Frying Frozen chips in the deep fat fryer questions

Andy From Sligo · 09-09-2022 12:19am #1

Hi all, I am fed up with oven chips - I have dug out the old electric deep fat fryer out of the press and decided to go back to old school , I know they are not as healthy as oven chips or using the air fryer but I have hardly got a good physique anyway so I may as well enjoy life while I can and sod the cholesterol.

So, got a back of frozen chips today from the shops - shall I bung them in the deep fat fryer from frozen or thaw them out first? ... I am getting off google "for that crispy outer covering chip taste put them in the fryer straight from frozen" but i am not sure I want them crispy, they are fatter than normal chips and I want to drench them in thick bisto gravy and I want them sort of soft and mushy , not crispy but do want them golden colour , not anemic and pale looking - so do I thaw them first for that? - and how do I thaw them out? - just out room temperature or thaw them in the microwave first?

Question number 2 if you do deep fry chips in the fryer from frozen then what does that frost do to the cooking oil in the fryer over time does it break down the properties of the oil in the fryer making it not as efficient , apart from anything that 'splattering' you get when you put wet frozen chips in the fryer cannot be good anyway for a start?

Plan for tomorrow evenings (Friday) evening tea - a nice chippy tea. So the chips done in the deep fat fryer but not crispy - 2 pieces of battered fish done in oven , mushy peas done in the microwave. then a nice covering of thick bisto Gravy all over the chips. But I want to get it right .

Picture off the net as an example :

09-09-2022 12:34am

I would seriously recommend a salad. That, or put the local fire brigade on notice.

mikewest · 09-09-2022 12:45am

If you want them mushy with the gravy on they need to start out crispy!

Cook from frozen, don't overload the pan, oil as hot as you can to start (thermostat all the way up assuming it's an electric chip pan).as the frozen chips will drop the oil temp real quick. Cook till golden enough or crispy enough.

The spattering is just water boiling off to steam really quick.

For an extra treat, skip the fish, peas and gravy and just fry two or three eggs to still runny and serve with fresh cooked chips. Feck the cholesterol.

Edit: forgot to say the water.or frost on the chips just boils off and doesn't affect the oil. Oh and don't reuse the oil too often.

Gloomtastic! · 09-09-2022 4:56am

And please do not have a few drinks before trying this out. The No. 1 cause of house fires (apart from people) is still chip pans I believe.

Enjoy safely!

brick tamland · 09-09-2022 9:42am

If I was going to the hassle of deep frying chips at home, I certainly wouldnt be using frozen chips.

Get some potatoes. Maris pipers are great, roosters fine too. Soak them in water for 20/30 mins, drain off water and fry away.

If your feeling fancy you can do a double cook. Lower heat so they are almost cooked through. Then finish them off at a higher heat to get the couloured and crispy.

the beer revolu · 09-09-2022 9:58am

From memory, all frozen chips recommend cooking from frozen. I wouldn't defrost them - I think they'd end up a broken soggy mess.

The higher the temperature of the oil, the crisper they will be. For a less crispy chip, fry at a lower temperature for longer.

Tree · 09-09-2022 6:48pm

Cook the chips from frozen, then put them in a lunchbox with the gravy for five mins (it's also the best way to get mushy curry chips). If you go down the real spud route (while you've the fryer set up), do the low first fry (150) and let them cool and crisp up at 190, it's delicious.

Most ppl's cholesterol is determined by their liver, so like, if it's high it's high anyway. And you can be fat like me have have low cholesterol :) Livers, they're great when they do what they're meant to.

Dial Hard · 09-09-2022 7:02pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119593641#Comment_119593641

AFAIK that's people (inexplicably) using an actual old-style chip pans with a basket on the stove. Deep fat fryers have a thermostat and are far safer.

Having said that, if I was the OP and fancied a good old-fashioned chippy supper, I'd just go to the chipper and buy one. I can't believe anyone still has a deep fat fryer.

L1011 · 09-09-2022 7:13pm

Yeah, 'chip pan fires' are people using baskets in pans, on gas generally (but not solely). My neighbours have a completely different kitchen layout (even the back door was moved) to any other house on the street due to the rebuild after one in the 80s!

However you can get very significant splashing from frozen chips in a deep fat fryer so you need to become very aware of how many - or realistically, how few - chips you can do in each go safely.

put_the_kettle_on · 09-09-2022 7:18pm

Don't use cooking oil, use beef dripping.

As previous poster says, chip Maris Piper or King Ed's.

Do first fry at at about 3/4 of max temp. Cook for a few minutes until the chips are mostly cooked but not coloured and lift the basket to drain the fat.

