Fried polenta problems

[gfweb]

Restaurant fried polenta is golden brown and tastes like polenta, but better.

 

My fried polenta is light tan and tastes like a corn chip.  I've tried dusting with flour or sugar, deep frying, pan frying...all the same.

 

Anybody know any tricks?

[weinoo]

17 minutes ago, gfweb said:

Restaurant fried polenta is golden brown and tastes like polenta, but better.

 

My fried polenta is light tan and tastes like a corn chip.  I've tried dusting with flour or sugar, deep frying, pan frying...all the same.

 

Anybody know any tricks?

 

I have the same problem as you!  As well as keeping it in one piece during the frying process.

[JoNorvelleWalker]

It's been years since I've made it, but the recipe I followed called for briefly broiling with lots of butter.

 

[FlashJack]

I'm no expert but I think browning -- and flavour -- arises from a good lot of grated Parmesan in the mixture.

[Kim Shook]

Mine pops all over the place.  I feel like I need to be behind a protective barrier.  I love the crusty version I get in restaurants, but I find I usually have to settle for "hot".  

[weinoo]

1 hour ago, Kim Shook said:

Mine pops all over the place.  I feel like I need to be behind a protective barrier.  I love the crusty version I get in restaurants, but I find I usually have to settle for "hot".  

 

This for sure.  I just think a much "drier" version of polenta needs to be used, if that makes sense. Or perhaps breading the polenta sticks before frying?

[gfweb]

1 minute ago, weinoo said:

 

This for sure.  I just think a much "drier" version of polenta needs to be used, if that makes sense. Or perhaps breading the polenta sticks before frying?

I let it sit on a paper towel for a while and popping is minimal

[andiesenji]

Never have a problem with it.  I cook it the night before to just past the point where it will be eaten as it.

I place it in a buttered loaf pan, chill overnight, slice and lay the slices on a sheet pan on which I have lightly sprinkled (with a dredger) CORN STARCH, not flour, then sprinkle on top, brush lightly to removed excess and then fry on a lightly greased griddle - I happen to prefer bacon fast - but use a high smoke point oil if cooking for friends who don't consume pork products.  The light one lost it's skin on the griddle when I turned it before it "released."

Edited July 6, 2022 by andiesenji (log)

[Margaret Pilgrim]

Andie's point should be well taken.    Leaving fried foods on the heat until they readily release from the bottom is the clue to good crusts.   

[andiesenji]

P. S. If you want them browner, it is not a sin to run them under the BROILER for one or two minutes!

[JoNorvelleWalker]

3 hours ago, gfweb said:

I let it sit on a paper towel for a while and popping is minimal

 

I no longer have the broiler recipe I followed but as I recall it involved quite a bit of drying.

 

[EatingBen]

You’ll need a drier polenta cooked just a little longer this isn’t a time you want to experience all the textures you want it cooked fully you’ll need half a cow of butter and about equal portions of salt turn it out onto your tray chill cut out your shapes then fridge overnight. 
 

i cook polenta sous vide at 95c for almost 2 hours you need asbestos hands and solid gloves as the polenta will need a few massages during the cook but it works extremely well. 1:1.1 polent/liquid
 

to fry them I dust them in potato starch and plain flour then far more oil then you think in a pan. 
 

‘The results are acceptably good but you know you aren’t eating anything healthy

[weinoo]

That’s one way, I’m sure. I’m also sure it’s not the only way.

 

Because there probably isn’t a restaurant on this whole continent doing it that way.

[EatingBen]

1 hour ago, weinoo said:

That’s one way, I’m sure. I’m also sure it’s not the only way.

 

Because there probably isn’t a restaurant on this whole continent doing it that way.

I think I’ve only once read about someone doing polenta sous vide and didn’t like the results because it would clump while cooking. I like cooking it sous vide because I’m lazy and I only need to massage the bag 2 or 3 times during the cooking. Plus once cooked lasts weeks in the fridge unopened, freezes perfectly and is easy to reheat. 
 

‘but cook it however you want, using whatever you’ve got to whatever method you like. 

[Katie Meadow]

I don't do polenta, but I DO do grits. As Andie and others suggest, if you know you are going to fry up slices later, cook the mixture a little bit further than you might ordinarily.. Put it in whatever you like for a mold. I've always refrigerated it overnight. Before cooking in ample butter or oil, I press the slices gently on both sides with paper towels to eliminate more moisture. And I agree that patience is the key to minimize sticking. However, there is always a little bit of popping during the sauté time no matter how much I try to reduce the spatter. Cast iron works well, but I suppose well seasoned carbon steel or non-stick pan would get the job done too.  

 

[Duvel]

Never tried it, but could you give it the “fried rice cube” treatment ?

 

Cool the mass in the freezer until hardened, but not frozen. Cut up into desired shapes, dust with starch and fry until golden.

[Alex]

16 hours ago, EatingBen said:

you’ll need half a cow of butter

 

  A "cow" will be my standard measure from now on.

[Katie Meadow]

9 hours ago, Duvel said:

Never tried it, but could you give it the “fried rice cube” treatment ?

 

Cool the mass in the freezer until hardened, but not frozen. Cut up into desired shapes, dust with starch and fry until golden.

Never heard of a fried rice cube, but just let me know to stop by. How big are the cubes? Could you form them in an ice cube tray and then chill them? And do you make the cubes out of leftover fried rice w/fixings, in which case you are making fried fried rice? Or are you using just plain cooked white rice? Did you just make that up?

[gilbertlevine]

Sounds very similar to risotto cakes

38 minutes ago, Katie Meadow said:

Never heard of a fried rice cube, but just let me know to stop by. How big are the cubes? Could you form them in an ice cube tray and then chill them? And do you make the cubes out of leftover fried rice w/fixings, in which case you are making fried fried rice? Or are you using just plain cooked white rice? Did you just make that up?

 

 

[blue_dolphin]

5 minutes ago, gilbertlevine said:

Sounds very similar to risotto cakes

 

 

 

aka Arancini

[gilbertlevine]

Same rice prep but different method and application 

 

[BonVivant]

Mihlo frito/fried polenta is served with almost everything on Madeira. They spread cooked polenta on a tray and bake in oven. Cut into cubes and fry till golden.

[Anna N]

22 minutes ago, BonVivant said:

They spread cooked polenta on a tray and bake in oven. Cut

That’s the key. 

[Duvel]

1 hour ago, Katie Meadow said:

Did you just make that up?

Hah … thanks for believing I could come up with something like that. You can get the idea here (but there are plenty of other sites, too).

[JoNorvelleWalker]

5 minutes ago, Anna N said:

That’s the key. 

 

The recipe I mentioned above called for spreading the hot, very stiff polenta out on a baking sheet, cooling and then using a round cutter to make circles before baking.  Often as not I'd just cut the sheet of polenta into squares.  Not as pretty but works equally well.