Egg roll disaster!

[chefgirlardee]

I tried making egg rolls today using this recipe to make the egg roll/pancake portion. For the filling I used shredded cabbage & carrots. Everything was going great until I started deep frying the rolls. The filling started to float out and burn and then all 4 of the rolls puffed and completely unopened. Imagine how that looked! So, I didn't get to save any of them. Perhaps some one can say what I might have done wrong or suggest another recipe, please?

 

[Constance]

Bless your heart, that's a lot of trouble to go to and then have your dish turn out to be a disaster. Don't fret...it's happened to us all.
Did you seal the edges with cornstarch, as per instructions?

When I've made eggrolls, I always use the eggroll wrappers from the grocery store, so I don't know about the ones made with crepes. I've seen manicotti made with crepes also, but never tried those either.

 

[chefgirlardee]

Yes, I did seal the edges with the cornstarch paste as per the instructions and they appeared to be firmly sealed. I did try to find the egg roll wrappers but was unsuccessful. Thanks, Constance.

 

[Constance]

I'm scared to death of hot grease in quantity, because I came very close to burning my house down when I was a young mother. If it gets beyond the electric skillet, my husband does the frying, and he's very good.

Here are his thougts and suggestions: perhaps you didn't have your oil hot enough...it needs to be 375 degrees.
Make sure you use enough oil...whatever you are frying should be completely submerged.
Be sure not to over-crowd the pot.
Don't mess with them too much while they are frying. Don't stir, or turn over and over...just lift them gently from time to time, and when they are golden on one side, flip them over and let the other side brown...which won't take long.

And my thoughts: Perhaps your filling is too moist?
I would also put them into the very hot oil seam side down.

Hope I've been some help.

 

[mish]

Looks like a nice recipe. Sounds a bit like an 'egg' roll or crepe/pancake roll. Since all the filling is already cooked, you might try making the pancakes separately, let them cool, put in the filling and FOLD the crepe/pancake over. Maybe cook them in a large flat skillet, for room to turn them over with a spatula, rather than a deep-frying method in a wok. Won Ton skins can be found in the refrigerated section of the market, usually not too far from the dairy--but you could ask the store manager.

I may have a recipe for baked eggrolls. If you're interested, let me know & I'll see if I can find them.

I took another look and to me, 3 cups of oil in a wok sounds like a lot for the rolls/pancakes. When I cooked in a wok, I used much less oil, as I think the temp gets very hot very fast. I used it more for stir frying, than anything else.

 

[Constance]

I may have a recipe for baked eggrolls. If you're interested, let me know & I'll see if I can find them..

Mish, if you do, please share! I love egg rolls, but they can be a pain in the neck. Baked ones would also be a lot less fattening.

 

[mish]

Mish, if you do, please share! I love egg rolls, but they can be a pain in the neck. Baked ones would also be a lot less fattening.

I agree, Constance, and I don't have or really want a deep fryer. I'm still looking, but meanwhile here are a couple for baked wontons... Actually, don't see why we couldn't use egg roll skins, shred some cabbage and veggies and tweak it up a bit (i.e add shrimp, etc., etc.). The texture will be a bit different than deep frying.

Baked Chinese Dumpling

6 ounces reduced-fat sausage
1/4 cup finely chopped water chestnuts
2 green onions, minced
1 tablespoon reduced-sodium soy sauce
16 won ton wrappers
1/3 cup sweet-and-sour sauce

Brown the sausage in a skillet, stirring until crumbly; drain. Stir in the next 3 ingredients. Cook for 3 minutes.

Moisten the edges of the won ton wrappers with water. Spoon a small amount of the sausage mixture in the center of each wrapper. Fold to form a triangle. Press the edges to seal.

Arrange the dumplings in a single layer on a baking sheet sprayed with nonstick cooking spray. Bake at 325 degrees for 10-15 minutes or just until crisp. Serve with the sweet-and-sour sauce.
Yield: 16 dumplings

*******
BAKED WONTONS.
1/2 lb. lean ground beef
6 water chestnuts, drained and chopped
1 clove garlic, minced or pressed
1 green onion, finely chopped including green top
2 tsp. dry sherry
1/2 tsp. cornstarch
1 Tbsp. soy sauce
1 package won ton skins (½ lb.)
1 egg white, beaten with 1 tsp. water
vegetable cooking spray

Preheat oven to 350ºF.

Brown beef in skillet over medium heat until no longer pink. Spoon off drippings. Add water chestnuts, garlic, green onions and sherry.

In a small bowl, combine cornstarch and soy sauce. Add to skillet and cook 3 minutes. Cool.

