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Post by mpmn04 on May 9, 2017 14:04:31 GMT
I'm looking for recommendations on whether to get a 4 or 6 qt. pressure fryer. It's just the 2 of us at home so we wouldn't cook a lot of chicken parts at a meal, probably just 1 whole 3-4 lb. bird parted out. As of now, I can deep fry 1 bird in 2 fry cycles. Would I be able to do it in 1 fry cycle with a 4 qt., or would the 6 qt do it.
How much oil is actually used in a 4 or 6 qt fryer?
t/y, mpmn04
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Post by Ken_Griffiths on May 9, 2017 14:36:53 GMT
A 32oz chicken will give 8 x 4 ounce portions...
When pressure frying, it is important the pieces of chicken do not touch each other ... a 4 quart fryer holds approx 1.5 litres of oil and and a 6 quart will hold about 2 litres or thereabouts. If cooking 8 x 4 oz pieces I would do two separate batches of 4 in either fryer.
If the chicken pieces touch and stay together, it will not brown up and you end up with white spots. Here is the technique I would use using the 6 quart fryer, which is the one I would recommend by the way out of the two sizes you have mentioned.
Heat your vegetable oil on a high setting/flame until the thermometer reads 315°F or just over ... place the breaded chicken in fryer 4 pieces only at a time. After 30 seconds give the pieces a nudge and slight move about with a fork to sensure they are away (separated) from each other.
At 1 minute cap the pot and let pressure rise till the jiggler moves about.
Turn down the heat to a setting that just keeps the jiggler moving ... this is usually medium to low.... and overtime you will find the setting that best suits your fryer and stove.
Cook the chicken under pressure for 8 minutes... from the time the lid goes on... so 9 minutes in total.
Then when done, remove from heat and get the pressure down straight away by slightly lifting the jiggler with a fork etc.
Get the lid off and get the 4 chicken pieces out as fast as possible, so the do not begin to absorb the oil as it cools. Place chicken onto a piece of absorbent paper for a minute or so and then do one of the following two options:
1. Place chicken under an everyday china-like bowl or put them into a lidded Pyrex dish for 8-10 minutes to cool to eating temperature. The steam and heat around the chicken will soften its coating like KFC, or alternatively....
2. Place chicken in a steam filled oven with water bath at bottom and set to a temperature of 65°C/150°F for 20 minutes or so.
Then enjoy!
Oh and the wife will probably insist that you made the mess, so you have to do the washing up!!... or is that something that just happens to me? ha ha
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Post by zmaster on May 9, 2017 17:03:35 GMT
We use an 8-quart for pressure frying and for other items as well. If you plan on using it for cooking other items besides chicken, I would go larger for stocks and such. Just a though.
RED
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Post by mpmn04 on May 9, 2017 17:42:11 GMT
T/Y both for replying, it's what I needed to know to go ahead with a purchase.
Great detail on the methodology Ken. I'm pricing out fryers on Ebay. All are in the US, so shipping charges can be high. Some sellers will not even ship to Canada believe it or not. Some neighbour!
Just as you,I too do the cleanup.It's just easier in the long-run....
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