Homemade Egg Rolls?

[CharlieD]

Hm, I do not think I have a secret. Fill the frying pan with oil till about half of the size of an egg roll. Per heat till a little drop of water makes a little explosion, basically pretty hot. Turn the heat down to medium high, add egg rolls fry on one side turn over, fry the second side. Consider the fact that even thou the side you just flipped is not in the oil it is still frying and will get darker. Take out drain on the paper towel. Done. There is really no secret. Maybe your oil was not hot enough?

 

[taxlady]

I always thought of egg rolls as something that was "too hard" for a home cook. I'm going to have to give this a try. I bought some wrappers. If that works well, I will try making my own whole grain wrappers.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Hm, I do not think I have a secret. Fill the frying pan with oil till about half of the size of an egg roll. Per heat till a little drop of water makes a little explosion, basically pretty hot. Turn the heat down to medium high, add egg rolls fry on one side turn over, fry the second side. Consider the fact that even thou the side you just flipped is not in the oil it is still frying and will get darker. Take out drain on the paper towel. Done. There is really no secret. Maybe your oil was not hot enough?

It may be that my filling is too moist, or that I over-stuff my egg-rolls. Sometimes, just sometimes, they come out very good, and nicely browned and crispy on the outside. Sometimes, as they sit, the egg-roll skin can get soggy.

I think next time I make them, I'm going to drain the filling in a colander. That might help.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[msmofet]

Hm, I do not think I have a secret. Fill the frying pan with oil till about half of the size of an egg roll. Per heat till a little drop of water makes a little explosion, basically pretty hot. Turn the heat down to medium high, add egg rolls fry on one side turn over, fry the second side. Consider the fact that even thou the side you just flipped is not in the oil it is still frying and will get darker. Take out drain on the paper towel. Done. There is really no secret. Maybe your oil was not hot enough?

I do mine about the same way Charlie. Medium cast iron pan about 2" peanut oil. Screaming hot till drop of water screams and disappears when dropped in. STAND BACK!! Brown flip repeat drain.

 

[CWS4322]

I do mine in my deep-fat fryer (peanut oil). I have also baked them in the oven. TL--I used AP this time, but want to use homeground rice flour from brown rice next time. They are really easy to make if you can roll pastry (which I thought everyone could do until I went to the pie-making group at a local church. It seems that only 3-4 volunteers can roll pastry). Let me know how they turn out if you try them.

I took an 8-week (once a week) cooking course when I was in university. One of the evenings was Chinese food and we made egg rolls. I too had thought they were too complicated. The trick, I find, is to let the filling drain for at least an hour and not to overfill them! The other dishes we made that night were shrimp refried rice and beef-oyster wraps. Dishes I still make today. The egg rolls were a lot of fun to make. You and Stirling (or just you) could come for an overnight (I have 2 guestrooms) and we could make egg rolls. The other fun week was when wild rice was the featured ingredient.

 

[msmofet]

I do mine in my deep-fat fryer (peanut oil). I have also baked them in the oven. TL--I used AP this time, but want to use homeground rice flour from brown rice next time. They are really easy to make if you can roll pastry (which I thought everyone could do until I went to the pie-making group at a local church. It seems that only 3-4 volunteers can roll pastry). Let me know how they turn out if you try them.

I took an 8-week (once a week) cooking course when I was in university. One of the evenings was Chinese food and we made egg rolls. I too had thought they were too complicated. The trick, I find, is to let the filling drain for at least an hour and not to overfill them! The other dishes we made that night were shrimp refried rice and beef-oyster wraps. Dishes I still make today. The egg rolls were a lot of fun to make. You and Stirling (or just you) could come for an overnight (I have 2 guestrooms) and we could make egg rolls. The other fun week was when wild rice was the featured ingredient.

I'm wondering if the dough can be well floured and run through the rollers of a pasta machine

 

[taxlady]

I'm wondering if the dough can be well floured and run through the rollers of a pasta machine

That's what I was thinking.

 

[Rocklobster]

I saw a technique on youtube that worked great. I just browned the ground pork and while I was doing that I put the cabbage and carrot mixture in the microwave for 5 minutes. It was the coleslaw mix from the grocery store. It came out great. I just mixed it with the pork and added the remaining ingredients. Let it cool and then did up the rolls. I just use the store bought wrappers. They can make them better than me and made the whole thing much easier and a pleasure to make.
I spent about 8 bucks for everything and got 24 eggrolls. That works out to 33.3 cents an eggroll. They are a good size.

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

I just can't seem to get the wrappers to come out as crispy, and golden as i'd like.

Just buy them!

 

[taxlady]

Glad to see you're back posting Greg.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

Just buy them!

Buy them! Gasp, then I wouldn't be Chief Longwind. I wouldn't be the guy who invented the axle, that makes wheels useful (way back before dinosaurs ruled the Earth). Buy them, he says.

"Hey Fred. Me thinks this character doth protest too loudly. E heeheeheehee."

"I konw whatcha mean Barney. I think he's a stone or two short of a full load, if ya know what I mean."

"Oh Fre'ed."
"Yes Wilma."
"Are you still gossiping with Barney?"
"Wilma, men don't gossip. We discuss."
"Riiight."

Don't isten to those crazy people above. Back to the egg-rolls:
You do mean, buy pre-made egg-rolls, right? I mean, I do purchase the egg roll skins. I don't make them myself. I can roll a mean lasagna noodle, or fettucini, or pie crust, or bread dough for pastry. But those egg-roll and won ton skins are so thin. That just seems like a lot of work.

Oh, and Greg, we missed you. Good to see you back.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind Of the North

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Buy them! Gasp, then I wouldn't be Chief Longwind. I wouldn't be the guy who invented the axle, that makes wheels useful (way back before dinosaurs ruled the Earth). Buy them, he says....

