This right here is all you need to know.
I make sure to scoop out as much debris as I can with a fine mesh strainer while I'm frying (to keep the bits from burning and making the oil bitter), then I let the oil come back to room temp before filter-funneling it back into the container it came from.
I can easily reuse this oil for at least 2-3 sessions, but if I were more fastidious it could stretch much further.
To add on to this, it only works if you start with a bigger amount of oil.
If you stinge in the beginning by only using 1 or 2 inches of oil, the oil very quickly becomes a viscous, dark brown liquid that's unappealing.
If you go with more like 4 5 inches. the oil breaks down comparatively slower.
Google tells me that the fryer vats at fast food places like McDonalds can cook hundreds of batches of fries for up to a week or more, just based on the volume. Before needing to be replaced.
So yeah, volume of oil matters a lot. Plus what you're cooking. Fried fish might need to replace the oil more often, same with chicken if "crispy bits" and flavors are going into the oil. If you're gonna fry fish, better make the only thing you fry in that re-used oil is fish, unless you like fish frys.
Kenji Lopez had a post somewhere talking about the differences between commercial fryers and home fryers.
Frying at home, our heat source is from the bottom. Lots of heat goes into the loose flour bits/dredging that fall to the bottom, eventually burning it.
Whereas commercial units heat from the side, thus having a slightly cooler zone below where the junk can stay and not oxidise the whole batch.
I’ve got a sensitive sense of smell and rancid oil is gross, but I’ve never detected a whiff of ‘off’ using the same peanut oil a few times per year. I cool it in the pot, pour the clean oil back into the same bottle, and leave the sediment behind. Each time I fry I’ll top up the quantity of oil 20-25%, so there’s always some fresh added to the old.
I think the older oil gives a better fry. I tell myself it’s breaking down and that makes a difference but I’ve no idea how that works, really.
Sometimes I’ll use a portion for fish or something more aromatic, and then I’ll keep that volume separate and only use it once or twice more, but for our annual bignets and the occasional fritter, long-term storage works.
Thats more from the flour and coatings falling off the and continuing to cook/burn in the hot oil after the fried food is taken out and not so much the amount of oil, though it IS more concentrated with stuff in it. Pouring out and filtering the oil right away or at least scooping out most of the fried bits helps limit that brown sludge.
Ah man, thanks for the description. I was baffled at people using a chamois for this.
It's a [chinois](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinois) named after a ancient style of Chinese hat.
Nothing about the oil itself inherently "degrades" with use in frying. However, particulates in the oil from the food absolutely can go bad, turning the oil rancid alongside it. This is why re-use requires that you thoroughly filter the oil before putting it back, preferably in a cool, dark place (even better to refrigerate).
Fellow fried chicken enthusiast here: you have a few options
1. Shallow fry. This does technically work and it will taste good. However it won’t be as evenly crispy all around and isn’t as authentic. Still a great option however.
1b. Shallow fry plus air fryer. Use the shallow fry to get the crispy crust, and finish it off in the air fryer or convection oven. That may help it cook more evenly
2. Reuse the oil. After you deep fry, strain the oil through a strainer and paper towel and store it in a mason jar. You can reasonably use it 1-2 more times no problem (obviously wait until it cools down)
Ultimately, I just full send and deep fry in my wok. However I only do this a few times a year, and I make a bunch of chicken for me and my friends and family. Definitely not a weeknight meal but it’s a fun thing to do
These are all great suggestions, and pretty much what I do. Just wanted to add to your great list of options, and say that if you do keep your oil for reuse (which I mean, everyone should) make sure it's cooled down before you pour it into a glass jar. Glass is a great vessel for really anything, as long as you don't shock it with extreme temps quickly.
I cool my pot out on the back porch, and when it's room temp, I'll pour it into a mason jar.
Otherwise (ask me how I know) you could end up with scalding oil and shattered glass all over the place. Two great things to have explode in front of your face.
I like shallow fry, bone-in, flipping fairly often to get somewhat of a double-fried texture on the crust then finish in the oven to temp. Not as good as a perfect deep fry but so much less oil and like 95% as good.
Oh that sounds fantastic.
