Just curious/nosey, fzxdoc - did you make a fryer decision, or perhaps Santa brought you one?
If so, what was your choice and how are you liking it?
If so, what was your choice and how are you liking it?
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So, richinlbrg and HouseHomey , after a lot of thought I decided not to get an electric fryer, for now anyway. The XL Turkey fryer was huge--I'd have to really love it and use it a lot to want to give it some precious storage space. I was all set, then, to get the TFal FR8000, but in reviews there were many comments about it not keeping the oil hot enough and I was still put off by the basket being too small for my "wanting to fry a whole chicken's pieces at the same time" needs.
Just before Christmas, I was shopping at Bed Bath and Beyond and spotted this extra large fryer with a basket perfect for the volume of chicken I'd like to fry. It came with/without an induction burner. Since I already had an induction hot plate, I passed on the one with that feature and just got this Copper Chef XL 11" Deep Fryer set:
I used my 20% off Bed Bath and Beyond coupon to reduce the listed $69.99 price by $14 to $56, about half the price of the electric fryers that I was considering.
What with Christmas and travel, I haven't had time to try it out, but it's on the list. I'll let you know how well it works for frying. And how well using the induction burner hotplate outside with it works and also keeps the frying smells out of the house.
Stay tuned.
KathrynComment
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Troutman , I may still get the TFal, mostly because I love that innovative oil storage idea. But the basket was so much smaller compared to the copper thingie's basket.
Do your store your TFal fryer away or does it have pride of place on your countertop all the time?
And could you get two each of chicken breast, wing, thigh and leg pieces in the basket for frying all at once?
K.Comment
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No, my wife hates that I buy yet another gadget, lol. I store it on a pantry shelf. I put the drained oil sump in my garage refrigerator to keep it fresh.
I'm going to say 1/2 a chicken would probably be fine. Frying that much at a time it would not take you long to do a whole bird, like 20-25 minutes tops. I really like having a fryer, we haven't had one in a long time. -
Thanks, Troutman , for the additional information. Half a chicken was about what I thought as far as volume. I'm still tempted to get that TFal and learn to fry in smaller batches, using a warm oven to keep the first batch. You had me with your fried shrimp story. I could really go for that right about now.
Kathryn
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Darn this thread!! Thanks Kathryn! I just bought a $450.00 chair.
Clicking my heals
I dont need a fryer, I don't need a fryer, I don't need a fryer.
I should stop frying chicken, I don't need a chicken fryer for wings.Comment
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YOU HAVE TWO CHOICES... a fryer or a big Dutch oven and a GOOD heat source.... -
You know you're going to end up getting a fryer one of these days, HouseHomey . It's just a matter of time and your fantastic powers of rationalization.
K.
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I have a farberwarw, made by butterball that is FANTASIC.Comment
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Here is a picAttached FilesComment
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pretty sure it is the same, every few frys that involve flour i strain it through a sive into a jug. it has drastically prolonged my grease life (i use 100% tallow). i love it. I checked the temp controls andfount them to be within 5 degrees. only bad thing i can say is the clotheshanger hook can be cumbersome at times. i would recommend it to any experienced home cook.
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Oh, texastweeter , I see now. From the photo, it looked as though it was one of those smaller Farberware fryers that I've seen advertised. I didn't realize that it was a turkey fryer. Duh.
Kathryn -
We love it. you can fry, boil, or steam in it. it cleans up pretty dang easy, and it has a LARGE capacity, the more oil the less the temp drops when you add in your goodies.
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Poor Kathryn you’re so confused
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I have the TFal as well, aside from the size (you can probably get close to 6-8 pieces, depending on the size of the chicken), it's probably the best for a home cook you can get. Mine sits on the counter, with the oil waiting patiently in the container below it. I did fish & chips and could fit about 4 battered filets in it at once. After they came out of the fryer, were drained and salted - then went in a preheated oven (200) to wait for their brothers/sisters to come out of the oil.
Everything but the heating element on the T-Fal is dishwasher safe. I have NEVER used/owned a fryer that is easier to clean, hands down.Comment
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Darn! I seriously need some chicken wings now. Errr... hungry. Working until next Friday so perhaps then.Comment
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I hear you, HouseHomey , once anyone starts talking about good fried food my salivary glands kick in and my mind starts dreaming of crispy crusted hot morsels of goodness.
Cheef , your wife's right, this does look like a good way to store the hot grease, not having to wait too long for cooldown. Thanks for the Amazon link.
KathrynComment
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Update: Well, I tried the Copper Chef 11" Deep Fryer both on the cooktop and on an induction burner and it just doesn't stay hot enough to quickly and effectively fry a batch of chicken or even a smallish bag of french fries, for that matter. The temperature plummets and it takes a loooong time to recover.
A cyberfriend here told me he had the same experience with the T-Fal 8000 electric fryer which was my first runner up to the Copper Chef set.
The turkey fryer suggested here is too huge for my needs.
So it looks as though I'm shut out of finding a fryer that I can use outdoors to keep the smell out of the house.
The Copper Chef has the volume I need but the pan is too thin to hold the heat properly. So it's back to cast iron for me. I should have listened to my grandma in the first place.
According to a recent Pitcast interview, Meathead is on the verge of releasing information about deep frying with CI on the gasser which is my next move. All is not lost.
KathrynComment
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So after all of the hoopla about Sophia not wanting me to get a deep fryer.... so I have not. Yesterday she said she would like to make home made corn dogs for the kids.
Guess who’s in the market for a deep fryer??
funny how things work that way.Comment
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Steve B I'd like to have one of them Cajuns but Sophia needs to be able to work it and feel comfortable doing so. So likely an indoor and I keep coming back to the butterball turkey fryer or may go commercial countertop if I can find a used one. -
Commercial countertop seems like the way to go, HouseHomey, because it would do a better job than the home fryers .
For my needs, I'm not a fan of cluttering up my kitchen counters, so it would have to be stored away. Plus that brings the deep frying gig back into the house, which is what I'm trying to avoid. I'll enjoy seeing what you end up going with.
Kathryn
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I guess the verdict is the dutch oven for all pro's and con's?
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I'm leaning toward a dutch oven and the gasser or SnS like Polarbear777 does.
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