Warning about frying new potatoes in hot oil

  • Thread starter wolram
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In summary, tinned new potatoes should not be fried as they have a tendency to explode due to steam build-up within the potatoes. It is advised to either poke holes in the potatoes before frying or cook them in the microwave beforehand. Deep frying is not recommended, but they can be cooked in a wok with other ingredients for a tasty alternative. The Food Network has been criticized for promoting unhealthy and bizarre fried recipes such as deep-fried macaroni and cheese and deep-fried candy bars. Some have even suggested genetically engineered potatoes that act like popcorn.
  • #36
:rofl: Anyone else think that we shouldn't let Wollie and Georgina cook together? We'd have exploding potatoes with hot oil and eggs on the ceiling! Now, if you could aim the food, you wouldn't have to get out of the chair to serve dinner once it was put on to cook.
 
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  • #37
Fire in the hole!
 
  • #38
Moonbear said:
:rofl: Anyone else think that we shouldn't let Wollie and Georgina cook together? We'd have exploding potatoes with hot oil and eggs on the ceiling! Now, if you could aim the food, you wouldn't have to get out of the chair to serve dinner once it was put on to cook.

The only problem i have with eggs is when scrambling them, i all ways seem to get most of it stuck to the bottom of the pan.
 
  • #39
OK, now you're getting WAY beyond normal. Scrambling eggs in a well-buttered cast-iron frying pan is really easy. If you want to use a lighter non-stick pan and maybe olive oil or peanut oil, that's fine too.

The inability to scramble eggs under these conditions points to a more serious problem.
 
  • #40
Wolram get to the shop and get yourself a teflon non-stick frying pan immediately.

but be aware, do not use metal utensils in them, it scrapes off the teflon coating. Use only wooden or http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/cooking_utensils.htm
 
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  • #41
See? Even I knew what turbo and Andre said. :smile:

I'm generally not a hazard in the kitchen; I just seem to be getting forgetful in my aging years. :wink:
 
  • #42
Just a note - people who are forgetful or easily distracted should not cook with non-stick cookware. If left on the stove on high heat, it will release poisonous vapors. Cast iron is practically as non-stick as Teflon if it is properly seasoned. Don't wash the cast-iron after use - just scour it with salt, and after a period of use, the interior of the pan will be black and very shiny. It's better for your health to cook in cast iron anyway- you get traces of iron with every meal.
 
  • #43
Respecting that, I would add that some people are not too happy with cast iron, for the shear weight. Kinda hard for tiny sized ladies to juggle with a cast iron wok.
 
  • #44
turbo-1 said:
Just a note - people who are forgetful or easily distracted should not cook with non-stick cookware. If left on the stove on high heat, it will release poisonous vapors.

Great. Now I need to be frightened of my non-stick frying pan. :wink:

Actually, since my leaping egg incident, I've been very good about remaining in attendance when stuff is on the stove. :biggrin:
 
  • #45
Andre said:
Wolram get to the shop and get yourself a teflon non-stick frying pan immediately.

but be aware, do not use metal utensils in them, it scrapes off the teflon coating. Use only wooden or http://www.reluctantgourmet.com/cooking_utensils.htm

No matter how much care i take of non stick pans the coating gets damaged, i am changing to cast iron, but then i have to take care of my oven top, shuffling the heavy pans will damage it, i would love to have a gas hob but we are not on the main and
bottled is way expensive, electric hobs are not as controlable as gas (mine holds the heat for ages) so simple things like going from the boil to simmer is not easy.
 
  • #46
GeorginaS said:
Great. Now I need to be frightened of my non-stick frying pan.
No seriously. Mis-use or not, aren't you all aware of the warning about non-stick materials?
 
