I have a Presto Cool Daddy electric deep fryer, and I love it. I change the oil every three months or so, but otherwise I leave the used oil in the fryer for the next use, adding new oil as needed. What I like best is that I set the temperature and forget it. I used to deep fry in a wok or a straight sided pan, and I was constantly adjusting the heat and trying to keep the thermometer in place. I make everything you listed in the Cool Daddy, and I have even made corn dogs, although I had to use very short sticks. Unfortunately, I lost the recipe for that, and I would like to find it again. It was from a Southern chef.

I do not make deep fried foods often, but I do like to have them once in a while, and I have given up valuable counter space for the Cool Daddy, as it is difficult to store, especially since I keep oil in it.

Other things I deep fry are quesdillas/empanadas (made with masa), okra, hush puppies, chicken tenders, taquitos, tortilla chips, etc.

Lars

We also have a deep fryer, ours is by Rival. I fry chicken once or twice a year. We debated at length whether an appliance that took up so much space and was used so seldom was worth it, but DH loves the fried chicken that it makes, so it's staying.

Pros - as Lars says, it makes frying really easy. You set the temperature and it adjusts automatically. I think you could probably make do with your induction cooktop. But for me the real benefit is that it has a lid which vents, so all the grease spatter stays inside. I put the fryer on top of the induction cooktop so I can use the overhead vent.

Cons - We keep the fryer oil in the freezer between uses. It takes about 1/2 gallon, so this is a lot of oil to use and keep. I strain the oil after every use, but after 2-3 uses, I get rid of it. Sometimes I can use it for cooking at lower temperatures, but otherwise it has to be tossed.

Cheryl

For me, there is no need for a thermometer. Get some Chinese rice noodles, drop a small piece (1/2") in the hot oil, if it puffs up immediately, the oil is just hot enough.

Two utensils all chefs have to minimize greasy frying:

http://www.amazon.com/Taylor-Ng-14-Tempura-Rack/dp/B003QVBHF2/ref=sr_1_1?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1363638484&sr=1-1&keywords=wok+rack

http://www.amazon.com/Helen-Kitchen-5-inch-Spider-Strainer/dp/B000PKQ3YW/ref=sr_1_3?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1363638548&sr=1-3&keywords=wok+utensils

dcarch

Another way to tell if the oil's the right temp is to stick the handle of your wooden spoon in the center of the oil all the way to the bottom of the pan. If bubbles start forming around the edge of the spoon's handle pretty quickly - oil's ready. After adding food - when the oil's back up to temp turn down the heat a bit. I don't do much deep frying but this sure works for things like donuts, tacquitos, taco shells, crab cakes, fish/chips, French fries, potato chips, etc. I don't fry chicken.

/tricia

I use a Taylor candy/jam thermometer and a Lodge cast iron dutch oven, it's not a huge one so not as heavy as the 5 quart enameled dutch oven that I have.

I also don't deep fry much but occasionally make donuts or battered fish and the grandkids love homemade potato chips and French fries.

Annie

I like the wok for deep frying because the sloping sides catch the splatters.

I have used a Taylor candy/jam thermometer and I've used an electronic candy/jam thermometer (which I don't remember the brand of). In both, I find that it is a bit of a pain getting the clip to hold the thermometer at a good angle (i.e. not hitting the side of the pan) securely. I usually end up jamming a bit of folded paper towel into the outside side of the clip to make the clip fit more snugly on the pan.

I've considered using a thermapen to check temperature instead of monitoring continuously, but I haven't tried that yet. I don't deep fry very often so I'm not confident in my ability to adjust the temperature based on how things are frying. A hot piece of noodle may tell you if it is hot enough to start, but I need help keeping it from getting too hot or dropping too much after I've started. But I could just stick the thermapen in whenever I would have checked the thermometer leaving it in for some seconds to get a good reading.

A spider like the one darch linked to is the best tool I've found to take things out. They usually have a long enough handle to be convenient and they take a minimum of extra oil out of the pot with the fried item.

I use a vintage cast iron pot to deep fry in.

~Ann

I looked into this a while back and the trick to deep frying is maintaining a consistent temperature so that the food does not absorb too much oil and everything comes out browned the same level (all fritters are the same). The heat recovery rating (time it takes for oil to come back to the pre-set temperature after the cold food that is to be fried is introduced) is key as many of the fried foods are wetter and colder (think donut, tempura). This will be be key to reducing the oil absorbtion. The kind of fryer you need can also vary depending on whether you mostly fry things that float to the top (need more surface area) or things that sink to the bottom like turkey.

I am hoping that the fry sensor in my induction will help with this. If not, I am looking at a separate deep fryer appliance that I will share ownership with some friends. Unfortunately, it will need to live in my garage.

For those who own a deep fryer (publickman, jadeite etc..) --> Is it OK to reuse oil? I hate the disposal process but am worried that oil once used should not be reused as it can be carcinogenic etc.

