John Myers
Frying without fat is quite possible. The easiest way to do this is to use a non-stick frying pan. Meat, vegetables, fried eggs, or other food does not burn in it and can therefore be cooked with fewer calories. Many types of meat, such as minced meat, also contain enough of their own fat, which escapes during roasting. In this case, you can fry without additional fat even in a pan without a coating.
Another alternative to drippings is highly carbonated mineral water. The advantages of this cooking method include the calories that you can save in this way. Cleaning the pan is often easier and faster after frying without fat. The method is particularly suitable for food that is only roasted for a short time, such as poultry, beef, pork, or vegetables.
First, get the frying pan hot on the stove. Then add mineral water sparingly to the pan, about the same amount that you would have otherwise used in oil for frying. Heat the water, then add the meat or vegetables to the pan and fry as usual. Once the mineral water has evaporated, keep adding smaller amounts. There must not be too much water – otherwise, the meat or vegetables will not be fried but steamed. However, too little water is not recommended either, so that nothing sticks to the bottom of the pan and burns.
No matter which method you use to fry without fat, remember that not only are you saving calories, but that fat is an important flavor carrier and the result could be less aromatic. You should therefore add a little high-quality oil to the ready-made food. If it stays at a very small amount, you still have saved a lot of fat. The advantage of this cooking method: Most vegetable oils provide valuable “healthy fats” that can be lost if the heat is too high – but they are retained when they are cold.
