I have always been interested in a simple and at the same time difficult question: why a delicious fried crust on products does not always work out? even if you are acting according to one strictly verified scheme?
Here physicists and chemists are good - they can disassemble the processes by the bones, so to speak. And what about an ordinary person who tried to bypass physics and chemistry at school (in a large arc past the office)? Just think, well, even to children to say:
- Learn so as not to sweat later.
What a highly pedagogical introduction I have came out, and you can't say that about food. So back to food. Rather, to the crust.
Here I will add - we are talking about large-sized dishes and whole or for spare parts, but large, poultry.
I noticed that the crust of the best look and taste - even, deep, rich - is obtained if you cook "the other way around".
How is it customary?
All products for frying or roasting are first processed at a high temperature. It is believed that in this way we will seal all the juices inside.
In fact, it turns out that at a high temperature in the first minutes, and at a low temperature, the juice is released almost the same - that is, on the final result in terms of "juiciness" is not particularly influenced by the high temperature "right away" if you interview eaters (I did!!!).
And the crust of foods baked or fried at low temperatures at the start of cooking is better.
It's a paradox.
But in fact, everything is completely logical and surprisingly simple. The crust appears when most of the water evaporates from the surface of the piece to be fried or baked. While there is a lot on the surface of the water, we will not see any crust.
When we cook at relatively low temperatures, we simultaneously warm up the piece and dry its top layer.
However, if you are not ready to give up frying at a high temperature at the first moment, this can also be solved.
You just need to dry the product initially - but not with towels, as we often do, considering it sufficient, but on the wire rack in the refrigerator - from several hours to a day. The surface of the piece must be dry. For example, think of Peking duck. If you do not dry it, you will not be able to get any Peking duck - or rather, its wonderful crust.
So we want a crust - we dry the product! Such is the secret.