chicken fryer...how deep on the oil? now with pics!

[doug hodder]

I received my chicken fryer from dreadcptflint the other day...Thanks...it's great, can't wait to use it! Here's my question. In a cast iron chicken fryer like this...just how deep should one make the oil to fry chicken? I usually grill or bake it and this type of "old fashioned cooking" is relatively unknown to me, and if I fry it, typically I use very little oil. Should the chicken rest on the bottom of the pan or should it almost float like a deep fryer. I want all the calories and the great flavor! I got the temp down, but just how deep? Also...what oil do most people use, canola, crisco, corn, peanut etc...?

I get by, but want something that will make the bears come into camp. I think back to how grandma cooked her chicken...but am always reminded about the Pepto-Bismol that mom slugged down me afterwards! She cooked in Nucoa!!! Any help? Thanks in advance! Doug

PS...anyone got a good breading recipe?

[Lucky489]

The oil should be no more the half way up the pan. I like peanut oil, but Canola works fine. If you marinate in Buttermilk a great breading is just flour, saly, pepper, and a little Cayene.

[doug hodder]

Thanks Lucky! I was thinking about the peanut oil.

Another question...due to the high price of oils cooking or otherwise nowadays, in a frying situation like this, do any of you recycle or reuse these oils? After filtering...how are you all storing them or are you? I've heard that if you put a peeled potato into the oil and cook it, it will draw out all the nasty stuff in the oil, especially after fish or onions...true or bogus? I guess it's not that much oil to dump, and it makes a great flare up on the campfire...just wonder about those guys doing the turkey fryers. Doug

[Juneaudave]

Doug...I just put a 1/4 inch of oil or so in the chicken fryer...get the oil hot, throw the chicken pieces in a bag with flour , salt, and pepper...then shake the bag to coat...and throw the chicken in.

The secret is to brown the chicken good, then turn down the heat and cover for a while to cook, then uncover and turn up the heat to make it crispy. Never had any complaints and never had sticking in the trusty chicken fryer!

Recipe complements of Colonel Juneaudave's Grandma!

[doug hodder]

That's kinda of what I'm thinking Dave....Since it is a deep pan...was it made to use deeper oils so you could pile more in or go low with the oil? I know it all sounds stupid......I guess I just wanted to know how "officially" a pan like this was used. 4" sides as opposed to the typical 3" skillet. Doug

[dguff]

Peanut oil is very good. My grandma used to use about 3/4 to 1 inch of oil and turn the chicken when good and brown. It seemed to take a fairly long time, like about 10 minutes per side. I still have that chicken fryer. She used to filter the used oil through cheesecloth and use it at least 3 or 4 times. Of course that was about once a week.

Jerome

[asianflava]

Saw an episode of "Good Eats" where Alton Brown was pan frying some chicken. He pretty much did what everybody says, oil about half way up the pan. I don't remember much else though, it is on late at night.

[Juneaudave]

You know the other thing...after frying the chicken...drain out most the oil except for a couple tablespoons and leave all the drippings...mix in a couple tablespoons of the flour mix you used to coat the chicken...add milk and make cream gravy for the mashed potatoes...whooo wee...now were livin!!!

[WarPony]

You know the other thing...after frying the chicken...drain out most the oil except for a couple tablespoons and leave all the drippings...mix in a couple tablespoons of the flour mix you used to coat the chicken...add milk and make cream gravy for the mashed potatoes...whooo wee...now were livin!!!

Atta baby, Daver!!!!

Jeff

[BrwBier]

When ever we make a turkey in oil we make a pile of potato chips at the end to clear the oil. ( I think the chips are the best part.)
Brwbier

[doug hodder]

.after frying the add milk and make cream gravy for the mashed potatoes...whooo wee...now were livin!!!

Yup...that is mandatory...anyone that cooks it up and doesn't make the gravy...well...I won't go into details on what ought to be done to them! I can hear my arteries hardening now!!! so what?...and if I don't do gravy...well, chips will take the place, onion rings are pretty tasty too! Doug

[dmb90260]

Doug:
I use peanut oil repeatedly to deep fry turkeys. You can get filters at Smart & Final or other restaurant supply places. Somewhere along the line I got a metal thing that holds the filters. You can use it many times over if you filter. After two years I usually swap the oil out and look for some one running modified diesel engines and make a donation.
If it does not smell rancid, use it.
As a matter of fact, tomorrow I am going to use last Nov's oil to cook up some fine Chili Rellenos.

[WarPony]

.....When ever we make a turkey in oil we make a pile of potato chips at the end to clear the oil.....

Do tell how...........

Jeff

[doug hodder]

Dennis...I figure if I let cool some...I have a stack of paint filters that will work.... in spite of the emoticons...I'm serious! Do you use wonton wraps or an egg batter on the rellenos? Had'em both ways. Doug

[Lucky489]

For oil storage on the small chix and fish batches I just strain it and store at room temperature. For the turkey frier I strain it and put in the freezer. Turkey places allot of unwanted unseen stuff in your oil that can lead to rancid oil, because the low use of the oil.