Unboxing your deep fryer for the first time? You can probably already taste that golden deliciousness! You’ve already acquired the best deep fryer on the market but there’s one small problem: you don’t know how to operate this thing! Not to worry, At Least We Fried is here to help show you how to use a deep fryer!
Deep frying is unlike most forms of cooking, and because it is typically done with specialized equipment it’s not uncommon to have never tried the technique. In a nutshell, deep frying is simply producing delicious food cooked thoroughly in very hot oil. The sweet spot for fried foods is to cook the food so that it is crispy with sealed in moisture, but removed from the fryer before the food is oily or burnt. When done right, properly fried foods have been scientifically proven to induce euphoria! (Editor’s Note: This hasn’t been scientifically proven, but it’s probably true.)
Below is a quick overview of the deep frying process followed by our complete guide below. If you have any questions don’t hesitate to ask in the comment section.
Quick Guide on How to Use a Deep Fryer:
Step 1: Prepare the deep fryer
Step 2: Fill the fryer with oil
Step 3: Heat the oil to the appropriate temperature
Step 4: Pat down your food to remove any moisture
Step 5: Carefully lower food into the fryer
Step 6: Allow the food to cook
Step 7: Carefully remove the food from the fryer
Step 8: Let your food sit and rest for a moment
Step 9: Enjoy!
Complete Guide on How to Use a Deep Fryer:
Step 1: Prepare the deep fryer
It’s tempting to tear open the box, plug in your deep fryer, fill it with whatever oil you have in the back of your pantry and crank up the heat. But patience is a virtue, especially with your favorite new kitchen gadget. Some manufacturers include specific instructions for the first time you use your fryer, and while it’s tempting skip the boring stuff following these instructions can often lead to extending the life of your deep fryer. Often, this includes cleaning the fryer or turning it on without food.
If you’ve already followed the instructions for prepping your fryer, it doesn’t hurt to wipe down the inside of the fryer with a slightly damp cloth and then drying it completely to remove any dust. (Editor’s Note: if you’re using your fryer infrequently enough to allow dust to settle we’ve identified a problem)
Step 2: Fill the fryer with oil
Once your fryer is prepared it’s time to crack open the oil. Choosing the right oil is important since some oils are not compatible with deep frying. With your oil selected, you should next pour the oil into the deep fryer. You will find a fill line on nearly every deep fryer; for your own safety be sure to heed them. With the right amount of the appropriate oil in the fryer, it’s time to get cooking.
Step 3: Heat the oil to the appropriate temperature
The way you’ll need to turn your deep fryer on will vary between units. Some models begin heating as soon as you plug them in. Others have a few knobs or buttons that can turn on the fryer or adjust the heat. More intricate models may even have a digital display or an internal thermometer. The ideal temperature range for deep frying is between 325 and 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Most oils will burn above that range.
Step 4: Pat down your food to remove any moisture
Have you heard the phrase oil and water don’t mix? That fact is especially evident at 400 degrees. That’s why it’s always you should do your best to dry off any food before it is placed in the fryer. This goes for everything from water on potatoes to ice crystals on frozen onion rings. Water going into your fryer can lead to dangerous splattering that can also be a nightmare to clean, so don’t skip this step!
Step 5: Carefully lower food into the fryer
This step is pretty straightforward. The key is to get your food into the oil without splashing or getting any food stuck to the side of the fryer. For most models, this process is simplified by including a fry basket in which your food can be placed. Models that don’t have a basket simply use a slotted spoon as your best bet for small food items. With larger food items, we recommend stainless steel tongs.
Step 6: stay close as your food cooks
The amount of time your food needs to cook will vary given the amount of food and the temperature of the oil. It may be tempting to set a timer and wander off, but unattended cooking grease lead to far too many house fires each year. Stay close and keep an eye on your food while you do your other prep work. Some recipes overestimate the amount of time needed anyway, so there’s always a chance your food needs to come out early.
Step 7: Carefully remove the food from the fryer
Much like with Step 5, this step is pretty straightforward Carefully remove the food from the oil to prevent splashing or dropping your golden, delicious goodness. This process is easy with a basket, but even without one, you can safely remove your food with a slotted spoon or stainless steel tongs.
Step 8: Let your food sit and rest for a moment
This is another point where patience pays off. It may be tempting to bite into your creation as soon as it comes out of the oil, but on top of the fact that you’ll burn yourself, there are other good reasons to let your food rest for a moment. As the food rests, the batter will expel some of the oil leaving you with a crisper, safer, healthier bite.
Step 9: Enjoy!
And now we get to the best part: eating what you’ve made. This process might be foreign to the uninitiated but it will quickly become familiar if you deep fry regularly. Remember to deep fry confidently knowing that we’re there with you in spirit! (Editor’s Note: if your creation turns out great we’re prepared to be there in person as well. No pressure.)
Helpful Tips
Always fry in small batches. This is especially true for smaller, less powerful fryers but is the best practice for everyone. Oil temperature is arguably the most important variable when frying, and adding food causes that oil temperature to plummet. By using small batches you limit the big dips in oil temperature and avoid your food becoming greasy or undercooked.
Don’t attempt to clean your fryer or dump your oil while it is still hot. Allow the oil to cool to room temperature before disposing of it and cleaning out your fryer.
Be mindful of how you dispose of your oil. Pouring it down your sink can gunk up your pipes, and dumping it in your yard can kill your grass. What’s more, your municipality may have an ordinance regarding how oil is to be disposed of.
Don’t throw away your oil container! A helpful cleanup tip is to funnel your used oil back into the container in which it came. This makes disposal simple.
Use your oil again. Planning on frying up something tasty again soon? Your oil is typically good for more than one use. Store your oil in a cool place and use it again within a month to save some money.
What’s next?
And that, my friends, is how to use a deep fryer. If you follow the steps above to the letter you’re sure to have success with your first deep fry experience. Curious about frying a turkey or using an air fryer? We have guides for that as well. If you have a gluten allergy be sure to read up on our guide for gluten-free frying. And when you’re ready to jump in check out our constantly growing recipe section or read through our list of deep fryer reviews.
