Topic: Oil Temperature

[haldi]

Does oil in a pan ,heated by gas, get hotter than a deep pan fryer?
I have tried two deep pan fryers set to 190 degrees (maximum heat), and none of them bubble or cook as quickly as a chip pan
I would say, that a chip pan, can almost half the cooking time
Is this something wrong  with my bought deep pan fryers, or is there a difference?
I tried cooking a poppadom too
It didn't puff straight away and gave a  very greasy result in the deep pan fryer

[Peripatetic Phil]

Does oil in a pan ,heated by gas, get hotter than a deep pan fryer?

Yes, a deep fat fryer will normally go little higher than 190C, because that is the optimum temperature for the second cooking of chips (the first cooking should take place at about 160C).  Oil can get much hotter than that (300--400C has been quoted), but there are no foods of which I am aware that need much more than 190C, and of course there is considerable danger in raising a vessel of oil to anywhere near its flash point (from WP : "Oils that are suitable for this purpose must have a high flash point. Such oils include the major cooking oils - canola, sunflower, safflower, peanut etc. Tropical oils, like palm oil, coconut oil and rice bran oil, are particularly valued in Asian cultures for high temperature cooking, because of their unusually high flash point.")

I've never tried cooking a poppadum in a deep-fat fryer; I always use a wok for them.  I've also never measured the temperature of the oil at which they fry best, and searching the web has thrown up only one hit : 375F, = 190C.  So if yours are not cooking properly in your DFF, it may not be reaching the indicated temperature; do you have a suitable thermometer with which you could measure it ?

[haldi]

Yes, a deep fat fryer will normally go little higher than 190C do you have a suitable thermometer with which you could measure it ?

Thanks for you reply
You've told me everything I needed to know
I took the said deep pan fryer back, and will consider which brand to buy next
The last one was made by Asda
I will check the next one with a thermometer when I get it
Thanks again

[Peripatetic Phil]

Thanks for you reply.  You've told me everything I needed to know.  I took the said deep pan fryer back, and will consider which brand to buy next.  The last one was made by Asda.  I will check the next one with a thermometer when I get it.  Thanks again

You're very welcome.  I haven't cooked papadum since you replied, but I did this evening, and took the opportunity to check the temperature at which they cooked best.  This was indeed 375F/190C, as previously reported; at 180C they are too oily, at 200C they go brown too quickly.

** Phil.