Place 1 tsp. filling in center of each won ton. Fold in half diagonally and seal with egg white mixture.

Spray cooking sheet with vegetable cooking spray. Arrange won tons on cooking sheet. Bake won tons 4 minutes, turn and bake 4 minutes on other side.

 

[auntdot]

Maybe the porblem is the size of the wok.

I cannot imagine cornstarch holding together crepes free floating in oil.

In a small wok the egg rolls with 3 cups oil would, I imagine, be floating.

Maybe in a larger one the crepes would be on the bottom of the wok.

Perhaps try reducing the amount of oil and putting in the rolls seam down.

Just a thought.

 

[mish]

Maybe the porblem is the size of the wok.

I cannot imagine cornstarch holding together crepes free floating in oil.

In a small wok the egg rolls with 3 cups oil would, I imagine, be floating.

Maybe in a larger one the crepes would be on the bottom of the wok.

Perhaps try reducing the amount of oil and putting in the rolls seam down.

Just a thought.

Yep, that's what I thought, Auntdot - 3 cups of oil in a wok, and I can see why they would float. Sorry to hear it came out badly, but we all learn from our mistakes. Hope some of the input here helped.

 

[chefgirlardee]

Thanks for the input, everyone.

Constance - I'm sorry to hear about your near tragic experience. Thank you to both you and your husband for your input. Perhaps my filling was too moist.

Mish - I did make the crepes separately and allowed them to cool before filling. Yeah I did ask and the store was out of the wrappers. I'm interested in other recipes though. So thank you for those that you've already posted and for anymore that you may find.

Auntdot - Thanks for the thought. It was quite a bit of oil. I'll keep your suggestion in mind for next time.

Thanks again, ladies. I appreciate your input.

 

[Shunka]

I usually use the wrappers that you get from the store and I seal them with mixed egg yolk. I'm not sure if it would work with these but it works better than a cornstarch paste.

 

[chefgirlardee]

Thanks, Shunka. I think next time I'll use wrappers.

 

[thumpershere2]

I just made egg rolls using the won ton wrappers and they turned out fine. I deep fry mine in a fry daddy.I used the egg wash as well. I have used the water method and that didn't work as well. Keep trying, you will be making perfect egg rolls in no time. I froze a bunch also. I freeze them before I fry them. Freeze on cookie sheet, then I use a food saver to package them and freeze.

 

[Yakuta]

I make eggrolls regularly because my kids love them. I have cranked out over a 120 of them at a time (for parties) and here are a few things to keep in mind.

First is try and buy the wrappers. I am not sure how the crepes were made or if they had moisture in them. Moisture does not go well with oil and could be the main culprit in your case that made the filling ooze out. Wrappers are a safe bet.
Ensure your filling is perfectly dry (little to no moisture). I make mine with cabbage, carrots, red and green bell peppers, lots of cooked shredded chicken, scallions, ginger, garlic and some soy. I make the filling and then allow it to drain in a colander and cool completely.

Now here are some things that may make it easy for you to make them quickly and without tearing open.

Make a roux (I make mine with flour and water, not cornstarch but any flour works). Make the roux nice and thick and not runny (should be of pancake batter consistency)

Now open the wrapper packet and seperate each of the wrapper (makes it a lot easier when you are filling it if you seperate them up front).

Once seperated wrap them in a towel.

Look at the folding technique shown on the wrapper package (all of them have it displayed) and give it a try.

The only thing to keep in mind is not to overstuff the shell and to roll nice and tight, loose eggrolls are greasier and are more prone to breakage while frying. It takes some practice but once you get it nice and tight just add a tiny bit (not much just a drop) of roux to hold the edge. Layer it all on a baking sheet.

I first make all of them and then fry them in batches.

 

[GB]

I buy the wrappers in the store. I have never even thought about making my own. To seal then I just wipe the edge with a little water. I bake mine though instead of frying. They are not quite as good as fried, but we still love them and they are healthier and cleaner to make

 

[Constance]

Thank you for the recipes, Mish! We haven't had eggrolls in a long time, and last time we did, they were Pagoda frozen ones.

 

[mish]

Thank you for the recipes, Mish! We haven't had eggrolls in a long time, and last time we did, they were Pagoda frozen ones.

You're welcome, Constance. I have those pagoda's too, in a pinch. Still looking for the baked egg rolls, but I may still have those recipes (and more) on my dismantled other puter. Keep meaning to use a cable I bought and transfer them over, but never seem to have the time. Posted an egg roll recipe (but it's shallow-fried) with avocado and lobster, if you want to take a peek. Remembered, I have another for Italian egg rolls, but if I recall, they are deep fried.

GB, I also just put a llittle water on my finger & seal up two edges.