Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, and not
like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it was,
possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing them all
apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think would
dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way the moment
I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
Thanks,
Versy

"Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, and
> not like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it
> was, possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing
> them all apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would
> think would dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that
> way the moment I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
> Thanks,
>
Versy, four questions:

How do you make your tempura batter? Do you pre-cook and drain the pork
chunks? Do you dredge them lightly in flour before dipping them in the
batter? What kind of oil do you fry them in?

Also, when I do tempura, I dip the shrimp or mushrooms one at a time in the
batter and immediately put them in the hot oil two or three at a time. I
drain them on paper towels, but a rack should be fine. While they're
draining, I put in the next batch. While they're frying, I bring the last
batch out to the table. I serve them hot and don't store them. It cuts into
socializing time, but the result is much more attractive. The alternative
is to hire a chef or three. ;~)

--
Nick, Happy Thanksgiving!

Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

"Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
news
> Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, and
not
> like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it was,
> possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing them
all
> apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think would
> dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way the
moment
> I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
> Thanks,
> Versy
>

There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
but thats something else.
Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
from people who make "pork tempura".
Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy batter
covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter make sure
you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent Tempura.
If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura cooks
in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura don't
even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food frying,
which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried changes.

On Fri, 26 Nov 2004 02:14:07 GMT, "FreddieN" >
wrote:

>
>There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
>There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
>but thats something else.
>Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
>from people who make "pork tempura".
>Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy batter
>covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter make sure
>you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent Tempura.
>If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura cooks
>in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura don't
>even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food frying,
>which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried changes.

I concur with what Freddie writes. There is tonkatsu (and katsudon),
and there is tempura. Both are completely different preparations, with
one made with pork (tonkatsu) and the other with seafood and
vegetables.

http://www.straitscafe.com/recipes/303.htm - Tonkatsu recipe

http://www.straitscafe.com/recipes/323.htm - Seafood tempura

FreddieN wrote:
> "Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
> news >
>>Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, and
>
> not
>
>>like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it was,
>>possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing them
>
> all
>
>>apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think would
>>dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way the
>
> moment
>
>>I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
>>Thanks,
>>Versy
>>
>
>
> There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
> There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
> but thats something else.
> Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
> from people who make "pork tempura".
> Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy batter
> covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter make sure
> you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent Tempura.
> If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura cooks
> in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura don't
> even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food frying,
> which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried changes.

Yeah, that's what I was thinking! Pork tempura, how odd. But, I can
see it working if you slice it into thin julienned strips, or hammer it
out to tenderize it first.

Here's how I do tempura. Haven't done it in a couple years, so it's rusty.

First, mix a spoon of baking poweder into around a cup or two of flour.
Also, if you have potato starch, add a few spoons. Potato starch
seems to help with the crispness. It's not critical, though.

Then, crack an egg over it, and add ice water. Stir it up a little bit,
but leave it very lumpy. Keep adding water until it's the consistency
of a thick soup or a moderately thin gravy. Then add a couple ice
cubes. The lumps, baking powder, and melting ice will leave the batter
inconsistent, and prone to "explode" in the oil, making for a crispier
shell of batter.

Also, the thinness of the batter is pretty important. You want the
batter to form a shell, not a blob or a capsule. Keep it thin.

Then, my favorite things to add to the batter are julienned carrots
(nowadays, they use a slice, but I like the old-school julinenned),
green beans (raw), cleaned and flattened shrimp, sliced mushroom, shiso
leaf, gobo root julienned.

I put more than one fritter's worth in there, and pull out a few with my
fingers. Chopsticks work too, but fingers are faster, and there's a
trick later. Anyway, I plop in three or four fritters at a time.

The oil is usually clean oil, because I do this infrequently.
Sometimes, I'll add a little old oil to get it to crisp up faster, but,
that can sometimes backfire, and the oil will go dirty too soon.

If the oil gets too dirty and "wears out," you have to pour some off and
add clean oil. The oil matters a lot, because it is part of the flavor
of the tempura. (Think about it.) There is a special kind of strainer
to scoop off the bits of dough, before they carbonize and pollute the
oil. (These bits are good on soup, or as an unhealthy snack.) A
slotted spoon can do in a pinch, but the strainer is good to own.

If you like a really elaborate fritter, with all kinds of spidery spikes
of fried dough on it, you can achieve this with a little daring move.
Dip your fingers in the batter, and sprinkle bits of batter onto the
fritters as they fry. The motion I use is "flicking a snot off the tip
of my thumb, but with more fingers."

