How to Tell the Temperature of Cooking Oil Without a Thermometer
For optimal safety, you should use a frying thermometer at all times, but for those occasions when you do not have a thermometer, you can use this old-fashioned method for approximating the temperature of the frying oil. Note that this only approximates the oil temperature.
Things You'll Need
- Frying oil
- Deep pot or deep fryer
- 1-inch square piece of bread
- Timer or watch with second hand
Instructions
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Heat the oil over medium heat. Avoid using high heat, which could cause the oil to heat too fast and ignite.
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Drop the bread into the oil and watch both the bread and the time on the watch.
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Watch for the bread to brown on all sides and float to the top to evaluate the temperature.
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Note bread that floats and browns within 20 seconds means the oil's temperature is between 382 and 390 degrees Fahrenheit; 40 seconds to brown the bread indicates 365 to 382 degrees and 60 seconds for the oil to brown the bread shows the oil at 350 to 365 degrees.
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