Fried chicken probably canceled for tomorrow since so many things are happening suddenly. Will definitely do it post MAGFest. I will also level up to the baguette.
For a while, my favorite bread to make have been pretzel buns. To get that sheen, smell, and hard outside of a pretzel, you just need to give each (unbaked) roll a dip in boiling water with baking soda for a minute on each side.
I think my cooking thermometer is lying to me. It is reading way low. Supposedly the smoke point of shortening is 325. It was smoking when the thermometer was still in the low 200s.
Bummer. Is it one you can calibrate? Stick it in a glass of ice water and it should read 32 degrees F.
It's meant for oil, so it starts at 100 F. Also, it's analog and has no way to be calibrated.
Try boiling water then. And it's not for calibrating, just checking how much it's lying.
I will do this! Also, I think another problem is simply how much of the thermometer stick needs to be inserted to get a good reading. It's a deep frying thermometer and expects you to have inches of oil. For shallow frying, only the tip of the thermometer can actually get in the oil.
Bummer. Is it one you can calibrate? Stick it in a glass of ice water and it should read 32 degrees F.
It's meant for oil, so it starts at 100 F. Also, it's analog and has no way to be calibrated.
Try boiling water then. And it's not for calibrating, just checking how much it's lying.
I will do this! Also, I think another problem is simply how much of the thermometer stick needs to be inserted to get a good reading. It's a deep frying thermometer and expects you to have inches of oil. For shallow frying, only the tip of the thermometer can actually get in the oil.
I think that's most of your problem. Solution, quit half assing and commit to deep drying! ^_^
Bummer. Is it one you can calibrate? Stick it in a glass of ice water and it should read 32 degrees F.
It's meant for oil, so it starts at 100 F. Also, it's analog and has no way to be calibrated.
Try boiling water then. And it's not for calibrating, just checking how much it's lying.
I will do this! Also, I think another problem is simply how much of the thermometer stick needs to be inserted to get a good reading. It's a deep frying thermometer and expects you to have inches of oil. For shallow frying, only the tip of the thermometer can actually get in the oil.
I think that's most of your problem. Solution, quit half assing and commit to deep drying! ^_^
Isn't there a fancy digital thermometer I can get where just the tip will get the read instantly?
Yes. They're somewhat pricey. The one Andrew posted (a Thermapen) is a pretty good consumer-level option. Many health inspectors use them.
The best thermometer known to man is a thermocouple with an appropriate meter. You'll spend $250-ish for that. Get one that's NIST certified. Periodic calibration is also necessary, and for that you'd need a certified reference material - which costs mucho dinero.
This one's a steal at only $360. Accuracy is +/-(0.1% of reading + 0.2 C), which is pretty good - at 200 C, it's +/- 0.4 C.
Those two thermometers are decent for home application, but they lack accuracy. The first one you posted is +/- 4 F at frying temperature ranges - not the most reliable reading. Definitely wouldn't use as a candy thermometer or for getting close to a smoke point. The second one is probably the same.
So I seem to have a tiny problem. I was deep frying over the holiday, but now the oil is filled with little bits of burnt food and what not. I ran it through a strainer and that worked somewhat. There's still lots of particulates. I tried filtering it through a napkin, but even unfolded to a single sheet they are surprisingly non-porous. Any idea on how I get this stuff out of the oil?
So I seem to have a tiny problem. I was deep frying over the holiday, but now the oil is filled with little bits of burnt food and what not. I ran it through a strainer and that worked somewhat. There's still lots of particulates. I tried filtering it through a napkin, but even unfolded to a single sheet they are surprisingly non-porous. Any idea on how I get this stuff out of the oil?
I would also like to know this. I would very much like to save oil (that I haven't burned), but the one time I tried it was equal fail. I just gave up and started offering oil to the sink gods.
Augh, never pour oil down the sink! WTF? Put it in a bottle and throw it away or find a place outside to pour it out (if it's cooking oil, not motor oil).
If a fine mesh screen doesn't filter the crap out of your oil, then it's time to get new oil. You can try letting it sit stationary in a tall container for a few days to let the crap settle and then pouring off the oil on the top to use again.
So I seem to have a tiny problem. I was deep frying over the holiday, but now the oil is filled with little bits of burnt food and what not. I ran it through a strainer and that worked somewhat. There's still lots of particulates. I tried filtering it through a napkin, but even unfolded to a single sheet they are surprisingly non-porous. Any idea on how I get this stuff out of the oil?
I would also like to know this. I would very much like to save oil (that I haven't burned), but the one time I tried it was equal fail. I just gave up and started offering oil to the sink gods.
My solution for the past week has been just leave the oil in the pot and dedicate it to frying. Ro suggested stockings, Chris suggested cheesecloth. We'll see how things go later.
EDIT: I'm also watching to see if they particulates will settle out by gravity.
So I seem to have a tiny problem. I was deep frying over the holiday, but now the oil is filled with little bits of burnt food and what not. I ran it through a strainer and that worked somewhat. There's still lots of particulates. I tried filtering it through a napkin, but even unfolded to a single sheet they are surprisingly non-porous. Any idea on how I get this stuff out of the oil?