Do not put your fingers into the oil. LOL.

Also, the last trick is to drain the tempura on a rack, on a warmed up
plate. You need to let the vegetables' steam escape and not mess up the
greasy, crispy, fried dough.

The final fritter I make is the chopped onion fritter. I just add
chopped green onions to the remaning batter, and then make onion
fritters. These are really good, and I prefer them to some of the real
tempura.

The tempura aesthetic is different from other kinds of fried foods.
It's about the balance of the batter, the ingredient, and the oil. It's
almost as if the ingredient is there, mainly, to flavor the batter, and
the batter is there to be flavored by the oil. Then, when the tempura
is dunked into the sauce, the oil and sauce mix into something that will
flavor the rice. Then, alla sudden, it's also about the quality of the
rice.

It's kind of like sushi. You start out thinking it's about the fish.
Then you realize it's really about the rice too, because bad rice can
ruin sushi. Then, you think you've got it understood, and you get
pickier about the fish, because, well, there are so few ingredients,
that every ingredient matters.

That's a particularly helpful pst, Decay - thanks.
I notice youy just say eggs; should it include the egg white in your
opinion?

Thanks,
Versy

"decay" > wrote in message
...
> FreddieN wrote:
> > "Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
> > news > >
> >>Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, and
> >
> > not
> >
> >>like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it was,
> >>possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing them
> >
> > all
> >
> >>apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think
would
> >>dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way the
> >
> > moment
> >
> >>I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
> >>Thanks,
> >>Versy
> >>
> >
> >
> > There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
> > There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
> > but thats something else.
> > Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
> > from people who make "pork tempura".
> > Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy
batter
> > covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter make
sure
> > you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent Tempura.
> > If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura
cooks
> > in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura
don't
> > even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food
frying,
> > which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried changes.
>
> Yeah, that's what I was thinking! Pork tempura, how odd. But, I can
> see it working if you slice it into thin julienned strips, or hammer it
> out to tenderize it first.
>
> Here's how I do tempura. Haven't done it in a couple years, so it's
rusty.
>
> First, mix a spoon of baking poweder into around a cup or two of flour.
> Also, if you have potato starch, add a few spoons. Potato starch
> seems to help with the crispness. It's not critical, though.
>
> Then, crack an egg over it, and add ice water. Stir it up a little bit,
> but leave it very lumpy. Keep adding water until it's the consistency
> of a thick soup or a moderately thin gravy. Then add a couple ice
> cubes. The lumps, baking powder, and melting ice will leave the batter
> inconsistent, and prone to "explode" in the oil, making for a crispier
> shell of batter.
>
> Also, the thinness of the batter is pretty important. You want the
> batter to form a shell, not a blob or a capsule. Keep it thin.
>
> Then, my favorite things to add to the batter are julienned carrots
> (nowadays, they use a slice, but I like the old-school julinenned),
> green beans (raw), cleaned and flattened shrimp, sliced mushroom, shiso
> leaf, gobo root julienned.
>
> I put more than one fritter's worth in there, and pull out a few with my
> fingers. Chopsticks work too, but fingers are faster, and there's a
> trick later. Anyway, I plop in three or four fritters at a time.
>
> The oil is usually clean oil, because I do this infrequently.
> Sometimes, I'll add a little old oil to get it to crisp up faster, but,
> that can sometimes backfire, and the oil will go dirty too soon.
>
> If the oil gets too dirty and "wears out," you have to pour some off and
> add clean oil. The oil matters a lot, because it is part of the flavor
> of the tempura. (Think about it.) There is a special kind of strainer
> to scoop off the bits of dough, before they carbonize and pollute the
> oil. (These bits are good on soup, or as an unhealthy snack.) A
> slotted spoon can do in a pinch, but the strainer is good to own.
>
> If you like a really elaborate fritter, with all kinds of spidery spikes
> of fried dough on it, you can achieve this with a little daring move.
> Dip your fingers in the batter, and sprinkle bits of batter onto the
> fritters as they fry. The motion I use is "flicking a snot off the tip
> of my thumb, but with more fingers."
>
> Do not put your fingers into the oil. LOL.
>
> Also, the last trick is to drain the tempura on a rack, on a warmed up
> plate. You need to let the vegetables' steam escape and not mess up the
> greasy, crispy, fried dough.
>
> The final fritter I make is the chopped onion fritter. I just add
> chopped green onions to the remaning batter, and then make onion
> fritters. These are really good, and I prefer them to some of the real
> tempura.
>
> The tempura aesthetic is different from other kinds of fried foods.
> It's about the balance of the batter, the ingredient, and the oil. It's
> almost as if the ingredient is there, mainly, to flavor the batter, and
> the batter is there to be flavored by the oil. Then, when the tempura
> is dunked into the sauce, the oil and sauce mix into something that will
> flavor the rice. Then, alla sudden, it's also about the quality of the
> rice.
>
> It's kind of like sushi. You start out thinking it's about the fish.
> Then you realize it's really about the rice too, because bad rice can
> ruin sushi. Then, you think you've got it understood, and you get
> pickier about the fish, because, well, there are so few ingredients,
> that every ingredient matters.

