"To fry lightly in fat in a shallow open pan"(cooking)?

Question

does fat here mean oil, if yes, then what is the difference between the two?

Answer 1

"Fat" means lard, shortening, butter, oil, or cooking spray.

Answer 2

Some people use "fat" to mean any sort of greasy edible stuff, solid or liquid, while others call the greasy liquids oils and the greasy solids fats.

Based on the quote in your question, I think either solid or liquid is appropriate, and if you use a combination, then the liquid one tends to keep the solid one from burning. I think the distinction they are making is to use something oil-based, not water-based for your frying.

Your quote is actually the definition of saute. In this definition, the emphasis is on the fact that you don't use as much fat as in regular frying and that you cook it quickly, stirring the food around or getting it to jump around in the pan, since the French verb sauter literally means to jump, dance, make rhythmic leaps.

This sort of "dancing" saute action is what saute means when it is used for some sort of chopped up vegetables. When you are laying slabs of meat in oil, it is a different technique entirely, even though it is also called saute. Here it is important to let the pieces of meat sit undisturbed in the oil until they develop a crust and automatically unstick themselves from the pan.

Answer 3

From growing up in the and 60's, fat does mean oil. Back in the day, people used "hunks" of lard to cook and it broke down to a clear oil. Gross, trust me. I used to freak when I saw my mother using that stuff. So happy to finally have the liquid oil! Crisco was considered "fat" back in the day too!

Answer 4

I don't know that there is a difference, the writer may just be using that word. Fat is a solid, but I don't think people often use it nowadays, many veg. oils like canola, grapeseed, and olive are far healthier

Answer 5

Fry Lightly

Answer 6

"fat" can mean any type of liquid or solid lubrication. Vegetable oil (corn, canola), butter, shortening, lard, bacon grease, olive oil, peanut oil. Taste would be your preference to what you choose.

Answer 7

fat is sort of more solid than oil but oil should be ok although sometimes fat tastes better.

Answer 8

fat is the perfect cholestrol and the oil is simply without cholestrol

Answer 9

saute

Answer 10

no