Don't isten to those crazy people above. Back to the egg-rolls:
You do mean, buy pre-made egg-rolls, right? I mean, I do purchase the egg roll skins. I don't make them myself. I can roll a mean lasagna noodle, or fettucini, or pie crust, or bread dough for pastry. But those egg-roll and won ton skins are so thin. That just seems like a lot of work.

Okay you had me scared for a minute... You're such the ultimate chef I'm surprised you buy pre-made. You said you couldn't make the wrappers come out crispy, I presumed you were making them from scratch. I guess now the more probable answer is that you're just more perfectionistic than me, since I have no problem making the store bought wrappers come out fine ... although I learned early on that (1) you can't make egg rolls ahead of time (unless you par-fry them (is that a word?)). I had been making great egg rolls until the night of a big entertainment when I made them a couple hours ahead (because I had a complicated dinner planned) and when I took them out of the fridge and fried them they got all bloated and unappealing, although they tasted good. I discovered then that you can either make your stuffing in advance, then wrap the stuffing and fry the egg rolls all at the same time.

I said (1) above, so there's gotta be a (2), right? (2) Whatever you do don't let the egg roll wrappers dry out while you're cooking. (This isn't for you LW, I know you already know this.) While you're working you have to cover the stack of wrappers with either plastic or a damp towel. Also, I let the top wrapper be the orphan, and I deal seconds (leaving the top wrapper on the deck... er... stack), so the one on the top is the one to dry out.

Oh, and Greg, we missed you. Good to see you back.

Aw shucks! I've been focused on a new hobby business (nothing to do with food), and I've been spending my cooking time cooking instead of typing about it.

 

[Claire]

It may be the "skin" itself that is at fault. I have a Vietnamese friend who I had come over once to give me a lesson. She brought the skins and they were much thinner than what I can get in any of the grocery stores around here (even the Asian grocery). I think she goes to the QC to buy them. When I use what is in my grocery store they do not "crisp up" as well as when she provides the wrapper.

 

[Chief Longwind Of The North]

...Aw shucks! I've been focused on a new hobby business (nothing to do with food), and I've been spending my cooking time cooking instead of typing about it.

Sage advise my freind. Adn yes, I am a perfectionist. Most of my egg-rolls come out just fine. Occasionally, there will be one that has sat too long before cooking, and the egg-roll skin will be soggy and tear while it's frying. The only problem I really have with my egg-rolls is that they aren't the beautiful color shown in RL's picture. They taste great, and the texture in on point.

I like the advise you gave to everyone about not letting the egg-rolls dry out before cooking, and to make them fresh. Good job.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

 

[CWS4322]

Personally, I like the challenge of making my own egg roll "skins." But then, I learned at an early age to roll flat bread. The trick is that one has to roll the dough thin enough to see the red rings on the Bethany lefse board (Products) through the dough. Doesn't everyone have one? I actually have two....from what I've read, the trick to making the Vietnamese wrappers is to "paint" the batter on the griddle using a paint brush. I haven't tried those, yet. On my bucket list.

 

[taxlady]

Personally, I like the challenge of making my own egg roll "skins." But then, I learned at an early age to roll flat bread. The trick is that one has to roll the dough thin enough to see the red rings on the Bethany lefse board (Products) through the dough. Doesn't everyone have one? I actually have two....from what I've read, the trick to making the Vietnamese wrappers is to "paint" the batter on the griddle using a paint brush. I haven't tried those, yet. On my bucket list.

I've seen crepes made that way, here in Quebec.

 

[CWS4322]

I've seen crepes made that way, here in Quebec.

Have you tried it? I think we need to arrange a cooking day (we can do it at my house in Ottawa--I'll send the brat dog for a sleep over) or I can come to MTL. I think it would be so much FUN! Definitely there would be alcohol involved...

 

[taxlady]

Have you tried it? I think we need to arrange a cooking day (we can do it at my house in Ottawa--I'll send the brat dog for a sleep over) or I can come to MTL. I think it would be so much FUN! Definitely there would be alcohol involved...

Oh, that sounds fun. Maybe we want to combine it with a Danish Club luncheon? Next one is 10 October. Or we could combine it with the Swedish Club's pub evening (they just get together at a pub) on 17 October.

 

[CWS4322]

Curling starts on Thursday, October 11th. But we could do the day before (the 9th) or the 16th and send me home early on Thursday a.m. PF--can you catch a flight to Montreal?

 

[Greg Who Cooks]

Sage advise my freind. Adn yes, I am a perfectionist. Most of my egg-rolls come out just fine. Occasionally, there will be one that has sat too long before cooking, and the egg-roll skin will be soggy and tear while it's frying. The only problem I really have with my egg-rolls is that they aren't the beautiful color shown in RL's picture. They taste great, and the texture in on point.

I like the advise you gave to everyone about not letting the egg-rolls dry out before cooking, and to make them fresh. Good job.

Seeeeeya; Chief Longwind of the North

Sadly, I am a perfectionist by nature, and perhaps you are too. Too good is never good enough for me (IMO). Perfectionism is what keeps me striving for ever greater and greater.

Honestly, all my egg rolls come out great with store bought skins. My only secret as as you said (or as you said I said), you gotta keep the skins covered while you're assembling the egg rolls, and you gotta fry them right away. Do that and they will come out pretty good, in my experience.

My bad experience occasion, I assembled them and wrapped them in plastic wrap and put them in the fridge for about 2 hours. My company arrived and I cooked the egg rolls, and they got bloated all out.

Actually they tasted just fine, it was just a presentation problem. Next time I'll just prepare the stuffing (many recipes) then wrap them and cook them a la minute.