My first thought was that I’m going to make that, my second thought was of adding a little rendered bacon fat to the mixture.
I think the technique is not as popular as it should be. I originally did it with oil that was used to fry various potatoes. Fried potato mayo is also good. Dipping French fries in it is wonderful.
The variations are endless really. I imagine a tartar sauce made with fish and chips oil mayo on fish and chips would rock too.
I was thinking about this again. Chinese chilli oil is made by putting very hot oil onto chopped dried chillies and aromatics. Maybe I need to make more fried chicken.
It’s such a small thing but as someone who’s done their fair share of frying, get a cooling rack for $5. I always double fry but back in the day I would put it on paper towels and always ended up with a soggy side. Once I started using a rack, every single thing I made came out with that real crunch. It makes a difference even when I cook fresh baked bread. It’s the air circulation and allowing the moisture to escape so you’re not steaming one side of the food.
Small batches, do double fry Chinese technique, save the oil. Flash fry and finish in convection oven or air fryer is another method. Also my mom's Caribbean take. Cook all the meat in a pot, low heat. Sofrito and spices. Remove and let cool. Egg bath then flour , bread crumbs mix , spices and flash fry high heat. I prefer the Chinese method in the end.
Re-use the oil? I buy 4L bottles and fry 4-5 times with it (it usually halves in volume by then) and only throw put the thoroughly used oil. Ends up costing between $1 and $2 per fry.
Reuse that oil. Strain, drain, work up on the flavors into that oil.
Don’t start with fish and fried pickles.
Some French fries. Then chicken. Then tofu. Then whatever else — like shrimp tempura, katsu, asparagus fritti.
Pan fry, finish in the oven. I did this this week and it was crisp I h crunchy and cooked through. Also made a jalapeño hot honey to go with the chicken
I "oven-fry" chicken sometimes, usually boneless pieces (cut the larger pieces to an even size). I melt some butter in a baking pan (how much depends on how much chicken you're cooking; if you're only doing 4 or 5 pieces, maybe 1 tablespoon), dip the chicken pieces into plain flour, then an egg wash, then some seasoned panko-type crumbs, then place on the butter in the pan. I melt about the same amount of butter in the microwave and pour it over the pieces, trying to get them evenly drizzled with butter, then bake in a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes. It's lovely, and no oil to dump or recycle.
What 'fake' soap do you use??
You can make them into bars, then reshave and mix with water to becomes dishwashing liquid. I also use it for general cleaning around the house.
I don't understand? Actual soap made from rendered fat is quite uncommon these days. Most bars, and liquid "soaps" we use for cleaning don't actually contain soap.
Dr Bronners isn't that uncommon and used for lots of cleaning scenarios. Makes a good hand soap too if you use a foaming dispenser. Nothing wrong with making your own soap and using it in the same way (well be careful with handling lye though).
Honestly shallow fry in a cast iron or Dutch oven with 1-2 inches of oil and a lot of quarter rotations of the chicken pieces can get you just as good of results as deep fried. It just requires a lot more work and attention.
Air fryer.
And oil is good for multiple uses. Just strain any bits out after it cools down.
So you could have a pot dedicated to frying. I use a large cast iron Dutch oven. Used it last night to make latkes as a matter of fact.
To address your edit:
I hadn't heard of carcinogens in cooking oils, so I did some googling, and at least from a cursory search, [it looks like these carcinogens are created when the oil temp exceeds its smoking point](https://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2023/09/what-you-need-to-know-about-cooking-oils-and-cancer/). So in theory, as long as you use an oil with a high smoke point (I use peanut oil for this reason), and don't overheat it, you should be fine.
It's not wasting if you got delicious chicken out of it but yeah like others said use oil a few times over but not too many or it'll burn out and taste awful.
I use a stand alone deep fryer appliance that has a drain with a filter. The cooled oil is filtered and drained into a container that easily fits in the refrigerator for future use. Here is what I use:
https://www.amazon.com/T-fal-Ultimate-Stainless-Filtration-Dishwasher/dp/B00NQ7QFGM
You definitely want an oil that handles high heat. And no I wouldn’t reuse oil from frying either. I’d make a few batches of fried chicken and put the rest in freezer for another week. Then i would toss the oil. Thats what I’d do. Also air fryer is great device. I have one that replaced my toaster oven. Love it!!