  • #47
wolram said:
No matter how much care i take of non stick pans the coating gets damaged, i am changing to cast iron, but then i have to take care of my oven top, shuffling the heavy pans will damage it, i would love to have a gas hob but we are not on the main and
bottled is way expensive, electric hobs are not as controlable as gas (mine holds the heat for ages) so simple things like going from the boil to simmer is not easy.
If you must use electric vs gas to cook with, cast iron is the best by far. It has enough mass to warm slowly and when it gets to cooking temperature, it does not cool off quickly when you put a lot of food in it, like light-weight non-stick pans do. Another great thing is the versatility of use. Yesterday afternoon, I browned a cheap beef roast (that had been soaking in brine for a day) in a cast-iron skillet after dusting it with salt and pepper. After browning the roast, I put it in a roasting pan. Then, I put a little water in the skillet to pull out the caramelized juices, stirred and scraped that pan, and put that water and juices into the roasting pan, lightly covered the roast with aluminum foil, and baked it at 350 deg F for 2 hours. The meat is wonderful and the gravy is to die for. I whisked some flour into cold water and added it to the boiling juices in the roasting pan to thicken it to a nice gravy. I'm usually good for maybe 1/2 of a baked potato, but with this gravy, I ate a whole potato with both skins and a good helping of fiddleheads, along with the beef.
 
  • #48
We've got one of those ten pound cast iron skillets from Ikea. It'd be great if we could figure out how to get something cooked faster than it can set off the smoke detector upstairs.

Because food rests on the raised ribs, it tends to cook quite slowly. Meanwhile, any oil just smokes in the bottom.

(Oh yeah, and to stay OT, poor Woolie!)
 
  • #49
DaveC426913 said:
We've got one of those ten pound cast iron skillets from Ikea. It'd be great if we could figure out how to get something cooked faster than it can set off the smoke detector upstairs.

Because food rests on the raised ribs, it tends to cook quite slowly. Meanwhile, any oil just smokes in the bottom.

(Oh yeah, and to stay OT, poor Woolie!)
You should consider getting a skillet with a flat bottom for optimal contact and heat transfer, and use peanut oil when you fry stuff, because it can take a lot of heat before it starts to smoke. We heat with wood and have a number of smoke detectors, and I don't remember the last time I set one off by cooking.

My wife and I use cast iron for almost all our stove-top cooking (apart from steaming vegetables and making sauces). We have an 8" frying pan, a 12" frying pan, a 12" Dutch oven with a lid that also fits the frying pan pretty well (VERY useful!) and a 12" skillet. Apart from the Dutch oven, which was a wedding gift, these pans are all things that I had in college, and they were well-used when I got them, so they're likely all 40+ years old.

And to stay OT - Woolie, if you had a lid for your frying pan, maybe you could fry those tinned potatoes (cautiously!).
 
<h2>What is the reason for the warning about frying new potatoes in hot oil?</h2><p>The warning is to prevent potential hazards and accidents from occurring while frying new potatoes in hot oil.</p><h2>What are the potential hazards of frying new potatoes in hot oil?</h2><p>The hot oil can splatter and cause burns, the potatoes can cause the oil to overflow and start a fire, and the oil can reach high temperatures and ignite.</p><h2>What precautions should be taken when frying new potatoes in hot oil?</h2><p>Make sure to use a deep pot with high sides to prevent splattering, use a thermometer to monitor the oil temperature, and carefully place the potatoes in the oil to prevent overflow.</p><h2>Can other types of oil be used to fry new potatoes?</h2><p>Yes, other types of oil such as vegetable or canola oil can be used to fry new potatoes. However, it is important to still take precautions and monitor the oil temperature.</p><h2>Are there any alternatives to frying new potatoes in hot oil?</h2><p>Yes, new potatoes can also be roasted in the oven or cooked in a skillet with a small amount of oil to achieve a crispy texture without the potential hazards of frying in hot oil.</p>

What is the reason for the warning about frying new potatoes in hot oil?

The warning is to prevent potential hazards and accidents from occurring while frying new potatoes in hot oil.

What are the potential hazards of frying new potatoes in hot oil?

The hot oil can splatter and cause burns, the potatoes can cause the oil to overflow and start a fire, and the oil can reach high temperatures and ignite.

What precautions should be taken when frying new potatoes in hot oil?

Make sure to use a deep pot with high sides to prevent splattering, use a thermometer to monitor the oil temperature, and carefully place the potatoes in the oil to prevent overflow.

Can other types of oil be used to fry new potatoes?

Yes, other types of oil such as vegetable or canola oil can be used to fry new potatoes. However, it is important to still take precautions and monitor the oil temperature.

Are there any alternatives to frying new potatoes in hot oil?

Yes, new potatoes can also be roasted in the oven or cooked in a skillet with a small amount of oil to achieve a crispy texture without the potential hazards of frying in hot oil.

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