Deep fat frying is a cooking method that can be used to cook foods such as fried chicken, French fries, and potato chips. The process involves submerging a food in extremely hot oil until it reaches a safe minimum internal temperature. When the food is deep-fried properly, it will be hot and crispy on the outside and cooked safely in the center. Deep frying is very fast and, when performed properly, destroys bacteria.
Deep frying oil can reach temperatures of over 400 °F. When cooking at this temperature, extreme safety measures should be taken to prevent burning oneself or starting a fire. Like other oils, cooking oil is a highly flammable liquid. To prevent flare-ups and house fires, avoid letting oil contact direct flames. Because of this hazard, it is highly recommended to have a kitchen fire extinguisher available when deep-frying.