The Mistake: You fried food in oil that wasn’t hot enough.

Whether you’re panfrying or deep-frying, food will absorb too much oil and become heavy and greasy if the oil is below 350° F.

What to Do Next Time: Use an oil with a high smoking point (the temperature at which it begins to burn), and get it good and hot. Safflower, peanut, grapeseed, and canola oils are ones to try. Then follow these tips to tell if the pan is hot enough for cooking.

If you don’t have a deep-fry thermometer, do a test run, suggests chef Mike Sheerin. Dip a bit of whatever you plan to fry, like a corner of a fish fillet, into the oil. It should sizzle immediately if the oil is ready.

You can also test a hunk of bread, which should brown in 10 seconds.

If you goof up and put the food in too early, “pull it out of the oil immediately,” says Sheerin. “Just because you’re doing it wrong doesn’t mean that you can’t fix it.” Let the oil heat and try again.

Tip: If you burn the bottom of a pot, stop stirring so you don’t dislodge the burned bits. Transfer the ingredients to a clean pan and keep cooking.