Welcome to the EGGhead Forum - a great place to visit and packed with tips and EGGspert advice! You can also join the conversation and get more information and amazing kamado recipes by following Big Green Egg to Experience our World of Flavor™ at:
Facebook  |  Twitter  |  Instagram  |  Pinterest  |  Youtube  |  Vimeo
Share your photos by tagging us and using the hashtag #BigGreenEgg.

Want to see how the EGG is made? Click to Watch

Frying (deep) on the Egg

Brownie
Brownie Posts: 1,023
edited June 2012 in EggHead Forum
I see a few brave folks here deep fry on their eggs. Is this really safe? Anyway my pastrami is resting and I'm going to make potato chips to accompany the sandwiches for dinner. Whats the objective for deep frying as far as temp goes? Do you overshoot your desired oil temp by a little? Or should I quit dreaming and just do them on my stove top?

Comments

  • njl
    njl Posts: 1,123
    I can't imagine deep frying over hot coals on an egg being "safe".
  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
    I can't imagine deep frying over hot coals on an egg being "safe".
    I'm with you, but I seen pics of others doing it, and I'm really curious.
  • I mean really folks.... If its a last resort, but come on!

    Next, someone is going to cook Meth on their BGE -lmao-
    Grom Egger since Sept '11 My Egg Arsenal: Med BGE- Digi PartyQ- Mav ET73- Plate Setter- Stone- Ceramic Grill Works 2 tier- YuengLing-  Florida Panhandle
  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
    Never cooked Meth. Whats that?
  • stike
    stike Posts: 15,597
    well... let's think of this for  second.  deep frying anywhere isn't 'safe'.  you need to take care even with a countertop fryolater or on the stove.  gas stove will flash up too, with spilled oil.

    comes own to the same exact issue when you fry anywhere else: don't overfill with oil, and be careful.

    and here's an interesting wrinkle... if you DO screw up and cause a fire by the oil spilling over and igniting, where would it be safer to do so? in your kitchen on a gas stove top? or in the egg, where you can shut the lid, kill the fire, and walk away safely, at a distance from the house?

    frying is inherently dangerous. for me the issue with frying in a BGE would be temp control.
    ed egli avea del cul fatto trombetta -Dante
  • NewEnglandEgger
    NewEnglandEgger Posts: 104
    edited June 2012
    I've been doing some wok cooking on my BGE that comes close to deep frying. No doubt...highly flammable oil and a charcoal fire is a recipe for a problem if you are not extremely careful.

    I don't think I would attempt a true deep fry...but 2 servings of chicken in a wok with a quart of peanut oil is manageable.
  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
    @stike Thanks for an actual response, VI just posted a few days ago about Japanese pork chops he fried in oil, and I remembered he said to use as little oil as possible. Obviously I have no intentions of putting a gallon of 365* hot oil on my egg.
    My concerns were with temp regulation as you implied, and another concern was weather any splattered oil in the egg may cause problems with absorbing into the ceramic.
  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
    I've been doing some wok cooking on my BGE that comes close to deep frying. No doubt...highly flammable oil and a charcoal fire is a recipe for a problem if you are not extremely careful.

    I don't think I would attempt a true deep fry...but 2 servings of chicken in a wok with a quart of peanut oil is manageable.
    Thanks for the response. I'm thinking the same way, but not sure if I want to try it.
  • fishlessman
    fishlessman Posts: 32,667
    well i melted my stove a little indoors with a quarter inch of oil a few weeks back. egg 600 degrees and close the lower vent to diminish flames, when flames are gone start cooking. do this in a safe area and be prepared to walk away if necessary . this is a dome open cook with a plan, stick to the plan and walk away. small quantities in a wok is the way to go, no turkey deep frying
    :))
    fukahwee maine

    you can lead a fish to water but you can not make him drink it
  • I'd skip the frying, but you can still make "potato chips" on the egg and get them decently crispy.  I usually slice up red potatoes thin and cook at roughly 325, indirect (have went higher temp depending on thickness).  Coat in olive oil and a rub. I use Grand Champion from texasbbqrub.com. Depending on thickness, mine have taken up to 2 hours and I usually flip them after about an hour. Also, I use an aluminum fish grid so the potatoes don't fall.  Good luck with whatever you do.
    San Antonio, TX
  • misu
    misu Posts: 213
    edited June 2012
    wussies :)

    Edit: I should have posted a flaming oil picture here but I've never done it either, will do it soon though
  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
    I used the Egg. I'm not sure I had the confidence, but catmangler gave me the determination
    :D
    Will post my cook on a new thread later tonight.
  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
    once i get these burns looked at................Just kidding. everything went purrfect and best of all my wok was seasoned when finished.
  • Adamd
    Adamd Posts: 160
    I think deep frying on the egg is one of the safest places to do it.

    If you use a pan small enough where you can close the dome and shut the vents out, there is not much else that can put out a fire quicker in my opinion. I know you are doing it over open coals so you just don't want to be sloppy when putting in and taking out your food. 