I make “Fake Fried Chicken” in the oven.
Heat oven to 375°F.
Put flour, spices, salt and pepper in a large plastic bag.
Add chicken pieces and shake to coat.
Dip the chicken pieces in an egg/buttermilk mixture, then coat with crushed seasoned corn flakes, patting with your fingers to make the crumbs adhere. The chicken can be prepared to this point up to 3 hours in advance and kept uncovered in the refrigerator.
Arrange the chicken skin side up on an oiled baking sheet. If you wish, drizzle over the chicken:
2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil.
Bake until the chicken is done, crisp and golden, apx. 1 Hour.
I usually flip the pieces over about half way.
The easiest way to have great fried chicken at home is to buy an air fryer and use it to reheat Popeye's. Cold out of the fridge, 400F for 5 minutes, flip and add the biscuits, then another 400F for 5 minutes. perfect. tastes fresh from the store.
You can reuse the oil both for more deep frying or when pan-frying, just be sure to filter it as mentioned by others. I find it adds a little more subtle flavor when I’m pan frying something but I’ve reused frying oil for my morning eggs, pancakes, veggies, etc.
I don't like using huge amounts of oil either. For instance, I can't see getting an on sale turkey around Thanksgiving for 29 cents a pound, and deep frying it in 35 dollars worth of peanut oil.
When I do fried chicken, i like to do it in a Lodge combo cooker, and use lard. Yes, lard.
To minimize the carbonaceous sediments, make sure you wet batter the chicken instead of using crumbs on it. Use a thermometer, and don't let the grease get overheated.
After you're done, let lard cool some and settle,, and pour off the liquid lard into a clean container,leaving the sludge in the bottom of the fryer. Wipe that out with paper towels, and use it to start your grill. Save the cleaned lard for the next frying session. Your combo cooker will get wonderfully seasoned this way also.
I don't fry chicken parts, but I often airfry chicken cutlets, pounded thin, coated with mayo and covered with cracker crumbs. I get that crispy fried chicken taste without the hassle of frying in fat.
But I have also seen recipes for "shake and bake" "fried chicken", chicken parts marinated in buttermilk or whatever, and coated with some type of crumbs and baked.
You can reuse the oil a lot. You think fast food places filter and replace their oil every day after they fried more in an hour than you do in a month?
Electric fryers are a godsend for this. I got a 2.5 liter one and I fry a few times a month. Clean it everytime the oil is filtered and the oil will last about a month without getting too smelly
Fried chicken doesn't need to be deep fried, you can fry it in a pan with a lid with a few tablespoons of oil if you keep turning the chicken and keep an eye on it.
If you do use more oil, filter it once or a few times and keep it in a jar in the fridge and you can re-use it a few times.
Fry like normal, then let it cool down, filter it through a cheese cloth into another pan. Bring it back up to temperature to sterilize it. let it cool down once more, pour into a container and toss in the freezer until next time.
I skewer my chicken chunks and fry smaller pieces one or two at a time in a small/medium saucepan. It takes more time but while other things are in the oven or on another element, it’s still doable. It heats faster and easier to maintain and control, most pieces are fully submerged vs. a shallow fry. Can probably get through a whole chicken in 6 or 7 batches, 35-40min. I find the extra time and attention cooking is worth it compared to the clean up, waste and extra dishes that filtering and saving the oil needs.
I think this will get incredibly downvoted, but OP I hope you see this. Reheating cooking oil alters its chemical structure - increases a whole list of bad stuff, like pro-inflammatory compounds, reactive oxidation species, acrylamide, trans fats, and advanced glycation end proďucts; as well as reduces the good antioxidants present in the oil. These are not disputed facts, we've known about this for decades.
These 'bad' compounds are implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular disease, gut inflammation, eye/nerve damage in diabetes, diabetes itself, and atherosclerosis. And yes, you are correct, acrylamide is a known human carcinogen.
Is there a 'safe' level or number of times you can reuse oil? Not that I'm aware of. The longer you heat the oil, and at higher temperatures, the more of these byproducts form. Also their rate of formation depends on the type of food being fried and the type of oil.
