Misconceptions about Frying Frozen Foods
 

On 8/8/2014 3:34 AM, Sqwertz wrote:
> Under what name does Ore-Ida sell extruded fries?
>
> I've never looked at crinkle-cut fries, but I guess I'd have to bet on
> those - if anything. I do buy the Ore-Ida "Fast Food Fries" every so
> often. But more often I'm buying the excellent store-brands for
> 3/5ths the price.
>
> -sw

I buy the Publix brand "fast food fries" and <gasp> I bake them! I do
spray the baking sheet with oil first. They come out nicely and yes,
they don't cost nearly as much as Ore Ida.

Jill

Misconceptions about Frying Frozen Foods
 

jmcquown wrote:
>
> I buy the Publix brand "fast food fries" and <gasp> I bake them! I do
> spray the baking sheet with oil first. They come out nicely and yes,
> they don't cost nearly as much as Ore Ida.

Baked fries are "OK" and probably healthier for you but there's
nothing like deep fried in oil for the ultimate good taste.

I make my own fries usually and fry in oil but I do like the
commercial shoestring ones also fried in oil.

Tater Tots:
Microwave to hot for a side (not all that though, it's just quick)
Oven bake for a bit tastier
Deep fry for the best tasting.

As I rarely do deep frying, I'll opt for that best way when I do.

G.

Misconceptions about Frying Frozen Foods
 

On 8/8/2014 2:43 PM, Gary wrote:
> jmcquown wrote:
>>
>> I buy the Publix brand "fast food fries" and <gasp> I bake them! I do
>> spray the baking sheet with oil first. They come out nicely and yes,
>> they don't cost nearly as much as Ore Ida.
>
> Baked fries are "OK" and probably healthier for you but there's
> nothing like deep fried in oil for the ultimate good taste.
>
Taste is in the tastebuds of the taster. ;) I'll gladly avoid the
splatter, cleanup, storing of leftover oil in favour of frozen fries
baked to crisp on an oiled pan.

> I make my own fries usually and fry in oil but I do like the
> commercial shoestring ones also fried in oil.
>
> Tater Tots:
> Microwave to hot for a side (not all that though, it's just quick)
> Oven bake for a bit tastier
> Deep fry for the best tasting.
>
Fried tater tot, indubitably. Not something I've eaten in at least 10
years. Sorry, I don't dine at Sonic, where fried tater tots seem to
rule (according to commercials). ;)

> As I rarely do deep frying, I'll opt for that best way when I do.
>
> G.
>
Make up your mind... do you deep fry frozen potatoes or do you rarely do
deep frying? :-)

Jill

Misconceptions about Frying Frozen Foods
 

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...
> On 8/8/2014 3:34 AM, Sqwertz wrote:
>> Under what name does Ore-Ida sell extruded fries?
>>
>> I've never looked at crinkle-cut fries, but I guess I'd have to bet on
>> those - if anything. I do buy the Ore-Ida "Fast Food Fries" every so
>> often. But more often I'm buying the excellent store-brands for
>> 3/5ths the price.
>>
>> -sw
>
> I buy the Publix brand "fast food fries" and <gasp> I bake them! I do
> spray the baking sheet with oil first. They come out nicely and yes, they
> don't cost nearly as much as Ore Ida.

I bake too. Usually buy either Ore Ida or Alexia. Tried an off brand once.
Ick.

Misconceptions about Frying Frozen Foods
 

"jmcquown" > wrote in message
...
> On 8/8/2014 2:43 PM, Gary wrote:
>> jmcquown wrote:
>>>
>>> I buy the Publix brand "fast food fries" and <gasp> I bake them! I do
>>> spray the baking sheet with oil first. They come out nicely and yes,
>>> they don't cost nearly as much as Ore Ida.
>>
>> Baked fries are "OK" and probably healthier for you but there's
>> nothing like deep fried in oil for the ultimate good taste.
>>
> Taste is in the tastebuds of the taster. ;) I'll gladly avoid the
> splatter, cleanup, storing of leftover oil in favour of frozen fries baked
> to crisp on an oiled pan.
>
>> I make my own fries usually and fry in oil but I do like the
>> commercial shoestring ones also fried in oil.
>>
>> Tater Tots:
>> Microwave to hot for a side (not all that though, it's just quick)
>> Oven bake for a bit tastier
>> Deep fry for the best tasting.
>>
> Fried tater tot, indubitably. Not something I've eaten in at least 10
> years. Sorry, I don't dine at Sonic, where fried tater tots seem to rule
> (according to commercials). ;)
>
>> As I rarely do deep frying, I'll opt for that best way when I do.
>>
>> G.
>>
> Make up your mind... do you deep fry frozen potatoes or do you rarely do
> deep frying? :-)

I think I've only had deep fried Tater Tots in a restaurant and they just
weren't good. I like them baked. I don't like stuff that is greasy and
that's how these were from the restaurant. Greasy and not crisp. I may
have pan fried them a time or two but mostly when I do them they are in the
oven.

