Is there such a thing as too much oil? ( stir fry/deep fry )

[FeChef]

I am referring to the velveting technique where you coat the thinly sliced meat of choice in egg, constarch, cooking wine, then just before adding to the hot oil in the wok or fryer you add a tablespoon or two of oil to the meat to prevent the meat from sticking together. 

For me, this never works and i find myself manually trying to pull them apart after the quick fry. This got me thinking, whats the harm in adding more oil ( same oil as the cooking oil ) I figure if using a deep fryer your just topping off the oil that probably has been lost in previous frys.

My only forseeable issue could be if using too much oil it might drop the hot oil temp down. I suppose i should test this in small batches so i can use more oil then meat.

 

I guess i am posting this to see if others who sir fry often use more oil then is suggested in pretty much every online recipe because it never seems to be enough to prevent sticking together.

[heidih]

Movement in the pan is a big factor. Sure you've seen the highy active wok action in videos. And oil temp. Its a dance

[Margaret Pilgrim]

I try to use as little oil as I can get by with, adding more if the pan starts to look too dry.    re velveting, I am its slave!    I have always been disappointed in my inability to brown thin slices of meat, like veal marsala or piccata.   Then I started velveting chicken in Asian preparations.   I simplify the technique, adding a tablespoon cornstarch to some soy/water or white wine or even broth.   I separate the slices as I add then to hot fat (oil or butter), turn almost immediately as they sear very quickly AND a bonus are super tender.

 

 

[liuzhou]

More important than the amount of oil is the temperature. Your description of 'sticking together' suggest to me the oil temp is too low.

 

However, too little oil is worse than too much, at least in shallow frying. Chinese chefs scrupulously avoid adding more oil to a dish once they've started their stir-fries. As you've noted, the temperature drops (even further) and the dishes end up oily.

 

Too much oil, especially in deep frying, is simply a waste and dangerous, too.

Edited December 2, 2022 by liuzhou (log)

[AlaMoi]

I do luv's a good beef velveting - but I have learned to layout all the strips on a plate prior to starting the (very quick) frying.

there's not really time to be doing the separate&shakeoff routine once the frying has started.

I never add oil to the velveted beef strips.

[FeChef]

2 hours ago, liuzhou said:

Too much oil, especially in deep frying, is simply a waste and dangerous, too.

I could see shallow frying in a Wok being dangerous if its scorching hot, but i have added room temp oil to my deep fryer while hot (350F) many times and never even a bubble. Also, i think the cornstarch and oil coating on the raw meats act as a barrier and prevent moisture from expelling too quickly and causing splatter. At least thats my theory and experience.

[FeChef]

1 hour ago, AlaMoi said:

I do luv's a good beef velveting - but I have learned to layout all the strips on a plate prior to starting the (very quick) frying.

there's not really time to be doing the separate&shakeoff routine once the frying has started.

I never add oil to the velveted beef strips.

This would be another method that would help, but i practically "shave" the meats when i stir fry/deep fry and it would be beyond tedious to seperate the pieces individually, not to mention the amount of real estate it would take, not sure i have the counter space. Theres also the issue of the slices turning into a pile of ground meat trying to pull them apart without enough oil.

[Margaret Pilgrim]

2 hours ago, liuzhou said:

More important than the amount of oil is the temperature. Your description of 'sticking together' suggest to me the oil temp is too low.

 

However, too little oil is worse than too much, at least in shallow frying. Chinese chefs scrupulously avoid adding more oil to a dish once they've started their stir-fries. As you've noted, the temperature drops (even further) and the dishes end up oily.

 

Too much oil, especially in deep frying, is simply a waste and dangerous, too.

Agreed.   When I say add oil, i mean between batches.