Breaded foods can be frozen before frying: freeze the coated pieces individually on a tray, then transfer them to a bag, and on frying day put them directly into the oil without thawing. Thawed breading becomes wet and soft and falls off in the oil. Fry frozen pieces in slightly cooler oil and in small batches so the coating does not darken before the inside cooks.
Breading is one of the preparations best suited to freezing. As the coating layers freeze, they set together firmly, so a frozen piece behaves as one unit when it enters the oil. Breaded meatballs, breaded Kashar cheese, schnitzel, vegetable slices, and fish pieces can all be prepared this way in advance. The key is to keep the pieces from sticking together as they freeze and to avoid crushing the coating. For this reason, never put the coated pieces straight into a bag; freeze them individually first. Freeze the coating while it is fresh; a breaded piece left in the refrigerator for a day will have absorbed moisture before it goes into the freezer.
Arrange the coated pieces in a single layer on a parchment-lined tray, spaced apart, and place them uncovered in the freezer. After 1–2 hours, they will be frozen solid; transfer them to a freezer bag or lidded container, press out the air, and write the date on it. Individually frozen pieces will not stick together in the bag, so you can take out only what you need each time. Use breaded foods containing salt and spices within 1–2 months in the freezer.
Do not thaw the pieces on frying day. Thawed frozen coating gets wet from the water released as its ice crystals melt; wet breading will not hold in the oil and can fall off in sheets. Shake off any ice on the surface of the frozen pieces, then lower them into the oil one at a time, moving them away from you. Frozen food cools the oil quickly, and its water boils in the oil, so the oil foams somewhat; for this reason, do not fill the pot more than halfway and fry in small batches.
Keep the oil a little cooler than for fresh breading, around 170–175°C / 340–345°F. In very hot oil, the coating darkens quickly while the frozen center has not yet warmed through. At a moderate temperature, the coating and center cook together; frying takes a few minutes longer than with fresh breading. If the coating is browned enough on a thick piece but the inside is not warm, finish cooking it in a 180°C / 355°F oven on a wire rack. For cheese products such as breaded Kashar, the frozen center also prevents the cheese from melting too soon.
For raw frozen foods such as chicken and meat, doneness is determined by internal temperature, not color. After frying a frozen chicken piece, measure the thickest part; it should reach 74°C / 165°F. Foods that were fried before freezing are handled differently: do not fry these pieces again; heat them in an oven or air fryer until the inside is completely hot as well. Once a raw breaded product has thawed, do not refreeze it; fry it that day. Label the bag with the food name, date, and whether it is raw.