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Deep-Frying in Fat

Erken's guide to deep-frying: the fat is hot enough when it stops bubbling and begins to smoke (about 200 °C), 250 °C for very crisp things. The food must be fully breaded with rusk crumbs, completely covered by fat, fried in small batches, and set on paper or a cloth afterward.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 162 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

Erken's guide to deep-frying, written in an age without thermostats and deep-fryers. She explains how to read the fat's temperature from the bubbles, the smoke, and the sound, and why the fat must be truly hot before anything is put in.

How to make it

  1. 1

    Heat the fat correctly

    Heat the fat in a pot. As long as the fat bubbles and sputters, there is still water in it, and the thermometer shows 100 °C (210 °F). When the water has evaporated, the fat becomes still, and soon begins to smoke – then the temperature is around 200 °C (390 °F).

  2. 2

    Choose the heat level

    About 200 °C (390 °F) suits small pieces of meat or fish, especially breaded things. Things that are to become very crisp, like thin potato slices, need about 250 °C (480 °F). The fat can reach about 300 °C (570 °F), depending on which type of fat is used.

  3. 3

    Bread well

    Croquettes and other things to be deep-fried must be completely covered with rusk crumbs. If there are only patches of breading, they easily split there.

  4. 4

    Fry

    Never put anything in the pot before the fat is hot; whatever is fried in lukewarm fat only soaks up fat and turns bad in both flavor and appearance. The fat must cover the food completely. Do not put in too many pieces at once, or the fat cools down so much that it soaks into the food before it can brown.

  5. 5

    Lift out and keep warm

    Put the finished food at once on paper, flatbread, or a warm cloth on an upturned wire sieve, so the steam can escape. Serve right away if possible; if it must stand a while, it must stand in a hot oven – steam makes it soggy.

  6. 6

    Mind the pot

    When the fat pot is at the right heat, it must not stand idle. Put in at least a slice of bread or potato, so the fat does not burn as easily.

Changes from the original

No amounts are given in the original; the ingredient list is therefore stated without amounts. The text is divided into numbered work steps in modern Norwegian. "Griljert" (deep-fried breaded) is kept, but explained as breaded with rusk crumbs.

Time machine – what changed?

Pick two editions and see what Henriette Schønberg Erken added, removed or changed between them.

1949 (proofread, p. 190) → 1914 (proofread, p. 162)~45% of the text changedremovedadded
Benytt jerngryte på elektrisk plate eller elektrisk komfyr. Kokende fett bobler ikke; boblene boblerne og «surringen» kommer av av, at det ennå der endnu er vann vand i fettet. Så lenge Saalænge fettet koker (bobler), vil termometret vise 100° C., C, men når vannet naar vandet er fordampet, og fettet blir «stille», vil det om litt dampe av fettet, og temperaturen vil være ca. 200°; fettet er da passe til å at koke småstykker smaastykker av kjøtt kjøt eller fisk i, særlig ting ting, som er griljert. Ting Ting, som skal være meget sprø, sprøde, som tynne potetskiver, trenger tynde potetesskiver, trænger ca. 250°; fettet kan få faa en varmegrad av ca. 300° — forskjellig efter hvilken sort fett der benyttes. Som regel er det små smaa stykker fisk, kjøtt kjøt eller oplagede ting av samme, som ruletter rouletter og kroketter, kroquetter, som kokes. Det særegne er er, at det som kokes, blir påvirket paavirket ens helt omkring av en meget høi varmegrad, således saaledes at skorpen dannes særlig hurtig og sterkt tettende. tættende. Fettet må fullstendig dekke det maa fuldstændig dække det, som skal kokes. Kroketter Kroquetter eller annet andet, som skal griljeres, må maa være helt dekket dækket av kavring; fins findes der bare flekker, vil de lett let revne her. Straks det stekte tas tages op av gryten, legges lægges det på paa papir eller flatbrød eller på paa et varmt klæde, som legges på lægges paa en omvendt hårsikt, således haarsigt, saaledes at dampen slipper ut, og anrettes helst snarest mulig. Skal det ligge en tid, må maa det være i en varm ovn; damp tåler taaler det på paa ingen måte, maate, det blir bløtt. Efteraf Efterat fettgryten er passe varm til å at kokes i, må maa den ikke stå staa ledig; legg iallfall læg ialfald en brødskive eller potetskive i, fettet brennes brændes da ikke så lett. Legg saa let. Læg ikke for mange stykker fisk eller kjøtt kjøt ad gangen i gryten; derved herved blir fettet så saa avkjølet, at det trekkes inn trækkes ind i den ting ting, som skal stekes, før det der kan bli tale om noen nogen bruning. Intet må legges maa lægges i fettgryten fettgryten, før fettet er hett; utål utaalmodighet og ukyndighet straffer sig ganske ordentlig. — Hvad der stekes i halvt varmt smult eller fett, blir motbydelig baade av smak og utseende, griljeringen vil kun indsuge fettet.

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Frequently asked questions

How do I tell when the fat is hot enough?
As long as the fat bubbles and sputters, there is water in it, and the temperature stays at 100 °C. When the bubbling subsides and the fat begins to smoke a little, the temperature is around 200 °C – right for deep-frying small pieces of meat or fish, especially breaded things.
What temperature do crisp things like thin potato slices need?
About 250 °C. The fat can go up to about 300 °C, depending on which type of fat you use.
What is suitable for deep-frying?
As a rule small pieces of fish and meat, as well as shaped things made from the same, like roulades and croquettes.
Where does this guide come from?
From Henriette Schønberg Erken's "Stor kokebok" (1914), page 162, in the section on deep-frying in fat.

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