Cooking with Oil?

[Sephora]

I am "frying challenged" and I need some help. I have a couple of "deep fried" recipes that involve batter and dredging through flower. I don't eat fried food that often but have a craving every once in a while. My problem is I'm not very good at working with the oil and need some tips. Last night I had my oil, tested it with bread, did one onion stick and it was all good. I had to go turn the burgers came back and attempted three more. The oil splattered and I ended up catching a splatter on my eye. I pulled the pan off and got the onions out, but didn't proceed with the rest.

What am I doing wrong and are there tricks to pan frying or should I go buy a fry machine?

Thanks.

 

[Alix]

Sephora, you need to stay with hot fat, never leave it for any reason. Make sure your hands are dry (water will make it spit), and pat dry whatever you are putting in the fat. You might try using a slotted spoon to lower stuff into the fat so that it doesn't plop in there and spatter. You can also buy spatter screens at any dollar store. Hope some of that helps you. Welcome to DC.

 

[Andy M.]

It could be that the oil got too hot while you left to go turn your burgers. Once you get the oil to the right temperature, you have to adjust the burner to maintain that temp. Give it another try. If you have a candy/deep fry thermometer, use it to help maintain the proper temperature.

One of the benefits of a deep fryer is that it maintains constant temperature for you (or as close as possible). Since you don't deep fry all that often, you may not get the benefit of a deep fryer. If you do decide to get one, check out earlier posts. There are a lot of good suggestions.

 

[jennyema]

Also, many things that are traditionally deep fried, like chicken, french fries, etc. can be "oven fried" with waaaaaay less oil and bother.

Post if you want to know how.

 

[Sephora]

I do do my chicken in the oven. This is just one thing you can't do. It's onion sticks with a light batter. The batter needs to be friend to set up.

When I was younger I remember my mom having like an electric skillet. Would that keep the oil at a constant temperature? That would seem more practical than a deep fryer.

 

[Andy M.]

I do do my chicken in the oven. This is just one thing you can't do. It's onion sticks with a light batter. The batter needs to be friend to set up.

When I was younger I remember my mom having like an electric skillet. Would that keep the oil at a constant temperature? That would seem more practical than a deep fryer.

It should work. I'd go for a deeper one over a shallow one. Also, it can be used for a lot of other things.

 

[Caine]

When I was younger I remember my mom having like an electric skillet. Would that keep the oil at a constant temperature? That would seem more practical than a deep fryer.

If you want to deep fry something, there is nothing more practical than a deep fryer! They have baskets, lids, thermostats, and instruction booklets, and they are not expensive. You can find a suitable deep fryer at any cheap store that sells kitchen appliances: K-Mart, WallyWorld, Target, Best Buy, etc.

I have a Philps Professional style deep fryer I bought at Target for less than 60 bucks American, and I couldn't live without it.

 

[Steve A]

Okay, I'm going to be a little light hearted here. Seph, you're in NC and you don't eat fried foods??? You know the food police will be pounding on your door VERY SOON after that revelation!

Okay, all joshing aside... Alix was oh-so-right when saying stay with the oil. Leaving hot oil is as big a recipe for disaster as a child with a loaded weapon. I could tell you about my friend who was going to make french fries, decided they needed to check the garage, and burnt down their house... but that'd be rude.

Ciao,

 

[Bangbang]

Yep! Be careful with the oil....I had a couple greae fires when I was first cooking as a kid. I am still afraid to use a broiler. Well....liwuids and hot oil will splatter so like the others said make sure your foods have been patted dry. I use a candy thermometer to check the temp of my oil and I use a deep cast iron pan and don't fill it more than a third of the way up with peanut oil.
Back to splatters and fires. My wife has forced me to use my pan out doors. I have neve purchased an electric fryer because I got nothing but bad reviews.

 

[jpmcgrew]

I think your best bet for deep fat frying is a fryer that gets your oil to the right temp then dont put too much in at a time the next great fryer for fried chicken is an electric fryer pan it makes the best fried chicken.You can get real good ones pretty cheap at walmart.

 

[Sephora]

Okay, I'm going to be a little light hearted here. Seph, you're in NC and you don't eat fried foods??? You know the food police will be pounding on your door VERY SOON after that revelation!

Ciao,

I moved here from Southern California 2 and a half years ago and was shocked how much stuff they fry here. Women fry frozen chicken nuggests. We always baked those in Cali.

I tried again last night and the disaster level was the opposite. I dredged everything first, got the oil to temp and when I added the onions the oil got so cold it took too long for them to cook and the batter was tough. Good but tough. Then again, it was a Rachel Ray recipe and my luck with her stuff now stands at 1 win about a dozen losses.

I did check out fryers and electric skillets last night. I'll definitely be purchasing something in the next month. Thanks for all the help.

 

[thumpershere2]

I bought a fry Daddy years ago and still use it and it works great. We don't deep fry real often but enough. It's great for small amounts that you want to deep fry. I don't care to deepfry in a pan on the stove burner. Heat never seems to stay at the right temp.

 

[urmaniac13]

We recently purchased a fryer as well, although we are not regular fried food eaters either but do enjoy them on occasions, and this wonderful gadget quickly let us know that we made a right choice upon our first try on stuffed zucchini flowers. The components can be separated so cleaning is fairly easy, too. Ours is a German product (maker called bifinett) and cost was like €40, and it is very similar to the one of Caine. I definitely recommend you to get one, you will be glad of the investment

 

[Robo410]

I like to use my heavy 8qt stock pot (and it is heavy metal not thin stuff) and fill it no more than half way up. Food has plenty of room to fry, and a safe distance for oil to move and bubble. I use a thermometer. I don't deep fry enough to warrent a fryolator, and it's easy to let the oil cool, and pour it through cheese cloth back into the bottle for the next time. Potatoes, chicken, fish, recycle.

 

[Constance]

My husband does the deep-frying, because I'm leary of hot oil. I had a grease fire when I was first learning to cook, and although I got it put out without any damage to my kitchen, it scared me to death!

But I've had great luck frying in my electric skillet. It's deep enough to hold 1-1/2" of oil, which is plenty for pan-frying. I can set the temperature and know it won't over-heat, and I know the oil is the right temp when the light goes off.