Misconceptions about Frying Frozen Foods
 

On Fri, 08 Aug 2014 19:40:42 -0400, jmcquown >
wrote:

> Make up your mind... do you deep fry frozen potatoes or do you rarely do
> deep frying? :-)

I made baked/fried potatoes yesterday. Found the tail end of a jar of
canola oil and wanted to throw it away, but am too cheap to do that
without using it first... so I started off frying them in small
batches and ended by baking. I over cooked them, but they were good
other than that.

Want to know what turned out great? Well, I'll tell you even if you
don't. LOL

I've been thinking about this for SO long, but couldn't do it because
hubby doesn't eat shellfish anymore. I cooked dinner for my DD and
family, so I took the opportunity to try the experiment. I made
burgers with the same filling I'd use if I was making pot stickers
(pork and shrimp). OMG - so delicious! Even my 3YO GD loved it, so
it's a "do again" thing that I'll bring over to grill when someone is
doing a "cookout". I think the mixture would make outstanding sliders
and Trader Joe's sells buns for that, so I won't need to make them.
http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6196/...2a5d9de4_o.jpg

:)


--
Avoid cutting yourself when slicing vegetables by getting someone else to hold them.

Misconceptions about Frying Frozen Foods
 

Julie Bove wrote:
>
> I think I've only had deep fried Tater Tots in a restaurant and they just
> weren't good. I like them baked. I don't like stuff that is greasy and
> that's how these were from the restaurant. Greasy and not crisp. I may
> have pan fried them a time or two but mostly when I do them they are in the
> oven.

Greasy fried food is usually a result of:
1) dropping them before the oil gets hot enough
2) adding too much at a time and taking down the oil temp too far

G.

Misconceptions about Frying Frozen Foods
 

On 8/9/2014 4:40 AM, Gary wrote:
> Julie Bove wrote:
>>
>> I think I've only had deep fried Tater Tots in a restaurant and they just
>> weren't good. I like them baked. I don't like stuff that is greasy and
>> that's how these were from the restaurant. Greasy and not crisp. I may
>> have pan fried them a time or two but mostly when I do them they are in the
>> oven.
>
> Greasy fried food is usually a result of:
> 1) dropping them before the oil gets hot enough
> 2) adding too much at a time and taking down the oil temp too far
>
> G.
>
Yep. When I was a teen working in the ice cream parlor we also served
burgers and hot dogs.

The hamburgers were deep fried, BTW, a la Dyer's Hamburgers.

http://www.dyersonbeale.com/

The owner of the place was crazy about tater tots. Rather than fries he
served deep fried tater tots. They were not greasy at all.

Jill

Misconceptions about Frying Frozen Foods
 

"Gary" > wrote in message ...
> Julie Bove wrote:
>>
>> I think I've only had deep fried Tater Tots in a restaurant and they just
>> weren't good. I like them baked. I don't like stuff that is greasy and
>> that's how these were from the restaurant. Greasy and not crisp. I may
>> have pan fried them a time or two but mostly when I do them they are in
>> the
>> oven.
>
> Greasy fried food is usually a result of:
> 1) dropping them before the oil gets hot enough
> 2) adding too much at a time and taking down the oil temp too far

Yeah but that's generally how they come when a restaurant does have them.

One thing that bugs me a lot is that there is a local place that used to
have more than one location. I think perhaps all have closed but one now.
All had the same menu but one location always did things differently. Like
putting chicken gravy on ham. They do their fries from scratch and they
were great at all but this one location. There, they would come anemic,
limp, super greasy and generally cold.

We didn't eat there often enough for me to remember just how bad the fries
were. Each time I complained about them, and each time I was merely told
that was how the cook did them. Finally after about 30 years, I was able to
remember the bad fries and would nix that place when someone suggested that
we eat there.