I would also like to know this. I would very much like to save oil (that I haven't burned), but the one time I tried it was equal fail. I just gave up and started offering oil to the sink gods.
My solution for the past week has been just leave the oil in the pot and dedicate it to frying. Ro suggested stockings, Chris suggested cheesecloth. We'll see how things go later.
DISCLAIMER: I have not used stockings. I found that suggestion on the internet.
Augh, never pour oil down the sink! WTF? Put it in a bottle and throw it away or find a place outside to pour it out (if it's cooking oil, not motor oil).
If a fine mesh screen doesn't filter the crap out of your oil, then it's time to get new oil. You can try letting it sit stationary in a tall container for a few days to let the crap settle and then pouring off the oil on the top to use again.
Why is it bad to put it down the sink? I can't throw it outside. How can I possibly have enough bottles for every time I cook with oil?
Augh, never pour oil down the sink! WTF? Put it in a bottle and throw it away or find a place outside to pour it out (if it's cooking oil, not motor oil).
If a fine mesh screen doesn't filter the crap out of your oil, then it's time to get new oil. You can try letting it sit stationary in a tall container for a few days to let the crap settle and then pouring off the oil on the top to use again.
Why is it bad to put it down the sink? I can't throw it outside. How can I possibly have enough bottles for every time I cook with oil?
You really never got taught this? Did you read any info on your utilities and services when you started living on your own? You should. Everybody should read what their trash pickup accepts, what their recycling ACTUALLY accepts (lots of "recycled" stuff gets thrown away because it doesn't meet the requirements), what they can put down their drains, and how to locally dispose of electronics.
Ok, so I get one bottle of oil. I take a tiny bit out to cook with. I'm not going to put the dirty oil back in with the clean oil. One giant bottle of oil can cook tens of times. I don't have tens of little bottles lying about. Remember, I don't drink beer or soda like other people, so I don't have lots of cans or bottles I'm throwing away.
As for recycling, NYC mails everyone a piece of cardboard that says what you can recycle. I have it magnetted to my fridge. It says I can recycle almost anything. It says nothing about oil.
I've also never once experienced any clogging due to putting oil in the sink. Probably because I follow it up with hot water, and never put such a large quantity down at once.
If it's only a tiny bit, like washing out a pan, that's not a problem. It's when you dump a whole batch of frying oil that it's a problem. Smaller amounts you can just wait for it to cool, wipe it out with paper towels into the trash, and then wash the pan.
It's not always a problem for YOU when vast quantities of oil get put down the drain. It's a problem later down the line once the oil cools. If you do end up with oil in the sink, hot water and dish soap is a good idea to follow it up with to keep the oil from clumping up.
Comments
Tomorrow I'm going to make this fried chicken.
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/fried-chicken-recipe/index.html
http://www.thermoworks.com/products/thermapen/
Try pooling the oil in the pan to get a better read.
The best thermometer known to man is a thermocouple with an appropriate meter. You'll spend $250-ish for that. Get one that's NIST certified. Periodic calibration is also necessary, and for that you'd need a certified reference material - which costs mucho dinero.
http://www.thermoworks.com/products/alarm/chefalarm.html
Or how about this similar looking dude from el Amazones?
Polder Original Cooking All-In-One Timer/Thermometer
Any other tips for heating up oil to frying temperature? It is a thing people did before digital thermometers existed. How did they do it?
This one's a steal at only $360. Accuracy is +/-(0.1% of reading + 0.2 C), which is pretty good - at 200 C, it's +/- 0.4 C.
Those two thermometers are decent for home application, but they lack accuracy. The first one you posted is +/- 4 F at frying temperature ranges - not the most reliable reading. Definitely wouldn't use as a candy thermometer or for getting close to a smoke point. The second one is probably the same.
Thermapen is literally the best consumer option.
If a fine mesh screen doesn't filter the crap out of your oil, then it's time to get new oil. You can try letting it sit stationary in a tall container for a few days to let the crap settle and then pouring off the oil on the top to use again.
EDIT: I'm also watching to see if they particulates will settle out by gravity.
WikiHow The shaving part gave me lols.
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20081212132941AAodPEf
http://www.ehow.com/info_12170313_someone-pours-oil-down-sink.html
http://www.wikihow.com/Dispose-of-Cooking-Oil
You really never got taught this? Did you read any info on your utilities and services when you started living on your own? You should. Everybody should read what their trash pickup accepts, what their recycling ACTUALLY accepts (lots of "recycled" stuff gets thrown away because it doesn't meet the requirements), what they can put down their drains, and how to locally dispose of electronics.
As for recycling, NYC mails everyone a piece of cardboard that says what you can recycle. I have it magnetted to my fridge. It says I can recycle almost anything. It says nothing about oil.
I've also never once experienced any clogging due to putting oil in the sink. Probably because I follow it up with hot water, and never put such a large quantity down at once.
It's not always a problem for YOU when vast quantities of oil get put down the drain. It's a problem later down the line once the oil cools. If you do end up with oil in the sink, hot water and dish soap is a good idea to follow it up with to keep the oil from clumping up.