I seem to be posting all over the place here lately.

Anyway, while I'm waiting for my membership at the pressure cooker yahoo! group, I came across

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They look really interesting, as they have no gasket, they have adjustable pressure, and the seem to be a decent value for the size that they are. But the lids are screw on- so would these work for frying chicken?

Ah yes... the "All-American" Cookers... quality cookers no doubt, with an excellent reputation, as far as I know. I also have little doubt that they'd cook up some mean fried chicken, however! I would not advise getting one because the screw-down system which is used to seal the lid in place would get quite tiresome after a while...

So tiresome in fact that, I have little doubt, you'd eventually regret the purchase and buy a more convenient cooker!

Short answer no. That brand is pressure cooker specialized for canning. You don't want that type for pressure cooking and pressure frying would be a bad idea.

You want a "pressure fryer" such as a Fagor Pressure Magic or Magefesas “Star R”. Both are 12 PSI.

This one (e-bay auction number 120306837270) for sale on e-bay is a 12 Leter (12 quart) MAGEFESA brand pressure fryer. Also e-bay auction number 120306837649. 8.4 quarts, 9 Liter.

The Magnefesa seems to be also sold other places on the net

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(i dont' know what size but there is a 8L pressure fryer going for $200 at the site).

I own both pressure fryers and pressure cookers. I have been advised by every expert in the field that it is extremely dangerous to use a oil in a pressure cooker. Something about if something goes wrong it has the potential to explode boiling oil everywhere. The pressure fryer made of thicker steel and has a bar that prevents the lid from blowing through your roof if things go wrong. The gasket sealing the lid is made to resist boiling oil at high pressure (the gasket seems to be of a different design than my pressure cooker). The safety system on my pressure fryers seem to be more ... safer than my pressure cooker. Made to withstand boiling oil.

You can use a pressure cooker to pressure fry. It -does- work. However. If something goes wrong the safety systems on pressure cookers are not designed to safely protect you as a pressure fryer will.

What I use for cooking chicken is a Fagor pressure fryer, made in Spain and distributed in the US by

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I purchased both of mine on e-bay. They are kind of rare to find on e-bay but do show up. I just purchased my second one today (!!!!!) when I found it by accident. I was looking ot explain that you can find these things rarely on e-bay, saw it and put in a high bid. I don't think the seller know what they were selling a pressure fryer. Last time I studied it, I found used 8L pressure fryers going for over $125. New $260 or so.

I advise 8L minimum.

I recently purchased one of these from the local recycling centre, STILL WITH COOKING OIL IN IT!!!
Its been modified with a spring loaded pressure controller (15psi) instead of the original weight.
I've modified the cooker, retaining the original pressure gauge and installed twin Prestige pressure weights, a very safe blockage free design.
Looking at installing extra point for air compressor just as the colonel did, this should insure quick pressurization and depressurization.
My model has the same diameter as the colonels 16 inch diameter Miro, mine is just a little taller, but not by much, so should work like the original!
The all american also uses a unique metal to metal seal so theres no rubber gasket to deterate.
The screw clamp system is quick as each srew only needs a turn or so, much easier than the fiddly pressure bucket.

I cooked up 4 batches of chicken over xmas/new year period.
I followed the guidlines set up in colonel sanders patent.
I can say that the cooker worked great, maybe the chicken was a little dark on the 4th batch as the oil was getting darker, what in the recommended filter method and frequency?

I great feed had by all, but still not quite there as wasnt as morish, but more filling, thanks guys keep up the good work.

Hey, great stuff LP

From memory, I believe Colonel Sanders found that after the third cooked batch of chicken, the oil became "unusable"... The chicken starts to take on a "dirty" edge, because the buildup of fat and flour in the oil - which is now starting to burn - affects the overall flavor profile.

Google "oil filters", and see how you go... But in summary, 3 batches is the limit, both from my knowledge, and in my experience.

fitter oil after each batch and the oil will be ok

you must be running to hot and burning your oil or not cleaning it enough we did not change the oil very often we just added more oil to it when it got low. I worked with ten pots at one time and dumped them in a filter after each run then put the oil back in the pots for the next run.

I filter it after each batch, just as time goes on it brings a burnt flavor to the coating of the chicken. Not what we are after.

And im not running the oil any hotter than what you are running yours at. Hmmm.

Dustin

I spoke to a representative of Unico and he said, as long as you filter it after each use, you can re-use corn oil up to 10 times for up to 400F frying. I didn't ask him about any other kind of oil.

L

Lumpy wrote:

I spoke to a representative of Unico ...

Awesome stuff Lumpy

This ten-times limit reminds me of a news story I read a while back regarding some KFC Franchisees who were - and prolly still do - re-using their oil FAR too many times (to cut costs and save a few bucks): The problem with this is that reheating cooking oil too many times increases the carcinogens within the oil, which can then become a contributing factor in cancer, "down the road"...

So, I would say it is very important NOT to exceed this 10X mark, for corn oil anyway. Other oils would certainly have their own cycle-limitations as well.

Keep up the great work guys!