    Just take your time and keep the oil around 350 and I think the Egg will be a very safe place to deep fry foods!
  • I used the Egg. I'm not sure I had the confidence, but catmangler gave me the determination
    :D
    Will post my cook on a new thread later tonight.
    Glad I could help! :)~
    Grom Egger since Sept '11 My Egg Arsenal: Med BGE- Digi PartyQ- Mav ET73- Plate Setter- Stone- Ceramic Grill Works 2 tier- YuengLing-  Florida Panhandle
  • Doc_Eggerton
    Doc_Eggerton Posts: 5,321
    Don't care to deep fry, but I have actually fried fish on the Egg.  Has to be safer than the turkey frying set ups.  I think the most important thing would be to have the Egg in a safe place if things get out of control.

    XXL #82 out of the first 100, XLGE X 2, LBGE (gave this one to daughter 1.0) , MBGE (now in the hands of iloveagoodyoke daughter 2.0) and lots of toys

  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
    @CatWrangler        It was really what I needed! I seriously don't think I could have convinced myself to do it. So all jokes aside Thanks. It went good (much better than I honestly expected) see my new post.

    So do you have that Meth recipe for me yet?
    :))
  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
    Don't care to deep fry, but I have actually fried fish on the Egg.  Has to be safer than the turkey frying set ups.  I think the most important thing would be to have the Egg in a safe place if things get out of control.
    Doc I did potato chips so my oil was only an inch at the deepest spot.
  • Doc_Eggerton
    Doc_Eggerton Posts: 5,321

    Doc I did potato chips so my oil was only an inch at the deepest spot.
    The fish fry I did was even less.  When they talk about frying, what worries me is someone who would have a quart of oil in a wok or dutch oven.  As long as it could not spread to the structure, the worst you'd have is a spectacular mess to clean up if it ignited.

    XXL #82 out of the first 100, XLGE X 2, LBGE (gave this one to daughter 1.0) , MBGE (now in the hands of iloveagoodyoke daughter 2.0) and lots of toys

  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
    @fishlessman After I finished the fry I looked over this thread and that's (your suggestion) pretty much what I ended doing. At one point my oil got up to about 435* so I removed the wok and let it cool on a concrete slab for about 5 mins or so. It ended up getting me back down to my target temp.
  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
    Doc, I thought the same thing and thats why I ended using my wok over my dutch oven. It was not only taller, it was also bigger in diameter. Since I was overly cautious I even went as far as covering, any area of the grid (open coals) that could be splattered with oil, in aluminum foil.
  • Jscott
    Jscott Posts: 174

    Okay, I fry a lot in my XL. I do onion rings (fantastic), french fries ( just ok), fried pickles and fried green beans (very good). And of course, fried chicken - very good as well.

    How I do it is  with a very large 21" diameter cast iron skillet with a very long handle. I have to use a new device I created to keep the lid open about 4". I find a stick and prop it open. Works very well. I close the bottom vent and keep the DW about closed as well. With the lid propped open just athat 4" you get a good draft and can keep your oil at the needed temp.

    Yes, you have to be very careful with loading the skillet and taking items off. After about 50 cooks this way, I've not seen an issue at all.

    Just my .02.

    Scott

  • Mickey
    Mickey Posts: 19,669
    I do it in a Mini and not worried a second. Guy at Texas Fest did a large all day doing chicken and once the wind hit a tent and almost knocked over his large with oil but got it under control.  Just dont get goofy.
    Salado TX & 30A  FL: Egg Family: 3 Large and a very well used Mini, added a Mini Max when they came out (I'm good for now). Plus a couple Pit Boss Pellet Smokers.   

  • travisstrick
    travisstrick Posts: 5,002
    I've done ckn twice. It was hard to control the temp of the oil but, at no time did I feel unsafe. I use an xl with a 20in wok. One HUGE plus for frying on the egg is that the house doesnt stink after.
    Be careful, man! I've got a beverage here.
  • Little Steven
    Little Steven Posts: 28,817
    I use a dutch oven in the egg but only for fish. Keep the lid real andy and if something were to happen and if it was possible, I woulld put the lid on. If not, just close the dome and shut the vents. I have an induction cooktop so I'm not worried about fire in the house so much. 

    Steve 

    Caledon, ON

     

  • Jscott
    Jscott Posts: 174
    +1 on the fact the house doesn't smell or get hot!
  • Brownie
    Brownie Posts: 1,023
    Thanks for all the great tips guys. I am definitely going to try frying again for two reasons, ease of cleanup and no smell. thanks again.
  • Adamd
    Adamd Posts: 160
    I use a dutch oven in the egg but only for fish. Keep the lid real andy and if something were to happen and if it was possible, I woulld put the lid on. If not, just close the dome and shut the vents. I have an induction cooktop so I'm not worried about fire in the house so much. 
    Kind of throwing it off topic, but how do you like the induction cook top?
  • R2Egg2Q
    R2Egg2Q Posts: 2,136
    I've been frying a little tempura in a Dutch oven on a Woo in my Mini or Small and as LS mentioned, have the lid close by. I cook over metal and concrete so I haven't really had concerns.

    XL, Large, Small, Mini Eggs, Shirley Fabrication 24x36 Patio, Humphrey's Weekender, Karubecue C-60, MAK 1-Star General, Hasty Bake Gourmet, Santa Maria Grill, Webers: 14" WSM, 22.5" OTG, 22.5" Kettle Premium, WGA Charcoal, Summit S-620 NG

    Bay Area, CA