Oh, and what 'sauce' is it you refer to? How do you make tempura sauce?
Thanks,
Versy
"decay" > wrote in message
...
> FreddieN wrote:
> > "Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
> > news > >
> >>Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, and
> >
> > not
> >
> >>like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it was,
> >>possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing them
> >
> > all
> >
> >>apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think
would
> >>dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way the
> >
> > moment
> >
> >>I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
> >>Thanks,
> >>Versy
> >>
> >
> >
> > There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
> > There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
> > but thats something else.
> > Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
> > from people who make "pork tempura".
> > Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy
batter
> > covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter make
sure
> > you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent Tempura.
> > If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura
cooks
> > in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura
don't
> > even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food
frying,
> > which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried changes.
>
> Yeah, that's what I was thinking! Pork tempura, how odd. But, I can
> see it working if you slice it into thin julienned strips, or hammer it
> out to tenderize it first.
>
> Here's how I do tempura. Haven't done it in a couple years, so it's
rusty.
>
> First, mix a spoon of baking poweder into around a cup or two of flour.
> Also, if you have potato starch, add a few spoons. Potato starch
> seems to help with the crispness. It's not critical, though.
>
> Then, crack an egg over it, and add ice water. Stir it up a little bit,
> but leave it very lumpy. Keep adding water until it's the consistency
> of a thick soup or a moderately thin gravy. Then add a couple ice
> cubes. The lumps, baking powder, and melting ice will leave the batter
> inconsistent, and prone to "explode" in the oil, making for a crispier
> shell of batter.
>
> Also, the thinness of the batter is pretty important. You want the
> batter to form a shell, not a blob or a capsule. Keep it thin.
>
> Then, my favorite things to add to the batter are julienned carrots
> (nowadays, they use a slice, but I like the old-school julinenned),
> green beans (raw), cleaned and flattened shrimp, sliced mushroom, shiso
> leaf, gobo root julienned.
>
> I put more than one fritter's worth in there, and pull out a few with my
> fingers. Chopsticks work too, but fingers are faster, and there's a
> trick later. Anyway, I plop in three or four fritters at a time.
>
> The oil is usually clean oil, because I do this infrequently.
> Sometimes, I'll add a little old oil to get it to crisp up faster, but,
> that can sometimes backfire, and the oil will go dirty too soon.
>
> If the oil gets too dirty and "wears out," you have to pour some off and
> add clean oil. The oil matters a lot, because it is part of the flavor
> of the tempura. (Think about it.) There is a special kind of strainer
> to scoop off the bits of dough, before they carbonize and pollute the
> oil. (These bits are good on soup, or as an unhealthy snack.) A
> slotted spoon can do in a pinch, but the strainer is good to own.
>
> If you like a really elaborate fritter, with all kinds of spidery spikes
> of fried dough on it, you can achieve this with a little daring move.
> Dip your fingers in the batter, and sprinkle bits of batter onto the
> fritters as they fry. The motion I use is "flicking a snot off the tip
> of my thumb, but with more fingers."
>
> Do not put your fingers into the oil. LOL.
>
> Also, the last trick is to drain the tempura on a rack, on a warmed up
> plate. You need to let the vegetables' steam escape and not mess up the
> greasy, crispy, fried dough.
>
> The final fritter I make is the chopped onion fritter. I just add
> chopped green onions to the remaning batter, and then make onion
> fritters. These are really good, and I prefer them to some of the real
> tempura.
>
> The tempura aesthetic is different from other kinds of fried foods.
> It's about the balance of the batter, the ingredient, and the oil. It's
> almost as if the ingredient is there, mainly, to flavor the batter, and
> the batter is there to be flavored by the oil. Then, when the tempura
> is dunked into the sauce, the oil and sauce mix into something that will
> flavor the rice. Then, alla sudden, it's also about the quality of the
> rice.
>
> It's kind of like sushi. You start out thinking it's about the fish.
> Then you realize it's really about the rice too, because bad rice can
> ruin sushi. Then, you think you've got it understood, and you get
> pickier about the fish, because, well, there are so few ingredients,
> that every ingredient matters.

"Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> Oh, and what 'sauce' is it you refer to? How do you make tempura sauce?
> []
A basic tempura sauce would consist of one cup of dashi, 1/3 cup shoyu and
1/4 cup mirin, salt to taste. Because you're talking pork, you might prefer
a tonkatsu sauce, two teaspoons prepared mustard, 1/2 cup dashi, four
tablespoons shoyu and two tablespoons ketchup or fruit sauce.

--
Nick, Cogito, ergo armatum sum


Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

> wrote in message
...
> "Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> > Oh, and what 'sauce' is it you refer to? How do you make tempura sauce?
> > []
> A basic tempura sauce would consist of one cup of dashi, 1/3 cup shoyu and
> 1/4 cup mirin, salt to taste. Because you're talking pork, you might
prefer
> a tonkatsu sauce, two teaspoons prepared mustard, 1/2 cup dashi, four
> tablespoons shoyu and two tablespoons ketchup or fruit sauce.
>

Forgove my ignorance, but what are dashi and shoyu?

Versy

> --
> Nick, Cogito, ergo armatum sum
>
>
> Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

Versy Tyle wrote:
> Oh, and what 'sauce' is it you refer to? How do you make tempura sauce?
> Thanks,
> Versy

I'm lazy. I use Memmi soup base. There's also a thing called flavored
shoyu that also works. It's all the same thing: fish broth and soy
sauce. You can make it with Hon Dashi (bonito broth powder) and soy sauce.

You just heat up some water in the microwave, and then add some of the
soup base until it's a mild broth. You can garnish it with some grated
daikon (radish). (Radish will do in a pinch.) Grate it real fine.

This might be crude, but, when I'm done with the broth, I pour it over
my rice. I like how the oil and tempura add flavor.

"Versy Tyle" > wrote:
> Oh, and what 'sauce' is it you refer to? How do you make tempura sauce?
> []
A basic tempura sauce would consist of one cup of dashi, 1/3 cup shoyu and
1/4 cup mirin, salt to taste. Because you're talking pork, you might prefer
a tonkatsu sauce, two teaspoons prepared mustard, 1/2 cup dashi, four
tablespoons shoyu and two tablespoons ketchup or fruit sauce.

--
Nick, Cogito, ergo armatum sum


Thank a Veteran and Support Our Troops! You are not forgotten. Thanks.

What is it about ordinary chunks of diced pork that makes the batter fail?
Presumably a marinade would give the meat too much liquid. But what about
some dried spices?