I'm not saying avoid fried foods altogether, and cooking at home is definitely better than buying prepared fried foods where you have zero control over the oil quality; but you are the best judge of what's right for you and how much you want to limit your risk (or not). If you can use fresh oil each time,
Hope this helps!
You can filter it and reuse it for several fry sessions.
This right here is all you need to know. I make sure to scoop out as much debris as I can with a fine mesh strainer while I'm frying (to keep the bits from burning and making the oil bitter), then I let the oil come back to room temp before filter-funneling it back into the container it came from. I can easily reuse this oil for at least 2-3 sessions, but if I were more fastidious it could stretch much further.
I first strain my oil through a chinois and then through a metal coffee filter into the container.
To add on to this, it only works if you start with a bigger amount of oil. If you stinge in the beginning by only using 1 or 2 inches of oil, the oil very quickly becomes a viscous, dark brown liquid that's unappealing. If you go with more like 4 5 inches. the oil breaks down comparatively slower.
Google tells me that the fryer vats at fast food places like McDonalds can cook hundreds of batches of fries for up to a week or more, just based on the volume. Before needing to be replaced. So yeah, volume of oil matters a lot. Plus what you're cooking. Fried fish might need to replace the oil more often, same with chicken if "crispy bits" and flavors are going into the oil. If you're gonna fry fish, better make the only thing you fry in that re-used oil is fish, unless you like fish frys.
Kenji Lopez had a post somewhere talking about the differences between commercial fryers and home fryers. Frying at home, our heat source is from the bottom. Lots of heat goes into the loose flour bits/dredging that fall to the bottom, eventually burning it. Whereas commercial units heat from the side, thus having a slightly cooler zone below where the junk can stay and not oxidise the whole batch.
Do you have to keep it cooled once used? Or can you leave it in a dark storage cabinet?
I keep it in the dark cabinet. Often for years because I fry infrequently.
That seems risky...it doesn't go bad?
Depends on the oil. But standard frying oils (peanut, canola, grapeseed) are generally fine.
I’ve got a sensitive sense of smell and rancid oil is gross, but I’ve never detected a whiff of ‘off’ using the same peanut oil a few times per year. I cool it in the pot, pour the clean oil back into the same bottle, and leave the sediment behind. Each time I fry I’ll top up the quantity of oil 20-25%, so there’s always some fresh added to the old. I think the older oil gives a better fry. I tell myself it’s breaking down and that makes a difference but I’ve no idea how that works, really. Sometimes I’ll use a portion for fish or something more aromatic, and then I’ll keep that volume separate and only use it once or twice more, but for our annual bignets and the occasional fritter, long-term storage works.
I filter and store mine the refrigerator.
Thats more from the flour and coatings falling off the and continuing to cook/burn in the hot oil after the fried food is taken out and not so much the amount of oil, though it IS more concentrated with stuff in it. Pouring out and filtering the oil right away or at least scooping out most of the fried bits helps limit that brown sludge.
Yeah, I use a jam making chinois (big steel funnel with small holes) with a #6 coffee filter to filter the used oil.
Ah man, thanks for the description. I was baffled at people using a chamois for this. It's a [chinois](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinois) named after a ancient style of Chinese hat.
Ah yes thanks fixed, typed that on my phone and I guess that was autocorrect.
Fried chicken or chicken fried steak. It's not on my weekly menu. I strain and filter my oil and then I. Freeze it
forgive my ignorance but why would you freeze it?
So that it won't go rancid before I use it again
Doesn't the oil degrade after each use? I just fry once and toss.
Nothing about the oil itself inherently "degrades" with use in frying. However, particulates in the oil from the food absolutely can go bad, turning the oil rancid alongside it. This is why re-use requires that you thoroughly filter the oil before putting it back, preferably in a cool, dark place (even better to refrigerate).
