What do the numbers on my deep fryer dial mean?
I'm very new to cooking. I bought a second-hand deep fryer, without a user manual. The dial has these numbers on it:
What do the numbers mean? Do they refer to wattage, or temperature (degrees C/F?)?
How do I find out what types of foods are best suited for each of those numbers, or what settings are appropriate for each food? For example, to which setting should I set the dial for fried chicken?
Best Answer
I am pretty certain these are degrees in Celsius. They cannot be degrees in Fahrenheit, that wouldn't deepfry a thing if they were. Similarly, unless you have a fryer which can only fry a single nugget at a time, they can't be watts, they're an order of magnitude too low for that.
I have no idea what the settings "Temp" and "Min" could mean. Had they been on two different dials, I would have assumed that one sets the temperature and the other the times of heating in minutes (but the second makes only little sense since you can't leave deep frying stuff alone and come to it later after it has turned itself off). A guess would be that "Temp" is not a setting, but the label of the whole scale, and the designer erroneously added a dot like in the scale positions. Then "Min" would be keeping the oil barely warm.
The degrees you choose will depend not just on the type of food, but on the exact recipe. The starting temperature of the food, the size of the food, the batter type etc. all make a difference in the choice. If your recipe doesn't tell you, you are stuck experimenting. I would suggest starting from 190 and changing from there.
If you do find temperature suggestions, be sure to check with a thermometer if the setting is accurate. Most appliances outside of the sous vide niche are wildly wrong about their temperature.
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What should a deep fryer be set at?
If you're using a dedicated deep fryer, the temperature should be clearly displayed at all times. If you're using a pot to deep fry, use your digital thermometer to keep an eye on the temperature of the oil. You want it to be somewhere between 375\xb0F and 400\xb0F.How long does it take a deep fryer to get to 375?
Approximately 30 minutes. Be sure the lid is on the fryer to help speed up the process. Use good quality oil with a smoke point of 400\xb0f or higher. Vegetable, corn, canola, soybean, or peanut oils are safe to use.What number do you deep fry on a stove?
#6. For most deep-fried recipes, you'll want to heat your oil to around 375 degrees. If you're wondering how do you know when oil is ready to deep fry, it's reached its mark when the oil starts to shimmer, giving off visible waves of heat. For total accuracy, use a frying thermometer to monitor the rising temp.What number do you heat oil to fry?
The best temperature to deep fry is between 350-375\xb0F, so the best frying oils will have a smoke point that's higher than 375 so that they will be less likely to smoke the longer they're in use.Deep fryer safety 101: What to do AND what not to do!
More answers regarding what do the numbers on my deep fryer dial mean?
Answer 2
It looks like temperature control in degrees C. That setting will vary based on what recipe you follow, and the type of oil used for deep frying.
I couldn't find that model on the manufacturer's website, but got some product info from a retail site here.
Answer 3
I believe the other answers that suggest the number dial indicates degrees celsius are correct.
Wikipedia says the ideal range is 350–375 °F (177–191 °C).
I found this chart on Pinterest.
390 F = 199 C
370 F = 188 C
I think the temp chart is a bit high. I would use the Wikipedia temp range (the article had two supporting references)
- I would use 191 C where the chart calls for 390 F
- I would use 177 C where the chart calls for 370 F
- Per your Q, I would use 191 C for fried chicken
(side note: I like how the chart does a double fried french fry)
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Images: Pixabay, Pixabay, Stas Knop, Joseph Redfield