Deep Fryer or Air Fryer

So the plague is driving me to this decision, deep fry or air fry.

I really like french fries. Of the many things the plague has taken from us, I think I miss fries the most. I've decided not to wait for the vaccine to return fries to my life, I'm gonna make them myself.

I don't want a vat of oil on my electric stovetop. I was ready to order a deep fryer when the ads for air fryers intruded. Now I'm undecided.

Any thoughts? Deep or air, and which model?

[Jenise]

Oh Jim, that's a dilemma. The choice really comes to health, I think, and your risk tolerance. Almost nothing's better than a good fried potato. Fried. In hot oil. The people I know who own deep fryers would probably give up fried food altogether if they had to switch to an air fryer. My friend Al makes fries often, and he would die if he could not honor his Italian heritage on Christmas Eve with fried bacalao. Conversely, the people I know who own--and love--their air fryers are health-minded anti-fat people who never owned, and never would have, a deep fryer. I own neither, so am not at all qualified to convey recommendations.

But I'll be happy to talk about it. My brother and I were having this conversation the other day. Chris' partner will do the whole twice-fry thing from real potatoes on special occasions, and just single fry frozen fries as a side dish on others. Me? I don't dare own a deep fryer--the trouble I could get into that way is a place beyond my risk tolerance. Forget french fries, in no time I'd surely be trying to duplicate the Chinese restaurant fried shrimp of my childhood and the onion badji's at my first Indian Take-Away in Manchester, England. Though decades have passed since I had either, I remember them like it was yesterday and I still crave them. Or, god forbid, I try to make donuts.

And I don't make fries as a side dish. When I give into that temptation they're a main course--a shared big plate of fries, a ramekin of ketchup for dipping, and a crispy green salad dressed with just oil, vinegar and salt. It's a lunch pairing from childhood I'll love til my dying day brought into adulthood with the addition of sriracha and extra vinegar to the ketchup. For that meal, I pre-boil the potatoes then coat with oil and bake at a high temp. Otherwise, real french fries only in restaurants who make the fries from real potatoes. And even then very very rarely.

What I've tasted from air fryers isn't bad, especially if the potato element is frozen fries because they come impregnated with some fat. But no way it passes for the real deal.

It's a choice only you can make, depending on your risk assessment. Hope someone else chimes in with more experience than I have.

Hi Jim. There was some discussion about air fryers last year: http://forums.wineloverspage.com/viewtopic.php?f=5&t=62534

There's an in-depth review article linked in that thread. Alas for you, it says that one of the things that an air fryer does not do well is french fries.

I like french fries and fried chicken, too, but I just refuse to deal with vats of hot oil. Either I go get takeout or I console myself with potato chips.

Forget french fries, in no time I'd surely be trying to duplicate the Chinese restaurant fried shrimp of my childhood and the onion badji's at my first Indian Take-Away in Manchester, England. Though decades have passed since I had either, I remember them like it was yesterday and I still crave them. Or, god forbid, I try to make donuts.

Proper English fish and chips. I had a fabulously crunchy portion when I was there last year. I have been able to semi-reproduce it but wow the original.

And I don't make fries as a side dish. When I give into that temptation they're a main course--a shared big plate of fries, a ramekin of ketchup for dipping, and a crispy green salad dressed with just oil, vinegar and salt..

Make sure you stay well away from poutine.

-Paul W.

I have two deep fryers, but 99.9% of the time I still use my vintage frybaby, which uses only two cups of oil. I've made excellent french fries* over the years with it and some homemade potato chips just last night to accompany a turkey sandwich (on my 1847 Oregon Trail sourdough bread--yum). The larger frydaddies nowadays seem to have supplanted the frybabies. But you can still find the frybabies online.

As you know, with frying done right, there's little oil absorption--which I don't really care about, anyway.

*The biggest cooking compliment I've ever received was a small kid at a party who declared my french fries "better than McDonald's."
Wow!

[Jenise]

Make sure you stay well away from poutine.

-Paul W.

Done right, it's wonderful. But also deadly. So: no danger!

Just about the only deep-frying I do is fried wontons and the chicken for Cantonese lemon chicken. Both of those are fried in a wok and only require a couple of cups of oil. I can't imagine air frying working for either dish. For what it's worth I do use an Orville Redenbacher air popper to make popcorn.

-Paul W.

Just about the only deep-frying I do is fried wontons and the chicken for Cantonese lemon chicken. Both of those are fried in a wok and only require a couple of cups of oil. I can't imagine air frying working for either dish. For what it's worth I do use an Orville Redenbacher air popper to make popcorn.

-Paul W.

I also have an air popper*, but it's too much trouble to find it and set it up, so I usually just put a thin film of oil on the bottom of a pan and drop in the kernels after a test kernel has popped. I clap on a lid and shake the pan until the popping stops. Quick and easy, and a vanishingly small amount of fat.

*I've heard of people using popcorn poppers for roasting coffee beans.

No first hand knowledge of air fryers for me but an easy choice because the only thing I fry are zucchini blossoms when the plants produce in season. I use about 2 " peanut oil in a small sauce pan that accommodates 4 small or 2 large flowers. I filter and re-use once then replace. Although not keen on deep frying my husband is intent on harvesting the flowers before any fruit sets and he makes sure to plant at least 8 seedlings. Needless to say I have had to find other uses for the blossoms - soup, frittata, masa corn crepas filled with poblano, corn kernels and shredded blossom.

No first hand knowledge of air fryers for me but an easy choice because the only thing I fry are zucchini blossoms when the plants produce in season. I use about 2 " peanut oil in a small sauce pan that accommodates 4 small or 2 large flowers. I filter and re-use once then replace. Although not keen on deep frying my husband is intent on harvesting the flowers before any fruit sets and he makes sure to plant at least 8 seedlings. Needless to say I have had to find other uses for the blossoms - soup, frittata, masa corn crepas filled with poblano, corn kernels and shredded blossom.

I like squash flowers, too. I pick only the male flowers, though, so there's no problem with fruit setting.

[Jenise]

I was reminded of this thread when I put on my bra this morning. Why you ask?

Because two nights ago my brother had us over for coconut shrimp. They do a GREAT job of that, and cooked two pounds of shrimp for four of us. (No, we couldn't eat it all.)

And my bra still smells of hot oil.

If anything could convince me to NEVER own a deep fryer, this is it.

I should wear an apron more often than I do. But I have learned to take off my shirt when making the weekly salmon otherwise cats follow me home.

And my bra still smells of hot oil.

If anything could convince me to NEVER own a deep fryer, this is it.

Duh. Don't wear a bra.

[Jenise]

And it's not like I wasn't wearing a top! Frying grease goes skin deep, though. Back in your county fair days, did you ever get rid of that smell?