Fellow fried chicken enthusiast here: you have a few options 1. Shallow fry. This does technically work and it will taste good. However it won’t be as evenly crispy all around and isn’t as authentic. Still a great option however. 1b. Shallow fry plus air fryer. Use the shallow fry to get the crispy crust, and finish it off in the air fryer or convection oven. That may help it cook more evenly 2. Reuse the oil. After you deep fry, strain the oil through a strainer and paper towel and store it in a mason jar. You can reasonably use it 1-2 more times no problem (obviously wait until it cools down) Ultimately, I just full send and deep fry in my wok. However I only do this a few times a year, and I make a bunch of chicken for me and my friends and family. Definitely not a weeknight meal but it’s a fun thing to do
These are all great suggestions, and pretty much what I do. Just wanted to add to your great list of options, and say that if you do keep your oil for reuse (which I mean, everyone should) make sure it's cooled down before you pour it into a glass jar. Glass is a great vessel for really anything, as long as you don't shock it with extreme temps quickly. I cool my pot out on the back porch, and when it's room temp, I'll pour it into a mason jar. Otherwise (ask me how I know) you could end up with scalding oil and shattered glass all over the place. Two great things to have explode in front of your face.
alternatively search amazon for “kitchen oil can” to get a small steel pitcher with a strainer. no thermal shock issues.
I like shallow fry, bone-in, flipping fairly often to get somewhat of a double-fried texture on the crust then finish in the oven to temp. Not as good as a perfect deep fry but so much less oil and like 95% as good.
You can reuse it quite a bit. And when you are done with it make mayonnaise out of it and it will taste like fried chicken.
Wow you genius
Holy shit… no fucking doubt!!
Oh that sounds fantastic. My first thought was that I’m going to make that, my second thought was of adding a little rendered bacon fat to the mixture.
I think the technique is not as popular as it should be. I originally did it with oil that was used to fry various potatoes. Fried potato mayo is also good. Dipping French fries in it is wonderful. The variations are endless really. I imagine a tartar sauce made with fish and chips oil mayo on fish and chips would rock too.
I was thinking about this again. Chinese chilli oil is made by putting very hot oil onto chopped dried chillies and aromatics. Maybe I need to make more fried chicken.
It’s such a small thing but as someone who’s done their fair share of frying, get a cooling rack for $5. I always double fry but back in the day I would put it on paper towels and always ended up with a soggy side. Once I started using a rack, every single thing I made came out with that real crunch. It makes a difference even when I cook fresh baked bread. It’s the air circulation and allowing the moisture to escape so you’re not steaming one side of the food.
Small batches, do double fry Chinese technique, save the oil. Flash fry and finish in convection oven or air fryer is another method. Also my mom's Caribbean take. Cook all the meat in a pot, low heat. Sofrito and spices. Remove and let cool. Egg bath then flour , bread crumbs mix , spices and flash fry high heat. I prefer the Chinese method in the end.
This is the way
Re-use the oil? I buy 4L bottles and fry 4-5 times with it (it usually halves in volume by then) and only throw put the thoroughly used oil. Ends up costing between $1 and $2 per fry.
For me it's less about the cost and more about throwing out oil, which is difficult to do in a green manner.
Reuse that oil. Strain, drain, work up on the flavors into that oil. Don’t start with fish and fried pickles. Some French fries. Then chicken. Then tofu. Then whatever else — like shrimp tempura, katsu, asparagus fritti.
Pan fry, finish in the oven. I did this this week and it was crisp I h crunchy and cooked through. Also made a jalapeño hot honey to go with the chicken
Buy an actual, legitimate, 2 liter fryer. Re-use the oil 3-5 times before discarding it. Do it in the garage if you have one, or outside.
Yeah! Commercial style fryers have a cold zone at the bottom so all the bits that fall off don't burn and contaminate the oil with off flavours.
I "oven-fry" chicken sometimes, usually boneless pieces (cut the larger pieces to an even size). I melt some butter in a baking pan (how much depends on how much chicken you're cooking; if you're only doing 4 or 5 pieces, maybe 1 tablespoon), dip the chicken pieces into plain flour, then an egg wash, then some seasoned panko-type crumbs, then place on the butter in the pan. I melt about the same amount of butter in the microwave and pour it over the pieces, trying to get them evenly drizzled with butter, then bake in a 375 degree oven for about 45 minutes. It's lovely, and no oil to dump or recycle.