Versy


"decay" > wrote in message
...
> FreddieN wrote:
> > "Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
> > news > >
> >>Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, and
> >
> > not
> >
> >>like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it was,
> >>possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing them
> >
> > all
> >
> >>apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think
would
> >>dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way the
> >
> > moment
> >
> >>I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
> >>Thanks,
> >>Versy
> >>
> >
> >
> > There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
> > There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
> > but thats something else.
> > Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
> > from people who make "pork tempura".
> > Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy
batter
> > covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter make
sure
> > you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent Tempura.
> > If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura
cooks
> > in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura
don't
> > even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food
frying,
> > which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried changes.
>
> Yeah, that's what I was thinking! Pork tempura, how odd. But, I can
> see it working if you slice it into thin julienned strips, or hammer it
> out to tenderize it first.
>
> Here's how I do tempura. Haven't done it in a couple years, so it's
rusty.
>
> First, mix a spoon of baking poweder into around a cup or two of flour.
> Also, if you have potato starch, add a few spoons. Potato starch
> seems to help with the crispness. It's not critical, though.
>
> Then, crack an egg over it, and add ice water. Stir it up a little bit,
> but leave it very lumpy. Keep adding water until it's the consistency
> of a thick soup or a moderately thin gravy. Then add a couple ice
> cubes. The lumps, baking powder, and melting ice will leave the batter
> inconsistent, and prone to "explode" in the oil, making for a crispier
> shell of batter.
>
> Also, the thinness of the batter is pretty important. You want the
> batter to form a shell, not a blob or a capsule. Keep it thin.
>
> Then, my favorite things to add to the batter are julienned carrots
> (nowadays, they use a slice, but I like the old-school julinenned),
> green beans (raw), cleaned and flattened shrimp, sliced mushroom, shiso
> leaf, gobo root julienned.
>
> I put more than one fritter's worth in there, and pull out a few with my
> fingers. Chopsticks work too, but fingers are faster, and there's a
> trick later. Anyway, I plop in three or four fritters at a time.
>
> The oil is usually clean oil, because I do this infrequently.
> Sometimes, I'll add a little old oil to get it to crisp up faster, but,
> that can sometimes backfire, and the oil will go dirty too soon.
>
> If the oil gets too dirty and "wears out," you have to pour some off and
> add clean oil. The oil matters a lot, because it is part of the flavor
> of the tempura. (Think about it.) There is a special kind of strainer
> to scoop off the bits of dough, before they carbonize and pollute the
> oil. (These bits are good on soup, or as an unhealthy snack.) A
> slotted spoon can do in a pinch, but the strainer is good to own.
>
> If you like a really elaborate fritter, with all kinds of spidery spikes
> of fried dough on it, you can achieve this with a little daring move.
> Dip your fingers in the batter, and sprinkle bits of batter onto the
> fritters as they fry. The motion I use is "flicking a snot off the tip
> of my thumb, but with more fingers."
>
> Do not put your fingers into the oil. LOL.
>
> Also, the last trick is to drain the tempura on a rack, on a warmed up
> plate. You need to let the vegetables' steam escape and not mess up the
> greasy, crispy, fried dough.
>
> The final fritter I make is the chopped onion fritter. I just add
> chopped green onions to the remaning batter, and then make onion
> fritters. These are really good, and I prefer them to some of the real
> tempura.
>
> The tempura aesthetic is different from other kinds of fried foods.
> It's about the balance of the batter, the ingredient, and the oil. It's
> almost as if the ingredient is there, mainly, to flavor the batter, and
> the batter is there to be flavored by the oil. Then, when the tempura
> is dunked into the sauce, the oil and sauce mix into something that will
> flavor the rice. Then, alla sudden, it's also about the quality of the
> rice.
>
> It's kind of like sushi. You start out thinking it's about the fish.
> Then you realize it's really about the rice too, because bad rice can
> ruin sushi. Then, you think you've got it understood, and you get
> pickier about the fish, because, well, there are so few ingredients,
> that every ingredient matters.

"Versy Tyle" > wrote in message =
...
> What is it about ordinary chunks of diced pork that makes the batter =
fail?
> Presumably a marinade would give the meat too much liquid. But what =
about
> some dried spices?
>=20
> Versy
>=20

Probably because they are chunks, they retain too much moisture.
If you tried very thin slices of pork, it probably would work.
=20

"Versy Tyle" > wrote in message =
...
> What is it about ordinary chunks of diced pork that makes the batter =
fail?
> Presumably a marinade would give the meat too much liquid. But what =
about
> some dried spices?
>=20
> Versy
>=20

Probably because they are chunks, they retain too much moisture.
If you tried very thin slices of pork, it probably would work.
=20

That's a particularly helpful pst, Decay - thanks.
I notice youy just say eggs; should it include the egg white in your
opinion?

