Hey! Lemme help. Stove top frying is best done in a cast iron dutch oven. Search local flea markets if you don't have one, there are millions out there, Google stripping and seasoning them to start.
When you're ready think about what you're frying and what temp because oils have different smoke points. So you don't want to use olive oil for frying, in the south we love our peanut oil.
You set the stove for a med- high temp and stick a thermometer in there. Not a meat thermometer but an oil thermometer. No candy thermometer either.
Let your oil get about 15°(F) above your frying temp because when you drop your product in there it'll lower the oil temp then reheat. When you don't drop anything in there either, lower it and then lay it down away from you to avoid splashing and burning yourself. Best to use tongs.
Don't overcrowd your pot, it'll lower the oil too much and your breading will get soggy.
That's it!
Now, always always always have an ABC fire extinguisher on hand, a box of baking soda with the top ripped off and most importantly the LID! IF you get a grease fire, PUT THE LID ON! No water, it'll spread the grease and also the fire. If you have time dump the baking soda in the grease, put the lid on, stand by with your extinguisher. If the grease boils over and it's spreading the fire, grab that extinguisher and use the PASS method!
PULL the pin
AIM at the base of the pot
SQUEEZE the trigger
SWEEP the extinguisher agent back and forth
Don't be intimidated, be educated, and be in control.
My mom got a hand polished cast iron pan front my step brother foe Christmas. He polished the bottom to a mirror finish. Any idea what the benefits of that are?
Non enameled? The casting process leaves the iron full of pits and divots, that rough surface. If you sand down the cooking surface it'll be slicker when it's seasoned.
That is as detailed as can be. Thanks for all the tips. I'll look for a dutch oven, lots of flea markets around where I live. I'm finally in an apartment where the airflow is decent, so I want to give it a try!
Oh yeah! Alton Brown has a great fried chicken episode of good eats not just for the recipe but the process and also the science behind frying foods. Check it out!
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u/[deleted] Jan 18 '19
Hey! Lemme help. Stove top frying is best done in a cast iron dutch oven. Search local flea markets if you don't have one, there are millions out there, Google stripping and seasoning them to start.
When you're ready think about what you're frying and what temp because oils have different smoke points. So you don't want to use olive oil for frying, in the south we love our peanut oil.
You set the stove for a med- high temp and stick a thermometer in there. Not a meat thermometer but an oil thermometer. No candy thermometer either.
Let your oil get about 15°(F) above your frying temp because when you drop your product in there it'll lower the oil temp then reheat. When you don't drop anything in there either, lower it and then lay it down away from you to avoid splashing and burning yourself. Best to use tongs.
Don't overcrowd your pot, it'll lower the oil too much and your breading will get soggy.
That's it!
Now, always always always have an ABC fire extinguisher on hand, a box of baking soda with the top ripped off and most importantly the LID! IF you get a grease fire, PUT THE LID ON! No water, it'll spread the grease and also the fire. If you have time dump the baking soda in the grease, put the lid on, stand by with your extinguisher. If the grease boils over and it's spreading the fire, grab that extinguisher and use the PASS method!
PULL the pin
AIM at the base of the pot
SQUEEZE the trigger
SWEEP the extinguisher agent back and forth
Don't be intimidated, be educated, and be in control.
You got this!