On 4/20/2010 9:38 AM, Janet Bostwick wrote:
> "Kate > wrote in message
> ...
>> in my new Lodge pre-seasoned cast iron chicken cooker that
>> my SIl got me for Xmas. It was much to my chagrin because
>> not only does the damn thing weigh 15 lb. but now I have to make
>> fried chicken!!!!! The thing is, I love fried chicken, but I
>> hate frying stuff because the oil get all over the place and I
>> hate cleaning, which is what you have to do a lot of after you
>> fry stuff! I guess I could get one of those splatter guards but
>> that's just another gadget to find a place for. And I probably
>> should get an instant-read thermometer because it was tricky
>> keeping the oil at the proper temp with just my candy thermometer,
>> but they are not cheap and, again, another gadget to find a place
>> for.
>>
>> And then there's buying the oil. Good oil is expensive, especially
>> in the quantities you need to fry chicken.
> snip
> You could have 'fried' the chicken instead of deep frying it.

It's not deep-fried. The oil is only 2" deep. It does not cover the
chicken - at least it didn't cover the large thighs I cooked in it.
It might have covered smaller pieces. I don't think you can properly
cook something like that in a smaller amount of oil. The oil would have
to go at least half-way up the sides of the pieces so that it would get
cooked all over.

> Then you
> would have only needed about a half-inch of oil in the pan. Personally, I
> don't like the idea of deep frying on top of the stove where everything can
> be moved and jostled.

Hah! There is no way to "jostle" at 15-lb. cast iron skillet! ;-)

Kate

--
Kate Connally
“If I were as old as I feel, I’d be dead already.”
Goldfish: “The wholesome snack that smiles back,
Until you bite their heads off.”
What if the hokey pokey really *is* what it's all about?

On Tue, 20 Apr 2010 17:05:33 -0400, Kate Connally
> wrote:


>It's not deep-fried. The oil is only 2" deep. It does not cover the
>chicken - at least it didn't cover the large thighs I cooked in it.
>It might have covered smaller pieces. I don't think you can properly
>cook something like that in a smaller amount of oil. The oil would have
>to go at least half-way up the sides of the pieces so that it would get
>cooked all over.

Yes, you can fry in much less oil. I know from experience, having
grown up with fried chicken cooked that way. It's called shallow/pan
frying.
It does get cooked all over, but you have to turn it occasionally
during the frying process. Makes very good fried chicken.

Christine