Thanks,
Versy

"decay" > wrote in message
...
> FreddieN wrote:
> > "Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
> > news > >
> >>Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, and
> >
> > not
> >
> >>like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it was,
> >>possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing them
> >
> > all
> >
> >>apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think
would
> >>dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way the
> >
> > moment
> >
> >>I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
> >>Thanks,
> >>Versy
> >>
> >
> >
> > There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
> > There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
> > but thats something else.
> > Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
> > from people who make "pork tempura".
> > Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy
batter
> > covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter make
sure
> > you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent Tempura.
> > If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura
cooks
> > in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura
don't
> > even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food
frying,
> > which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried changes.
>
> Yeah, that's what I was thinking! Pork tempura, how odd. But, I can
> see it working if you slice it into thin julienned strips, or hammer it
> out to tenderize it first.
>
> Here's how I do tempura. Haven't done it in a couple years, so it's
rusty.
>
> First, mix a spoon of baking poweder into around a cup or two of flour.
> Also, if you have potato starch, add a few spoons. Potato starch
> seems to help with the crispness. It's not critical, though.
>
> Then, crack an egg over it, and add ice water. Stir it up a little bit,
> but leave it very lumpy. Keep adding water until it's the consistency
> of a thick soup or a moderately thin gravy. Then add a couple ice
> cubes. The lumps, baking powder, and melting ice will leave the batter
> inconsistent, and prone to "explode" in the oil, making for a crispier
> shell of batter.
>
> Also, the thinness of the batter is pretty important. You want the
> batter to form a shell, not a blob or a capsule. Keep it thin.
>
> Then, my favorite things to add to the batter are julienned carrots
> (nowadays, they use a slice, but I like the old-school julinenned),
> green beans (raw), cleaned and flattened shrimp, sliced mushroom, shiso
> leaf, gobo root julienned.
>
> I put more than one fritter's worth in there, and pull out a few with my
> fingers. Chopsticks work too, but fingers are faster, and there's a
> trick later. Anyway, I plop in three or four fritters at a time.
>
> The oil is usually clean oil, because I do this infrequently.
> Sometimes, I'll add a little old oil to get it to crisp up faster, but,
> that can sometimes backfire, and the oil will go dirty too soon.
>
> If the oil gets too dirty and "wears out," you have to pour some off and
> add clean oil. The oil matters a lot, because it is part of the flavor
> of the tempura. (Think about it.) There is a special kind of strainer
> to scoop off the bits of dough, before they carbonize and pollute the
> oil. (These bits are good on soup, or as an unhealthy snack.) A
> slotted spoon can do in a pinch, but the strainer is good to own.
>
> If you like a really elaborate fritter, with all kinds of spidery spikes
> of fried dough on it, you can achieve this with a little daring move.
> Dip your fingers in the batter, and sprinkle bits of batter onto the
> fritters as they fry. The motion I use is "flicking a snot off the tip
> of my thumb, but with more fingers."
>
> Do not put your fingers into the oil. LOL.
>
> Also, the last trick is to drain the tempura on a rack, on a warmed up
> plate. You need to let the vegetables' steam escape and not mess up the
> greasy, crispy, fried dough.
>
> The final fritter I make is the chopped onion fritter. I just add
> chopped green onions to the remaning batter, and then make onion
> fritters. These are really good, and I prefer them to some of the real
> tempura.
>
> The tempura aesthetic is different from other kinds of fried foods.
> It's about the balance of the batter, the ingredient, and the oil. It's
> almost as if the ingredient is there, mainly, to flavor the batter, and
> the batter is there to be flavored by the oil. Then, when the tempura
> is dunked into the sauce, the oil and sauce mix into something that will
> flavor the rice. Then, alla sudden, it's also about the quality of the
> rice.
>
> It's kind of like sushi. You start out thinking it's about the fish.
> Then you realize it's really about the rice too, because bad rice can
> ruin sushi. Then, you think you've got it understood, and you get
> pickier about the fish, because, well, there are so few ingredients,
> that every ingredient matters.

