How to maintain oil temperature when deep frying at home?
I was frying chicken and I noticed the amount of time needed to fry the chicken and how dark the batter will end up depends largely on the temperature of the oil.
The problem is, the oil temperature when it reaches equilibrium (or almost constant temperature) will vary depending on the amount of chicken inside, the volume of oil, and the heat outputted by the stove. For home cooking, this is a disaster and very variable way of cooking.
The only way I can think of becoming consistent is buying a thermometer that will constantly monitor the oil temperature. I had one where I had to place a meat thermometer on the oil and hold it just so it won't touch the metal portion of the pan, but this is tiring and the heat tends to go all the way up the thermometer--and to my hands and it gets too hot. It may also damage the thermometer this way.
Is there a more industrial (and heat resistant) but affordable thermometer where I can just leave it on top of the oil so I can adjust the heat element to achieve desired temperature for deep frying at home? If none, how to properly deep fry at home to get consistent results?
Best Answer
My meat thermometer can bear temperatures above deep frying ones so I just use that and I keep the tip "suspended" in the oil with the help of the pot's handle and the thermometer's own cable. An alarm at 170 Celsius helped me last time to keep the temp under control. For the record, I was frying this https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Struffoli
Since I don't deep fry more often than once a year, I can totally live with this solution.
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Quick Answer about "How to maintain oil temperature when deep frying at home?"
To maintain the proper oil temperature, use a clip-on deep-fry thermometer and keep close watch. If the oil starts lightly smoking, that's a sign that it's overheated and starting to break down; remove the pot from the heat until the oil cools to the correct temperature.How do you keep deep-fry oil cool?
One way to do this is to put just water in the larger container and then put ice in the area surrounding the sides of the oil container. The water will help conduct the heat even from the underside of the oil container into the ice.How do you keep oil on a 350 stove?
Set your burner on medium and let your pan of oil heat for around 5 to 10 minutes. Put the meat thermometer in the center of the oil to check the temperature. The oil should be between 350 degrees Fahrenheit (177 Celsius) and 400 F (205 C), depending on what you're cooking.What is the best temperature for deep frying?
Temperature is very important. You'll need a deep-fry or candy thermometer. Bring the heat up slowly until the oil is between 350 and 375 degrees F \u2014 too low and you'll get greasy food, too high and it'll burn.How do you keep frying oil from burning?
Answer:10 Deep Frying Mistakes most home cooks make
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Answer 2
There are instant read thermometers, and there are also some that use a laser and you can point them at a surface and it reads the temperature that way.
If you are really doing "deep" frying like at least an inch or two of oil there should be enough so that you can use a regular thermometer. I have a "fry daddy" type fryer and it has a thermometer built in. Also as you note, the more oil you use, the easier it is to keep a stable temp, but then you have a lot of oil to deal with.
It is also possible to just get a feel for it based on how fast the chicken cooks. My step mother fries chicken in a shallow pan without too much oil and keeps it covered and just adjusts the temperature as she goes to keep it cooking without burning.
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