Second fry is to finish cooking, colour and crisp. So turn heat to max and fry till golden. Drain, salt and enjoy.

spakman · 09-09-2022 7:30pm

Never mind all the pricking around with thermostat and frying twice.

Put them from frozen into the fryer and take them out when golden. Done!

Andy From Sligo · 09-09-2022 9:40pm

well ... it happened earlier on this evening and it was absolutely delicious!

In the end chips out of the freezer straight into the fryer , no messing

Andy From Sligo · 09-09-2022 11:41pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119596890#Comment_119596890

ooh, beef dripping sounds nice - what about Lard? ... that used to be nice frying stuff in that years ago

put_the_kettle_on · 10-09-2022 4:36am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119598160#Comment_119598160

I only really use lard for making pastry, I'm not mad keen on its smell when it's hot.

I use beef fat for frying for a few reasons, its high critical temperature meaning you can fry at high temps without it turning toxic. It's healthier for you than seed oils, and also because chips just taste so much better when cooked in it.

the beer revolu · 10-09-2022 10:14am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119596826#Comment_119596826

Perhaps deep fat fryers are better designed and safer now, but I learned the hard way that thermostats on deep fat fryers can break with disastrous results!

Andy From Sligo · 10-09-2022 1:53pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119598954#Comment_119598954

like what? - did they fail in the stuck on position?

Certainly for years now they have had what are called thermal cut out non resettable devices , looks like a resistor. when that gets too hot out of range then it will cut power to the whole of the electric fryer . This is in addition to the normal thermostat

the beer revolu · 10-09-2022 1:56pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119599724#Comment_119599724

This one was stuck on full power.

Count Dracula · 10-09-2022 2:04pm

Get some beef fat or dripping to fry your chips with.

It is potato season, buy some Pipers which are a traditional chip favourite, have the fryer good and hot and if you like them crispy, dunk them several times after drying on your initial cook time. This cooks the outside only, making it nice n crispy.

Take care with the fryer, they are perfectly safe to use with proper care and attention. Using fat to cook with should not neccessarily increase your cholesterol levels either.

Enjoy.

Feisar · 16-09-2022 9:48am

I've found par boiling gives the best results at home but nothing beats proper chipper chips. The problem is the piddly bit of oil in any home setup isn't going to maintain heat when a load of chips are put in.

Muahahaha · 18-09-2022 5:19pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058262612/frying-frozen-chips-in-the-deep-fat-fryer-questions

Plan for tomorrow evenings (Friday) evening tea - a nice chippy tea. So the chips done in the deep fat fryer but not crispy - 2 pieces of battered fish done in oven , mushy peas done in the microwave.

If you're firing up a deep fat fryer for chips you should do the fish in it as well rather than oven baking the fish separately. Theres lots of good recipes online for an easy batter containing either beer or sparkling water which helps create bubbles and air pockets on the batter when it is deep fried. A half teaspoon of bicarbonate of soda in the batter too really bubbles it up where it forms loads of nooks and crannies under deep frying. If you like crispy batter but delicate fish this works reallly well, like as good as what you would get in a good restaurant or gastropub. For me now its the only way to do proper fish and chips, I dont buy the supermarket frozen battered fish any more and now just use fresh cod, the taste difference is huge compared to the frozen stuff.

The above is one of the the main reasons why I bought a deep fat fryer last year having not owned one ever. Id only use it around once a month at best but theres some dishes I cook like fish and chips and KFC style fried chicken where deep frying beats all other methods hands down. I also do falafel in it the odd time and intending to experiment with battered sausages soon, the grey crap the Italian chippers use as a sausage is awful and you could make far better at home with proper Irish sausages.

And yeah feck the cholesterol, so long as you're not deep frying all the time theres nothing wrong with an indulgence as a treat.

bmc58 · 18-09-2022 5:24pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/2058262612/frying-frozen-chips-in-the-deep-fat-fryer-questions

Heart attack on a plate.

Tree · 18-09-2022 9:52pm

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119634513#Comment_119634513

And while you've batter made, it's hard to beat an onion ring.

Subzero3 · 18-09-2022 10:09pm

If the oil is not to hot they will soak up more oil and be soggy when u finish. Not nice.

What u need to so is fry them as per instructions and when they are done place them into a bowl and cover them. The steam will soften them like from a chipper. they go soft from the covered bag along with the vinegar.

Muahahaha · 19-09-2022 8:46am

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/119635510#Comment_119635510

for sure, another food that lends itself really well to deep fat frying

Mystery Egg · 20-09-2022 1:28pm

*Mod note*

Ease up on the health judgement comments please. This is the food forum, not nutrition and diet. Posters are free to enjoy their food, regardless of the calorie content.