the crust fast, not so hot it burns before the inside cooks.

Why It Matters

Temperature is everything. Too cool and the coating drinks oil and turns greasy; too hot and the crust burns while the centre is raw. A rack, not paper, keeps the underside crisp — paper traps steam and softens what you just built.

How to Execute

• Bring the oil to 175–180 °C; test with a panko crumb — it should sizzle briskly, not violently.
• Lay the food away from you; don't crowd the pan, which crashes the temperature.
• ~2–3 min a side for a thin cutlet; pull poultry at 72 °C internal.
• Drain on a wire rack. Salt immediately while the surface is hot.

Common Mistakes

• Crowding the pan and dropping the oil temperature.
• Draining on paper towel.
• Guessing doneness instead of checking internal temperature.