I'm not much of a cook, but I do my best......

Anyhow, I bought an old electric deep fryer at a second hand store.
It's small in size, so it'll work fine in the house without using up
lots of counter space.

I know how deep frying works, from having worked at a fast food
restaurant when I was in high school (about 38 years ago). But I've
never done any deep frying at home.

Anyhow, I'm now looking at this cooker and not sure where to begin.
Yea, I know, fill it about half way with oil and plug it in.

First question: It has a temperature setting control. What is the
normal setting for most foods? I'm sure it varies by the type of food,
but at least if I have some sort of medium setting to begin with, I can
adjust from there.

Second: I'm aware that in the fast food restaurants the deep fryers are
hot and in use around the clock. And they have machines that filter out
the oil every day or two. However, in my case, I'll deep fry something,
and may not use it again for a day or more. Thus, what do I do with the
oil when it's not in use? Do I bottle it and put it in the fridge, or
do I just leave it in the deep fryer, or just use new oil each time?

Somehow, having to use new oil each time seems like the price of the oil
would make the deep fryer almost too costly to use for an order of
french fries to feed just myself or two people. So there must be some
way to re-use the oil.

I'd appreciate tips for using this thing.

One last thing, is there a "best" oil to use? (Corn oil, vegetable oil,
soy oil, etc....).

> wrote:
> I'm not much of a cook, but I do my best......
>
> Anyhow, I bought an old electric deep fryer at a second hand store.
> It's small in size, so it'll work fine in the house without using up
> lots of counter space.
>
> I know how deep frying works, from having worked at a fast food
> restaurant when I was in high school (about 38 years ago). But I've
> never done any deep frying at home.
>
> Anyhow, I'm now looking at this cooker and not sure where to begin.
> Yea, I know, fill it about half way with oil and plug it in.
>
> First question: It has a temperature setting control. What is the
> normal setting for most foods? I'm sure it varies by the type of food,
> but at least if I have some sort of medium setting to begin with, I can
> adjust from there.
>
> Second: I'm aware that in the fast food restaurants the deep fryers are
> hot and in use around the clock. And they have machines that filter out
> the oil every day or two. However, in my case, I'll deep fry something,
> and may not use it again for a day or more. Thus, what do I do with the
> oil when it's not in use? Do I bottle it and put it in the fridge, or
> do I just leave it in the deep fryer, or just use new oil each time?
>
> Somehow, having to use new oil each time seems like the price of the oil
> would make the deep fryer almost too costly to use for an order of
> french fries to feed just myself or two people. So there must be some
> way to re-use the oil.
>
> I'd appreciate tips for using this thing.
>
> One last thing, is there a "best" oil to use? (Corn oil, vegetable oil,
> soy oil, etc....).

Temperature is most always 375 . Restaurants usually use 350 so the oil
lasts longer. Lower temps will let foods absorb oil. Better fryers have
heating coils inside the container, as well as temp sensor nearer the food.
Remember the food will cool down the oil.

That's about all I know.

Greg

On Thu, 10 May 2012 19:01:55 +0000 (UTC), gregz >
wrote:

> wrote:
>> I'm not much of a cook, but I do my best......
>>
>> Anyhow, I bought an old electric deep fryer at a second hand store.
>> It's small in size, so it'll work fine in the house without using up
>> lots of counter space.
>>
>> I know how deep frying works, from having worked at a fast food
>> restaurant when I was in high school (about 38 years ago). But I've
>> never done any deep frying at home.
>>
>> Anyhow, I'm now looking at this cooker and not sure where to begin.
>> Yea, I know, fill it about half way with oil and plug it in.
>>
>> First question: It has a temperature setting control. What is the
>> normal setting for most foods? I'm sure it varies by the type of food,
>> but at least if I have some sort of medium setting to begin with, I can
>> adjust from there.
>>
>> Second: I'm aware that in the fast food restaurants the deep fryers are
>> hot and in use around the clock. And they have machines that filter out
>> the oil every day or two. However, in my case, I'll deep fry something,
>> and may not use it again for a day or more. Thus, what do I do with the
>> oil when it's not in use? Do I bottle it and put it in the fridge, or
>> do I just leave it in the deep fryer, or just use new oil each time?
>>
>> Somehow, having to use new oil each time seems like the price of the oil
>> would make the deep fryer almost too costly to use for an order of
>> french fries to feed just myself or two people. So there must be some
>> way to re-use the oil.
>>
>> I'd appreciate tips for using this thing.
>>
>> One last thing, is there a "best" oil to use? (Corn oil, vegetable oil,
>> soy oil, etc....).
>
>Temperature is most always 375 . Restaurants usually use 350 so the oil
>lasts longer. Lower temps will let foods absorb oil. Better fryers have
>heating coils inside the container, as well as temp sensor nearer the food.
>Remember the food will cool down the oil.
>
>That's about all I know.
>
>Greg

This is true. 375F is the nominal frying temp. A little lower (350F)
for things which need more cooking time like fried chicken, hotter (up
to 400F) for things which need the additional heat to brown properly,
like the "french donuts" I used to make at the donut shop.