Oh, and what 'sauce' is it you refer to? How do you make tempura sauce?
Thanks,
Versy
"decay" > wrote in message
...
> FreddieN wrote:
> > "Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
> > news > >
> >>Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, and
> >
> > not
> >
> >>like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it was,
> >>possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing them
> >
> > all
> >
> >>apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think
would
> >>dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way the
> >
> > moment
> >
> >>I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
> >>Thanks,
> >>Versy
> >>
> >
> >
> > There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
> > There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
> > but thats something else.
> > Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
> > from people who make "pork tempura".
> > Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy
batter
> > covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter make
sure
> > you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent Tempura.
> > If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura
cooks
> > in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura
don't
> > even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food
frying,
> > which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried changes.
>
> Yeah, that's what I was thinking! Pork tempura, how odd. But, I can
> see it working if you slice it into thin julienned strips, or hammer it
> out to tenderize it first.
>
> Here's how I do tempura. Haven't done it in a couple years, so it's
rusty.
>
> First, mix a spoon of baking poweder into around a cup or two of flour.
> Also, if you have potato starch, add a few spoons. Potato starch
> seems to help with the crispness. It's not critical, though.
>
> Then, crack an egg over it, and add ice water. Stir it up a little bit,
> but leave it very lumpy. Keep adding water until it's the consistency
> of a thick soup or a moderately thin gravy. Then add a couple ice
> cubes. The lumps, baking powder, and melting ice will leave the batter
> inconsistent, and prone to "explode" in the oil, making for a crispier
> shell of batter.
>
> Also, the thinness of the batter is pretty important. You want the
> batter to form a shell, not a blob or a capsule. Keep it thin.
>
> Then, my favorite things to add to the batter are julienned carrots
> (nowadays, they use a slice, but I like the old-school julinenned),
> green beans (raw), cleaned and flattened shrimp, sliced mushroom, shiso
> leaf, gobo root julienned.
>
> I put more than one fritter's worth in there, and pull out a few with my
> fingers. Chopsticks work too, but fingers are faster, and there's a
> trick later. Anyway, I plop in three or four fritters at a time.
>
> The oil is usually clean oil, because I do this infrequently.
> Sometimes, I'll add a little old oil to get it to crisp up faster, but,
> that can sometimes backfire, and the oil will go dirty too soon.
>
> If the oil gets too dirty and "wears out," you have to pour some off and
> add clean oil. The oil matters a lot, because it is part of the flavor
> of the tempura. (Think about it.) There is a special kind of strainer
> to scoop off the bits of dough, before they carbonize and pollute the
> oil. (These bits are good on soup, or as an unhealthy snack.) A
> slotted spoon can do in a pinch, but the strainer is good to own.
>
> If you like a really elaborate fritter, with all kinds of spidery spikes
> of fried dough on it, you can achieve this with a little daring move.
> Dip your fingers in the batter, and sprinkle bits of batter onto the
> fritters as they fry. The motion I use is "flicking a snot off the tip
> of my thumb, but with more fingers."
>
> Do not put your fingers into the oil. LOL.
>
> Also, the last trick is to drain the tempura on a rack, on a warmed up
> plate. You need to let the vegetables' steam escape and not mess up the
> greasy, crispy, fried dough.
>
> The final fritter I make is the chopped onion fritter. I just add
> chopped green onions to the remaning batter, and then make onion
> fritters. These are really good, and I prefer them to some of the real
> tempura.
>
> The tempura aesthetic is different from other kinds of fried foods.
> It's about the balance of the batter, the ingredient, and the oil. It's
> almost as if the ingredient is there, mainly, to flavor the batter, and
> the batter is there to be flavored by the oil. Then, when the tempura
> is dunked into the sauce, the oil and sauce mix into something that will
> flavor the rice. Then, alla sudden, it's also about the quality of the
> rice.
>
> It's kind of like sushi. You start out thinking it's about the fish.
> Then you realize it's really about the rice too, because bad rice can
> ruin sushi. Then, you think you've got it understood, and you get
> pickier about the fish, because, well, there are so few ingredients,
> that every ingredient matters.

What is it about ordinary chunks of diced pork that makes the batter fail?
Presumably a marinade would give the meat too much liquid. But what about
some dried spices?

Versy


"decay" > wrote in message
...
> FreddieN wrote:
> > "Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
> > news > >
> >>Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, and
> >
> > not
> >
> >>like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it was,
> >>possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing them
> >
> > all
> >
> >>apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think
would
> >>dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way the
> >
> > moment
> >
> >>I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
> >>Thanks,
> >>Versy
> >>
> >
> >
> > There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
> > There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
> > but thats something else.
> > Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
> > from people who make "pork tempura".
> > Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy
batter
> > covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter make
sure
> > you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent Tempura.
> > If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura
cooks
> > in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura
don't
> > even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food
frying,
> > which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried changes.
>
> Yeah, that's what I was thinking! Pork tempura, how odd. But, I can
> see it working if you slice it into thin julienned strips, or hammer it
> out to tenderize it first.
>
> Here's how I do tempura. Haven't done it in a couple years, so it's
rusty.
>
> First, mix a spoon of baking poweder into around a cup or two of flour.
> Also, if you have potato starch, add a few spoons. Potato starch
> seems to help with the crispness. It's not critical, though.
>
> Then, crack an egg over it, and add ice water. Stir it up a little bit,
> but leave it very lumpy. Keep adding water until it's the consistency
> of a thick soup or a moderately thin gravy. Then add a couple ice
> cubes. The lumps, baking powder, and melting ice will leave the batter
> inconsistent, and prone to "explode" in the oil, making for a crispier
> shell of batter.
>
> Also, the thinness of the batter is pretty important. You want the
> batter to form a shell, not a blob or a capsule. Keep it thin.
>
> Then, my favorite things to add to the batter are julienned carrots
> (nowadays, they use a slice, but I like the old-school julinenned),
> green beans (raw), cleaned and flattened shrimp, sliced mushroom, shiso
> leaf, gobo root julienned.
>
> I put more than one fritter's worth in there, and pull out a few with my
> fingers. Chopsticks work too, but fingers are faster, and there's a
> trick later. Anyway, I plop in three or four fritters at a time.
>
> The oil is usually clean oil, because I do this infrequently.
> Sometimes, I'll add a little old oil to get it to crisp up faster, but,
> that can sometimes backfire, and the oil will go dirty too soon.
>
> If the oil gets too dirty and "wears out," you have to pour some off and
> add clean oil. The oil matters a lot, because it is part of the flavor
> of the tempura. (Think about it.) There is a special kind of strainer
> to scoop off the bits of dough, before they carbonize and pollute the
> oil. (These bits are good on soup, or as an unhealthy snack.) A
> slotted spoon can do in a pinch, but the strainer is good to own.
>
> If you like a really elaborate fritter, with all kinds of spidery spikes
> of fried dough on it, you can achieve this with a little daring move.
> Dip your fingers in the batter, and sprinkle bits of batter onto the
> fritters as they fry. The motion I use is "flicking a snot off the tip
> of my thumb, but with more fingers."
>
> Do not put your fingers into the oil. LOL.
>
> Also, the last trick is to drain the tempura on a rack, on a warmed up
> plate. You need to let the vegetables' steam escape and not mess up the
> greasy, crispy, fried dough.
>
> The final fritter I make is the chopped onion fritter. I just add
> chopped green onions to the remaning batter, and then make onion
> fritters. These are really good, and I prefer them to some of the real
> tempura.
>
> The tempura aesthetic is different from other kinds of fried foods.
> It's about the balance of the batter, the ingredient, and the oil. It's
> almost as if the ingredient is there, mainly, to flavor the batter, and
> the batter is there to be flavored by the oil. Then, when the tempura
> is dunked into the sauce, the oil and sauce mix into something that will
> flavor the rice. Then, alla sudden, it's also about the quality of the
> rice.
>
> It's kind of like sushi. You start out thinking it's about the fish.
> Then you realize it's really about the rice too, because bad rice can
> ruin sushi. Then, you think you've got it understood, and you get
> pickier about the fish, because, well, there are so few ingredients,
> that every ingredient matters.