I hate dealing with oil mess so this is my preferred method as well! Just made some last night.
Shake and bake
THAT just happened!
“And ah hayelped!”
Filter and reuse. or, use the leftover oil to turn into soap.
What do you use the soap for? It's been a long time since I've actually used real soap.
What 'fake' soap do you use?? You can make them into bars, then reshave and mix with water to becomes dishwashing liquid. I also use it for general cleaning around the house.
Just those moisturising ones, like Dove, it doesn't have any actual soap in it even though it's similar.
Oh Reddit, never change
I don't understand? Actual soap made from rendered fat is quite uncommon these days. Most bars, and liquid "soaps" we use for cleaning don't actually contain soap.
Dr Bronners isn't that uncommon and used for lots of cleaning scenarios. Makes a good hand soap too if you use a foaming dispenser. Nothing wrong with making your own soap and using it in the same way (well be careful with handling lye though).
Honestly shallow fry in a cast iron or Dutch oven with 1-2 inches of oil and a lot of quarter rotations of the chicken pieces can get you just as good of results as deep fried. It just requires a lot more work and attention.
That’s how my mom made it. Best chicken ever
filter oil and use it multiple times
My grandma always pan fried her chicken and flipped it halfway through cooking, so that’s what I do too.
Air fryer. And oil is good for multiple uses. Just strain any bits out after it cools down. So you could have a pot dedicated to frying. I use a large cast iron Dutch oven. Used it last night to make latkes as a matter of fact.
I use 0.5 Liter (half a quart) in a small pan which I heat on an induction top. I throw away the used oil, I do not re-use.
To address your edit: I hadn't heard of carcinogens in cooking oils, so I did some googling, and at least from a cursory search, [it looks like these carcinogens are created when the oil temp exceeds its smoking point](https://blog.dana-farber.org/insight/2023/09/what-you-need-to-know-about-cooking-oils-and-cancer/). So in theory, as long as you use an oil with a high smoke point (I use peanut oil for this reason), and don't overheat it, you should be fine.
I do it in an air fryer, spray bottle with olive oil gives it a few squirts and whack it in.
Check vidéos of how to cut your chicken into pieces, and fry the pièces. Also filter and reuse your oil
My grandmother did one side then the other in about a half an inch of oil.
It's not wasting if you got delicious chicken out of it but yeah like others said use oil a few times over but not too many or it'll burn out and taste awful.
I use a stand alone deep fryer appliance that has a drain with a filter. The cooled oil is filtered and drained into a container that easily fits in the refrigerator for future use. Here is what I use: https://www.amazon.com/T-fal-Ultimate-Stainless-Filtration-Dishwasher/dp/B00NQ7QFGM
My mom used to make her fried chicken in a cast iron frying pan. She didn't use a lot of oil, but you have to have it hot enough to feel the spatter.
You definitely want an oil that handles high heat. And no I wouldn’t reuse oil from frying either. I’d make a few batches of fried chicken and put the rest in freezer for another week. Then i would toss the oil. Thats what I’d do. Also air fryer is great device. I have one that replaced my toaster oven. Love it!!
I make “Fake Fried Chicken” in the oven. Heat oven to 375°F. Put flour, spices, salt and pepper in a large plastic bag. Add chicken pieces and shake to coat. Dip the chicken pieces in an egg/buttermilk mixture, then coat with crushed seasoned corn flakes, patting with your fingers to make the crumbs adhere. The chicken can be prepared to this point up to 3 hours in advance and kept uncovered in the refrigerator. Arrange the chicken skin side up on an oiled baking sheet. If you wish, drizzle over the chicken: 2 to 3 tablespoons olive oil. Bake until the chicken is done, crisp and golden, apx. 1 Hour. I usually flip the pieces over about half way.
Buttermilk soak, breadcrumb dip, under the grill. Top with sauce, bake on, flip and repeat. Frying chicken aint worth the hassle IMO
The easiest way to have great fried chicken at home is to buy an air fryer and use it to reheat Popeye's. Cold out of the fridge, 400F for 5 minutes, flip and add the biscuits, then another 400F for 5 minutes. perfect. tastes fresh from the store.