John Kuthe...

On 2012-05-10 18:16:42 +0000, said:

> Thus, what do I do with the oil when it's not in use? Do I bottle it
> and put it in the fridge, or do I just leave it in the deep fryer, or
> just use new oil each time?
>
> Somehow, having to use new oil each time seems like the price of the
> oil would make the deep fryer almost too costly to use for an order of
> french fries to feed just myself or two people. So there must be some
> way to re-use the oil.

That dillemma is what has kept me from combatting my wife to buy one.
When given any other option she will rarely eat deep-fried foods, and
has the figure to prove it.

On 10/05/2012 3:36 PM, gtr wrote:
>
> That dillemma is what has kept me from combatting my wife to buy one.
> When given any other option she will rarely eat deep-fried foods, and
> has the figure to prove it.
>
>


I got one of them at home too ;-) When I look at those nice curves I
don't push the sorts of food that would ruin it.

> First question: It has a temperature setting control. What is the
> normal setting for most foods? I'm sure it varies by the type of food,
> but at least if I have some sort of medium setting to begin with, I can
> adjust from there.
>

350 is what I typically shoot for. Depends also on the water content of the
fooed. When I make zuke sticks I use a higher temperature around 375 than
if I make say fried squid. The water evaporation cools the oil faster.

> Second: I'm aware that in the fast food restaurants the deep fryers are
> hot and in use around the clock. And they have machines that filter out
> the oil every day or two. However, in my case, I'll deep fry something,
> and may not use it again for a day or more. Thus, what do I do with the
> oil when it's not in use? Do I bottle it and put it in the fridge, or
> do I just leave it in the deep fryer, or just use new oil each time?

You should strain it and wipe out the fryer and keep the oil covered in the
fryer.

> Somehow, having to use new oil each time seems like the price of the oil
> would make the deep fryer almost too costly to use for an order of
> french fries to feed just myself or two people. So there must be some
> way to re-use the oil.

I get 3 uses typically before the oil gets dark and smelly.

> I'd appreciate tips for using this thing.
>
> One last thing, is there a "best" oil to use? (Corn oil, vegetable oil,
> soy oil, etc....).

Vegetable oil is soy oil. I typically use corn oil but peanut works well.

Paul

You can find Alton Brown demonstrating the science of deep frying on
YouTube.

Paul

I thought this was going to be a Jack Handy question on the subject of
frying.

-S-

wrote:
> I'm not much of a cook, but I do my best......
>
> Anyhow, I bought an old electric deep fryer at a second hand store.
> It's small in size, so it'll work fine in the house without using up
> lots of counter space.
>
> I know how deep frying works, from having worked at a fast food
> restaurant when I was in high school (about 38 years ago). But I've
> never done any deep frying at home.
>
> Anyhow, I'm now looking at this cooker and not sure where to begin.
> Yea, I know, fill it about half way with oil and plug it in.
>
> First question: It has a temperature setting control. What is the
> normal setting for most foods? I'm sure it varies by the type of
> food, but at least if I have some sort of medium setting to begin
> with, I can adjust from there.
>
> Second: I'm aware that in the fast food restaurants the deep fryers
> are hot and in use around the clock. And they have machines that
> filter out the oil every day or two. However, in my case, I'll deep
> fry something, and may not use it again for a day or more. Thus,
> what do I do with the oil when it's not in use? Do I bottle it and
> put it in the fridge, or do I just leave it in the deep fryer, or
> just use new oil each time?
>
> Somehow, having to use new oil each time seems like the price of the
> oil would make the deep fryer almost too costly to use for an order of
> french fries to feed just myself or two people. So there must be some
> way to re-use the oil.
>
> I'd appreciate tips for using this thing.
>
> One last thing, is there a "best" oil to use? (Corn oil, vegetable
> oil, soy oil, etc....).