Electric vs. Gas fryers

[BigSandyRookie]

I know there's probably a thread about this, but i didn't have any luck finding it. For the 4th, i had my first fish fry. At least the first i was in charge of. It was a good setup for a first: Only expected to feed about 20 people and all of them related to me! The first thing i did wrong was thaw way too much fish!! I figured everyone would eat at least three fillets. I had forgotten that most of the fillets were big ole Big Sandy crappie and we had all kinds of sides. I never even cooked the sauger i had also thawed!

Anyway...to get to the point.....I had two electric fryers. One 14qt. and one 28 qt. One new and the other maybe used once before. One for fish and one for fries, pups, etc. I also ponied up and bought peanut oil instead of all those tempting cheaper options. The first problem was that it took FOREVER for them to heat the oil to cooking temp. The 14 qt. took at least 25 mins. and the 28 qt. took the better part of an hour!!! Luckily, I had started way too early with all that fish!! The other and more frustrating thing was how much the oil would cool when you put food in and how long it took to heat back up! I tried not to load the baskets very full and the oil would still drop almost 100 deg. and take Forever to heat back up for another load.

I've never used a gas cooker. I was at a fry once when they were using one and they seemed to have the opposite problem. The oil would be smoking and the fish cooking too fast.

Bottom line: Are there good electric fryers that will cook a lot of fish? If not, what type of gas fryer is best? I'd say 20-40 would be the most people i'd ever feed. Was my experience typical of all electric fryers? Are there gas cookers with thermostats? Oh, and while i'm here......Is it necessary to use peanut oil?? Thanks in advance. BSR

btw, everyone ate their fill and loved the fish. Believe me, it was b/c it was crappie and not the cook!

[WhitePerchJerker]

Sounds like you need a different type of burner and a good thermometer. I think electric would be to slow unless it was a small cooker. An adjustable regulator on a burner like a crawfish cooker uses would let you heat faster and control the temp better. Peanut oil is the best but a clean vegetable oil would work if you do not over heat it. I read somewhere that when you get cooking oil over 400 degrees it is burnt and will give the fish a bad taste. Just my thoughts on the subject, good luck on your next fish fry.

[bigun]

I have both an electric deep fryer and a couple of propane fryers.

I only use the electric one for cooking small quantities, such as for just my wife and I, as it requires much less oil and works well for that.

I use the big propane units when cooking for groups such as the one you described because they will get large volumes of oil really hot very quickly and keep it that way.

Unless you go to a commercial electric unit that runs on 220, you can only get about 1500 watts of element in an electric fryer which is not enough heat input for doing large quantities of anything.

[FishTrap]

I have a gas one.....and there are a few distinct advantages, at least IMO.

1- Easier to control temps.

2- In the event of power-outage, you can cook & heat water.

3- Mine has a grill that I can set on top, so it doubles in that respect.

4- 100% portable to take with, no cord required.

[Don G]

I have a gas one.....and there are a few distinct advantages, at least IMO.

1- Easier to control temps.What kind of control unit do you have?

2- In the event of power-outage, you can cook & heat water.You're right about that..Been there

3- Mine has a grill that I can set on top, so it doubles in that respect.Never owned one with a grill but does sound good.

4- 100% portable to take with, no cord required.

I hate lugging 20lb cylinders around..

I would like to know what unit you have because mine always heats up fast but I have a heck of a time keeping the temp constant..

[crappiecatcher06]

If you only fry for a group that big once in a while your best bet is to buy a propane or natural gas burner with a large fry pan and basket. We use that a lot in the South. You use less oil and can regulate your heat by clipping a thermometer to the side of the pan. I can cook about 15 large crappie filets at a time by letting my oil reach 375 degrees before I drop them in. If you go over 400 degrees with peanut oil it will burn and give an off taste. If you use vegitable oil 375 degrees is your max or it will burn. My grease is usually to temp in 10 minutes. I cook about 10 to 20 lbs of filets with fries in around an 1 to 1-1/2 hrs. You do have to have help battering the fish because as soon as you dump one batch you need to start on the next before your grease gets to hot. If you use two pans it really goes fast and you will use around a gallon of oil. They sell these aluminum fry pans with the basket pretty cheap and there usually in the local hardware store or Wal-Mart.

[FishTrap]

DonG- To be honest, I couldn't tell you the brand. I bought it probably 10-12 years ago at a Meijer store. It has the burner base (with removable leg extensions), and then a "box" & lid that sets on top with a grid to hold lava rock, and then a heavy cast grate over those to cook on. It's not a large cooking surface (roughly 16"X20"), but I don't really need one. I paid somewhere just shy of $100 for it.

There's no knob on it, just a valve on the regulator to regulate gas flow. I've never used a thermometer, just heat the oil, add a piece of fish to see if it's hot enough to "fry"...if it is, I add the fish & usually decrease the heat after a couple minutes.....but still keep an eye on the fillets to make sure they're frying. I'll (carefully) keep them mixed, from bottom to top so the lower ones don't get too well done before the ones on top.

Strap your tank to a cheap 2-wheel cart if you have problems moving the tank. Also, I never heat that much oil close to anything combustible. I doubt this was much help....but if you're having a problem overheating, try turning the flame down a little after adding fish, you can always turn it up & heat the oil pretty quick with LP if you need to.

[BigSandyRookie]

Thanks all for your input!! I think i'll go shopping for a gas one soon.

[Breambuster]

I use a gas (propane) burner and it gets oil hot 350-375 in about 3 minutes or less and that's heating a 3-4 gallon pot. I wouldn't use an electric unless it was a Fry Daddy and doing it a small amount.

[sac-a-lait]

Gas only. I use a thermo to watch my temp. Elecrtic is much too hard to adjust. Gas/Propane only way to go when frying fish/sides for more than 2 people...IMO.