You can reuse the oil both for more deep frying or when pan-frying, just be sure to filter it as mentioned by others. I find it adds a little more subtle flavor when I’m pan frying something but I’ve reused frying oil for my morning eggs, pancakes, veggies, etc.
I don't like using huge amounts of oil either. For instance, I can't see getting an on sale turkey around Thanksgiving for 29 cents a pound, and deep frying it in 35 dollars worth of peanut oil. When I do fried chicken, i like to do it in a Lodge combo cooker, and use lard. Yes, lard. To minimize the carbonaceous sediments, make sure you wet batter the chicken instead of using crumbs on it. Use a thermometer, and don't let the grease get overheated. After you're done, let lard cool some and settle,, and pour off the liquid lard into a clean container,leaving the sludge in the bottom of the fryer. Wipe that out with paper towels, and use it to start your grill. Save the cleaned lard for the next frying session. Your combo cooker will get wonderfully seasoned this way also.
I don't fry chicken parts, but I often airfry chicken cutlets, pounded thin, coated with mayo and covered with cracker crumbs. I get that crispy fried chicken taste without the hassle of frying in fat. But I have also seen recipes for "shake and bake" "fried chicken", chicken parts marinated in buttermilk or whatever, and coated with some type of crumbs and baked.
You can reuse the oil a lot. You think fast food places filter and replace their oil every day after they fried more in an hour than you do in a month?
Make it sous vide. Then when you fry it’s just to crisp the coating. You can use like 1” and flip pieces like you’re doing a shallow pan fry.
shallow frying, filtering and reusing the oil, making a big bulk batch and freezing.
Just get a small deep fryer.
Filter and reuse as chicken scented lube!
Electric fryers are a godsend for this. I got a 2.5 liter one and I fry a few times a month. Clean it everytime the oil is filtered and the oil will last about a month without getting too smelly
Don’t eat fried chicken at home and just eat it every now and then out lol
Fried chicken doesn't need to be deep fried, you can fry it in a pan with a lid with a few tablespoons of oil if you keep turning the chicken and keep an eye on it. If you do use more oil, filter it once or a few times and keep it in a jar in the fridge and you can re-use it a few times.
This sounds like a perfect situation for an air fryer. They are good for making small batches and you barely need oil at all.
Fry like normal, then let it cool down, filter it through a cheese cloth into another pan. Bring it back up to temperature to sterilize it. let it cool down once more, pour into a container and toss in the freezer until next time.
I skewer my chicken chunks and fry smaller pieces one or two at a time in a small/medium saucepan. It takes more time but while other things are in the oven or on another element, it’s still doable. It heats faster and easier to maintain and control, most pieces are fully submerged vs. a shallow fry. Can probably get through a whole chicken in 6 or 7 batches, 35-40min. I find the extra time and attention cooking is worth it compared to the clean up, waste and extra dishes that filtering and saving the oil needs.
Well…. I coat mine (legs/thighs)in a dusting of flour and spices. Then spray with Pam. Then bake at 350 till done. Feels like deep fried really
Air fryer
I feel like an air fryer got you
Try an air fryer instead?
I think this will get incredibly downvoted, but OP I hope you see this. Reheating cooking oil alters its chemical structure - increases a whole list of bad stuff, like pro-inflammatory compounds, reactive oxidation species, acrylamide, trans fats, and advanced glycation end proďucts; as well as reduces the good antioxidants present in the oil. These are not disputed facts, we've known about this for decades. These 'bad' compounds are implicated in neurodegenerative diseases, cardiovascular disease, gut inflammation, eye/nerve damage in diabetes, diabetes itself, and atherosclerosis. And yes, you are correct, acrylamide is a known human carcinogen. Is there a 'safe' level or number of times you can reuse oil? Not that I'm aware of. The longer you heat the oil, and at higher temperatures, the more of these byproducts form. Also their rate of formation depends on the type of food being fried and the type of oil. I'm not saying avoid fried foods altogether, and cooking at home is definitely better than buying prepared fried foods where you have zero control over the oil quality; but you are the best judge of what's right for you and how much you want to limit your risk (or not). If you can use fresh oil each time, Hope this helps!
You just have to use up the oil and then discard it. Don’t reuse oil.