Peanut Oil

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Spurhunter

Spurhunter

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Munford, TN
We all know the secret to good fish is fresh peanut oil, but it's $20 a gallon now. I use the filter shown below, and don't let my oil get too hot, but I still only get a few uses before the fish start to come out greasy. Does the potato hack really work? Are there any other tricks to make the oil last longer? I hate spending a fortune on peanut oil, but I hate greasy fish even more.
 
Shown below?

jerry cant see GIF by HULU
 
My suggestion is use a large frying pan instead of deep frying. This way you only use a small amount of oil. Keep it separate from the big jug. When it's time to change, just dump it out and pour in new stuff.

I don't have any secret filter methods to offer.
 
BuckWild said:
Greasy fish is a temp issue not an oil issue.

The grease I'm using now to cook my fish is a little over three years old according to the date I wrote on the box.
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Have to agree. I'm on year four of mine. Filtered regularly and it looks like motor oil, but it still puts out crispy fish, fries, hushpuppies, and chicken. Age makes it better as long as it isn't smoking.
 
filling your fryer too full and cooling the oil down too much. i dont believe in letting a steak come to room temp but i sure do fish before putting it in the fryer.

i switched back to lard a few years ago but i dont deep fry a whole lot of fish these days.
 
Very interesting. Now that you guys mention it, I've been using a countertop fryer lately. This one has the heating elements off the bottom so you aren't charring the stuff that falls to the bottom. However, I've been starting at 350°, putting in a fairly large batch of fish for the fryer size, and I noticed my temperature dropped way down after dropping fish. Like 300°. Sounds like I need to go back to my propane cooker with a cast iron pot every time I cook. Thanks!
 
Spurhunter said:
Very interesting. Now that you guys mention it, I've been using a countertop fryer lately. This one has the heating elements off the bottom so you aren't charring the stuff that falls to the bottom. However, I've been starting at 350°, putting in a fairly large batch of fish for the fryer size, and I noticed my temperature dropped way down after dropping fish. Like 300°. Sounds like I need to go back to my propane cooker with a cast iron pot every time I cook. Thanks!
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yeah i usually run one around 375 and always use a temp probe (usually measures 365 to 370) and dont fill too full.
 
WTM said:
yeah i usually run one around 375 and always use a temp probe (usually measures 365 to 370) and dont fill too full.
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I don't trust the temp setting either and they are always wrong when you check them. After cooking yesterday (luckily only for myself) all this makes sense. I dropped 8 ounces of raw fish and the temp dropped 40-50° immediately. I should've figured this out on my own, but I'll take the help. Next time I use that fryer I'll start at 375° and go with smaller batches.
 
square said:
Who says peanut oil is necessary? I look some pretty good fish in canola oil. I like cotton seed oil if I'm going to use high prcrd oil.
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"They" say it whoever "they" is. I have used canola instead of peanut, and not sure I could tell the difference. 🤷‍♂️
 
My peanut oil is close to 20 years old.... yes, that is right. Fish tastes WAY better with old oil to me... and fries up a much darker golden brown.

I just add fresh to the old jug periodically.

But take care of your oil!!! Get it much over 375, and you risk scorching it... and it's done, then.... wasted.

And as others have said, greasy fish is a temp issue, not an oil issue. Use a pot large enough so that when you add filet's, the temp doesn't drop below 340 or so. Smaller pot, add fewer filet's at a time. I have a candy thermometer in my oil to keep up with the temps perfectly.

The reason peanut oil is the gold standard is because it has a higher scorching/ smoke temp compared to other oils. The only oil with a higher smoke point than peanut is avocado.... so I would imagine cooking filets in avocado oil at 400d would be the bomb!
 
I've fried turkeys in canola oil for years around thanksgiving no problem. Fry fish all the time using it. It's much cheaper and I'm not frying at 400 degrees anyway. But I like peanut oil but I'm not paying that much to fry fish or a turkey.
 
Wade195 said:
I wasn't aware the cost was high?

I should have checked?
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We use it a lot in the kitchen but it's very pricey in my opinion. I wonder if a man could use olive oil to deep fry with. I fry most everything at 350 degrees and according to what little research I've done, olive oil smoke point is 375-410 degrees.
 
ZachMarkus said:
We use it a lot in the kitchen but it's very pricey in my opinion. I wonder if a man could use olive oil to deep fry with. I fry most everything at 350 degrees and according to what little research I've done, olive oil smoke point is 375-410 degrees.
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you would have to deep fry fish around 325 if using olive oil... (need to stay 30-40d under smoke point to be safe). It would cook the fish, but they will be greasy.
 

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