There's a reason deep frying is such a popular cooking method. It’s the best way to get food crispy and delicious on the outside, while still tender and juicy on the inside. Never mind the fact you can deep fry almost anything, from buttermilk chicken to dill pickles to candy bars. Use these five tips and one of our favorite recipes below to get perfectly golden results at home.

5. Use the Right Oil

Frying foods in butter, margarine, olive oil or animal fat is not recommended because of low temperature smoke – that’s the point at which a fat begins to break down and burn. You’ll want to use a good quality vegetable or peanut oil that you filter after each use and change regularly for optimum frying and flavor quality.

4. Dry, Then Fry

Everyone knows oil and water don’t mix, but that’s especially true when the oil is incredibly hot. Excess water is what leads to hot oil splattering. So even if you’re using batter, make sure you blot fresh foods first with a paper towel and remove large pieces of ice from frozen items.

3. Maintain the Perfect Temperature

The difference between a crispy, golden French fry and a grease-soaked piece of potato can be just a few degrees of temperature. Keep an eye on your deep fryer’s temperature setting during frying and in between batches. If it drops down, give it time to heat back up before adding more food.

2. Overcrowding Leads to Undercooking

If your food turns out not so crispy, or is taking a while to cook, chances are you’ve put too many pieces in the fry basket at once. For best results, fry a single layer of food for each batch. Be sure to consult your deep fryer’s manual, it might have a quantity guide based on your fryer’s capacity.

1. Safety First

Deep-frying is a fast, clean way to fry foods. Part of being comfortable with this cooking method is to know and practice the safety guidelines of your deep fryer. For example, you should never fill oil above the MAX fill mark and never leave the fryer unattended while it’s on. Read through your fryer’s manual before using so you can prep, fry and enjoy without worry.