Misconceptions about Frying Frozen Foods
 

On 8/9/2014 6:54 AM, Julie Bove wrote:
>
> "Gary" > wrote in message
> ...
>> Julie Bove wrote:
>>>
>>> I think I've only had deep fried Tater Tots in a restaurant and they
>>> just
>>> weren't good. I like them baked. I don't like stuff that is greasy and
>>> that's how these were from the restaurant. Greasy and not crisp. I may
>>> have pan fried them a time or two but mostly when I do them they are
>>> in the
>>> oven.
>>
>> Greasy fried food is usually a result of:
>> 1) dropping them before the oil gets hot enough
>> 2) adding too much at a time and taking down the oil temp too far
>
> Yeah but that's generally how they come when a restaurant does have them.
>
Only in your experience, Julie.

> We didn't eat there often enough for me to remember just how bad the
> fries were. Each time I complained about them, and each time I was
> merely told that was how the cook did them. Finally after about 30
> years, I was able to remember the bad fries and would nix that place
> when someone suggested that we eat there.

It took you thirty years to remember the fries were bad? Yikes. So
don't order the fries. Good lord!

Jill

Misconceptions about Frying Frozen Foods
 

Julie Bove wrote:
>
>I think I've only had deep fried Tater Tots in a restaurant and they just
>weren't good. I like them baked. I don't like stuff that is greasy and
>that's how these were from the restaurant. Greasy and not crisp. I may
>have pan fried them a time or two but mostly when I do them they are in the
>oven.

I don't like tater tots no matter how cooked, they have no potato
flavor, just empty calories as a greezy way to eat ketchup... I'd much
sooner do potto latkes. Can't remember the last time I bought frozen
fries of any type. I'll occasionally make deep fried crinkle cuts
from real spuds but my favorites are roasted potatoes, and couldn't be
simpler, don't even need to peel them... scrub well, cut into wedges,
coat with olive oil, a light sprinkle of kosher salt, and pan roast in
a 375ºF oven turning occasionally until golden crispy... you'll never
want tater tots or any frozen fries again:
http://i59.tinypic.com/vgs844.jpg
The only potatoes that are better, but more work is potatonik. I
haven't made any in a while... soon as winter sets in... and I'll make
several, so happens potatonik freezes well.
http://www.food.com/recipe/potatonik...o-kugel-435857
http://pragmaticattic.wordpress.com/.../17/potatonik/

Misconceptions about Frying Frozen Foods
 

On 8/9/2014 11:40 AM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
> Julie Bove wrote:
>>
>> I think I've only had deep fried Tater Tots in a restaurant and they just
>> weren't good. I like them baked. I don't like stuff that is greasy and
>> that's how these were from the restaurant. Greasy and not crisp. I may
>> have pan fried them a time or two but mostly when I do them they are in the
>> oven.
>
> I don't like tater tots no matter how cooked, they have no potato
> flavor, just empty calories as a greezy way to eat ketchup... I'd much
> sooner do potto latkes. Can't remember the last time I bought frozen
> fries of any type. I'll occasionally make deep fried crinkle cuts
> from real spuds but my favorites are roasted potatoes, and couldn't be
> simpler, don't even need to peel them... scrub well, cut into wedges,
> coat with olive oil, a light sprinkle of kosher salt, and pan roast in
> a 375ºF oven turning occasionally until golden crispy... you'll never
> want tater tots or any frozen fries again:
> http://i59.tinypic.com/vgs844.jpg
> The only potatoes that are better, but more work is potatonik. I
> haven't made any in a while... soon as winter sets in... and I'll make
> several, so happens potatonik freezes well.
> http://www.food.com/recipe/potatonik...o-kugel-435857
> http://pragmaticattic.wordpress.com/.../17/potatonik/
>

I make potato kugel. Never tried to make my own potatonik, but I have
had it and it's wonderful.