What is your preferred oil for frying? I like peanut oil. Recently I used safflower oil and liked it. It seemed to have a pretty high smoke point.

GWlolo - I reuse the oil a couple of times. As I mentioned above, my fryer takes about 1/2 gallon of oil. After frying, I let the oil cool, then strain it through a double thickness of paper towels. You could probably use coffee filters if you have them. We don't use paper filters, so I use paper towels. I strain the oil because I fry chicken with rice flour on the outside. Some of the flour comes off and this has to be filtered out.

Even after filtering, there is still fine particulate matter in the oil so on subsequent heating, the oil will smoke at a lower temperature. I think the smoke point goes down by 25F on each reuse. After 2-3 uses, I try to find a way to use the oil that doesn't require high temperatures rather than put it into the trash. The oil doesn't taste bad since I keep it in the freezer between uses.

I'm currently using corn oil, but I've used safflower and peanut as well. All have high smoke point and don't add any flavors to the food I'm cooking.

My induction cooktop has a temperature sensor so in theory it will maintain a steady temperature regardless of what I'm cooking. But I don't like the mess and smell so I prefer to use the deep fryer. And I run the overhead vent at top speed to get the oily residue and smells out of the kitchen as quickly as possible.

Cheryl

You can definitely reuse oil for frying, and I have done that even after frying fish and chips. I use the oil several times before I change it, but I taste it first to make sure. Because the deep fryer maintains a constant temperature, the oil does not get too hot and never burns. I use grapeseed oil because it has a smoke point above 400 degrees and has the least flavor of the affordable oils. Avocado oil is even better, but too expensive for this. I personally do not like the flavor of peanut oil - it tastes like peanuts to me, and I do not always want that flavor in my food. Some people say it has no flavor, but it tastes like peanuts to me. Safflower is a better choice, if it is sufficiently refined.

If you heat your oil to the smoke point, then you might get carcinogens, but if you keep it to 375 degrees and below (which is as high as the deep fryer will go), you will be okay with oils whose smoke points are above 400.

Grapeseed oil used to be expensive, but now you can find it in Middle Eastern store for cheap in large quantities needed for deep frying.

I think there is a way to recycle cooking oil, but I don't know what it is.

Lars

Here is a link that might be useful: Smoke points for cooling oils

I only reuse oil if I've used it to fry potatoes. I do not reuse oil that I used to fry battered foods, fish, chicken, etc...

~Ann

Thanks for your input. My only concern about a counter-top electric fryer is that some disgruntled owners complain about never achieving the correct temperature. It seems like working with a thermometer can be problematic too.

I've got a couple heavy duty stainless steel small dutch oven style pots. Do you think those would work? Maybe I could experiement.

It's probably been at least a dozen years since I deep-fried anything and it was usually from-scratch French fries. I would use a deep cast iron frying pan and got to judge the temperature by the looks of the bubbles around the potatoes.

We have also had outdoor fish fries using a thrift store electric frying pan with an adjustable heat dial. I liked that because it had a large surface area for the fish fillets.

If your going to buy a counter top unit I'd recommend the Waring Pro. I've had mine for five or six years now with no problems. It has a control dial for the the oil temp and recovers quickly after adding food. The other thing I like is that the controler and heating unit is one piece so I can break down the rest of the unit and run it through the dishwasher. I use veggie or Peanut oil for the most part. Good venilation is a good thing too. I fry outside in the summer or out in my garage kitchen for the most part so I don't stink up the house for days. : ) My downdraft vent doesn't do a great job when using the fryer because it's to tall for it to catch all the steam and fumes.

David

I don't remember the brand I have but it's one of the countertop stainless steel units with the element directly in the oil. It works well once I learned to use it. My problem was it has a timer on it that shuts it off after a while and I didn't notice it shut down so it would cool off. Once solved, I like it.

I don't use it often. I get an occasional craving (usually State Fair time) for fresh-cut fries, jo-jos and similar. There is a smell in the house from deep frying so I have decided I'll bring it out in the garage or on the patio next time. I also don't use it in the winter for this reason no matter how big the craving although I did open the window and put a fan blowing out a couple times!

I usually use peanut oil or vegetable oil. I taste no peanuts in the peanut oil I buy. Don't taste any vegetables in the vegetable oil I buy either! It does use quite a bit so it's a spendy proposition. I do filter it with coffee filters. I would NEVER use paper towels with the stuff that's in them. Yes I'll drain food on them so it could be contradictory but it's one of my little quirks. Plus I remember when a friend ran out of coffee filters and used a paper towel to make coffee at the lake one time. WOW was that an awful taste! He didn't realize you don't HAVE to use a filter in a percolator. After that experience I won't even think about straining oil with it. A couple hundred coffee filters for $1 is not a big expenditure if you do any frying. They can be used for other things too.

With the deep fryer, I don't mess with a thermometer although I think I probably have one that'll work.

I might just use the electric frypan for any deep frying I want to do now for the most part or get my fry fix at a bar!