Tame the kitchen chaos: Simple tricks to stop oil splattering

Frying meat, fish, or vegetables in a pan is an everyday kitchen activity. It almost always comes with oil splattering. But why does this occur?

The culprit behind oil splattering is the evaporation of water contained in the fried items. Water turns into steam when exposed to high temperatures, causing it to expand. Water vapour can breach the oil layer in the pan, leading to splattering. Oil also splatters if leftover water from previous frying activities is in the pan. Thus, the primary cause of oil splattering is water. Vigorous splatters happen when water gets trapped under an oil layer. Therefore, efforts should be made to eliminate it.

The first thing to remember is to dry the pan thoroughly after washing it. To wipe the pan's surface, it's best to use a paper towel, which is excellent at absorbing moisture. However, this alone doesn't entirely prevent oil splattering.

Salt can help remove moisture from the pan. Simply sprinkle a small amount (about 5 grams) on the bottom, add the oil and heat the pan. Salt acts as a hygroscopic agent, absorbing water and thus preventing oil splattering. Another tried-and-tested home remedy is vinegar. Before frying, dampen a paper towel with vinegar and wipe the pan. Like salt, vinegar effectively absorbs moisture, reducing the risk of oil splattering.

Preparing your meat, vegetables, or fish for frying is equally important as drying the pan. They should be thoroughly dried beforehand. Paper towels absorb excess moisture and are ideal for this purpose. It's a simple yet highly effective method that significantly reduces the amount of oil splatter in the kitchen.

Another tip to prevent splattering is to use a mesh guard on the pan. It resembles a lid but features a dense mesh instead of a solid surface. This allows moisture to escape while preventing oil from splattering, keeping fried dishes crispy. Traditional lids aren't practical as they trap steam, which can condense and exacerbate oil splattering.