--
From somewhere very deep in the heart of Texas

Misconceptions about Frying Frozen Foods
 

On Sat, 09 Aug 2014 13:19:51 -0500, Janet Wilder >
wrote:

>On 8/9/2014 11:40 AM, Brooklyn1 wrote:
>> Julie Bove wrote:
>>>
>>> I think I've only had deep fried Tater Tots in a restaurant and they just
>>> weren't good. I like them baked. I don't like stuff that is greasy and
>>> that's how these were from the restaurant. Greasy and not crisp. I may
>>> have pan fried them a time or two but mostly when I do them they are in the
>>> oven.
>>
>> I don't like tater tots no matter how cooked, they have no potato
>> flavor, just empty calories as a greezy way to eat ketchup... I'd much
>> sooner do potto latkes. Can't remember the last time I bought frozen
>> fries of any type. I'll occasionally make deep fried crinkle cuts
>> from real spuds but my favorites are roasted potatoes, and couldn't be
>> simpler, don't even need to peel them... scrub well, cut into wedges,
>> coat with olive oil, a light sprinkle of kosher salt, and pan roast in
>> a 375ºF oven turning occasionally until golden crispy... you'll never
>> want tater tots or any frozen fries again:
>> http://i59.tinypic.com/vgs844.jpg
>> The only potatoes that are better, but more work is potatonik. I
>> haven't made any in a while... soon as winter sets in... and I'll make
>> several, so happens potatonik freezes well.
>> http://www.food.com/recipe/potatonik...o-kugel-435857
>> http://pragmaticattic.wordpress.com/.../17/potatonik/
>
>I make potato kugel. Never tried to make my own potatonik, but I have
>had it and it's wonderful.

Well, now you have the recipe... make a bunch. Secrets Of a Jewish
Baker by George Greenstein is one of my most oft refered to cookbooks,
I don't need a cookbook for anything cooked in a pot. You need to do
his cornbread... you'll think you're back in Brooklyn, or Eastern
Europe. Check out Greenstein's Kaiser rolls... I guarantee they're
not the trash from the Caroliners.

Misconceptions about Frying Frozen Foods
 

jmcquown wrote:
>
> Make up your mind... do you deep fry frozen potatoes or do you rarely do
> deep frying? :-)

lol! I rarely do deep frying. I think it's been about a year now or
so. But certain things are best when deep fried.

If I bought frozen shoestring fries or make my own, I would deep fry.
I also have a few other things that I love to deep fry.
- onion rings (tempura batter)
- chicken livers (just floured)
- oysters, clams and sweet potatoes (tempura battered)

Some day soon, I'll get into a 2-week phase of deep frying and I'll
run through the list and get it all out of my system for another year.

Meanwhile, oven fried things work in a pinch. Good luck trying to
oven-fry anything tempura battered though. ;)

G.

Misconceptions about Frying Frozen Foods
 

jmcquown wrote:
>
> The hamburgers were deep fried, BTW, a la Dyer's Hamburgers.
> http://www.dyersonbeale.com/

Never heard of deep fried burgers. Hmmmm....
>
> The owner of the place was crazy about tater tots. Rather than fries he
> served deep fried tater tots. They were not greasy at all.

If the oil is hot enough, the water in the food will come to the
surface quickly and keep the oil from soaking in. Same deal with a
"deep fried turkey."

G.

Misconceptions about Frying Frozen Foods
 

On 8/10/2014 9:09 AM, Gary wrote:
> jmcquown wrote:
>>
>> The hamburgers were deep fried, BTW, a la Dyer's Hamburgers.
>> http://www.dyersonbeale.com/
>
> Never heard of deep fried burgers. Hmmmm....
>>

It's a Memphis thang. ;) The owner of the ice cream shop worked for
Dyer's when he was a teenager. He had their permission to use the
method as long as he didn't actually call them Dyer's Hamburgers.
Allegedly he was even given some of the original grease, which they
strain and add to but never change out completely. (That could be some
marketing hype...)

The key to deep fried burgers is using *really* lean beef. Then it was
formed into meatballs and well chilled. When an order came up the
burgers were pounded flat and slipped into the hot grease. They floated
almost immediately to the top; out of the oil, drain, dress the burger.
No ordering medium-rare there, nope. But they sure as heck tasted great!

He also deep-fried all beef hotdogs. He's split them almost through
down the middle and deep fry them. Served them on hamburger buns. :)

>> The owner of the place was crazy about tater tots. Rather than fries he
>> served deep fried tater tots. They were not greasy at all.
>
> If the oil is hot enough, the water in the food will come to the
> surface quickly and keep the oil from soaking in. Same deal with a
> "deep fried turkey."
>
> G.
>
I'd just rather not deal with storing used frying oil. Also, pan frying
usually works for me although I'll admit I mostly do that with fish.

Jill

Misconceptions about Frying Frozen Foods
 

On 8/10/2014 12:31 PM, Sqwertz wrote:
> I was going to make a buffalo burger for a late lunch today - maybe
> I'll deep fry it...
>
> -sw

You have enough Pennzoil around to handle that?