"FreddieN" > wrote in message =
news:Pjwpd.18680$Gw.7237@trndny09...
>=20
> "Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
> news
> > Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, =
and
> not
> > like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it =
was,
> > possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing =
them
> all
> > apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think =
would
> > dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way =
the
> moment
> > I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
> > Thanks,
> > Versy
> >
>=20
> There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
> There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
> but thats something else.
> Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
> from people who make "pork tempura".
> Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy =
batter
> covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter =
make sure
> you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent =
Tempura.
> If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura =
cooks
> in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura =
don't
> even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food =
frying,
> which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried =
changes.
>=20
>=20

The above is absolutely correct.
But perhaps a thin slice pork tenpura might be worth trying.
Perhaps the strong pork flavor can be offset with a green shiso leaf
and fried together. Or maybe shredded shouga (ginger).Just playing with =
ideas.
In Kumamoto, Kyushuu I have eaten Tori-Ten(pura)which is
Chicken Tenpura. Completely different from the usual chicken
Kara-age/Tatsuta age.

Musashi

"FreddieN" > wrote in message =
news:Pjwpd.18680$Gw.7237@trndny09...
>=20
> "Versy Tyle" > wrote in message
> news
> > Sorry if it's a FAQ, but how do you get tempura batter to be crisp, =
and
> not
> > like an omlette hanging off your chunks of pork? I had believed it =
was,
> > possibly, the way I stored the morcels before serving; but spacing =
them
> all
> > apart on a grill at moderate heat, is something that one would think =
would
> > dry them out - but still I feel it's too soggy; it seems that way =
the
> moment
> > I take them out of the (very hot) fat.
> > Thanks,
> > Versy
> >
>=20
> There is no such thing as Pork tempura in Japan.
> There is Tonkatsu which is Pork cutlet with Panko,
> but thats something else.
> Consequently you're not going to get any really good info
> from people who make "pork tempura".
> Tempura batter is chilled usually with Ice to create the thin cripsy =
batter
> covering that tempura is famous for. After dipping into the batter =
make sure
> you don't have excess batter. A thin crust is a must for decent =
Tempura.
> If you insist on using Pork make sure they are thin slices. Tempura =
cooks
> in a very short amount of time. People who know how to cook tempura =
don't
> even time it, they can tell by the change in the sound of the food =
frying,
> which occurs when the moisture content of the food being fried =
changes.
>=20
>=20

The above is absolutely correct.
But perhaps a thin slice pork tenpura might be worth trying.
Perhaps the strong pork flavor can be offset with a green shiso leaf
and fried together. Or maybe shredded shouga (ginger).Just playing with =
ideas.
In Kumamoto, Kyushuu I have eaten Tori-Ten(pura)which is
Chicken Tenpura. Completely different from the usual chicken
Kara-age/Tatsuta age.

Musashi