Talk:Pan frying

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I don't think this article is correct - pan-frying is not "frying in minimal oil/fat", at least in American usage. e.g. 3tbsp butter here: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pan-Fried-Jerusalem-Artichokes-in-Sage-Butter-233715, 5tbsp here http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/Pan-Fried-Flounder-with-Potatoes-in-Parsley-354529, many more examples at http://www.epicurious.com/tools/searchresults?search=pan+fry&type=simple&threshold=53&att=639. That's much more than "minimal fat" in many of these. Epicurious sources their recipes from Gourmet and Bon Appetit, two of the more prestigious/mainstream cooking magazines, so I am inclined to trust their labels for cooking methods. 66.108.25.34 (talk) 22:08, 25 June 2010 (UTC)

The first recipe actually uses one tablespoon of butter, and melts the rest to use as a sauce. "Minimal" fat is a terminology issue - deep frying would use cups or quarts, not tablespoons, and even shallow frying would use more than the five tablespoons called for in the second recipe (five tablespoons of butter in a pan large enough to fry fish isn't a large amount at all). In addition, some foods, like the sausages shown, make their own fat and don't need fat added at all. So maybe a better word than "minimal"? FiveRings (talk) 11:38, 26 June 2010 (UTC)

I have not heard that pan frying is the english word for the french saute. i pan fry my steaks which i use a heavy pan and no added fat. I don't consider this the same technique as sauteing, am I wrong?

The article was incorrect. I've taken a shot at revising and expanding it. It certainly could use more work.

I think your confusion stems from the difference between the culinary use of the word fry and more general use. In one sense, fry can be used for nearly all methods of cooking, especially on the stove top. As I understand it the more specific definition of frying requires oil to mediate the heat transfer from heat source to food. The various techniques use more or less oil and have corresponding procedural differences as a result.

Sauté comes from the French for jump. Either, depending on who you listen to, the water "jumping" out of the food/pan or the need to keep the food "jumping" around the pan to prevent sticking/burning.

As for your steaks: you are what would more accurately be described as browning or searing. VermillionBird 18:31, 20 September 2005 (UTC)

The image of sausages being pan-fried does not match the description. The description indicates that pan-frying uses a quantity of oil sufficient to partially submerge the food. This image indicates only a small amount of oil in the bottom of the pan. Would the image of the sausages be an example of searing or sauteing instead? —Preceding unsigned comment added by 76.122.210.39 (talk) 01:27, 12 June 2009 (UTC)

Breading and Battering

"Foods to be pan-fried are usually covered with a batter or breading." USUALLY? Stub Mandrel (talk) 13:02, 7 February 2017 (UTC)