We have always deep fried our crappie in Crisco, the solid can. (Always liked how crispy the fish would stay and not saturate the fish.) Now with all the various oils/ shortnings available on the store shelves, which is your favorite and why?

Canola for me. Can't tell any difference in taste of basic oils for frying. Some can be used more than once depending on their temperature tolerance.

Peanut oil.

I think keeping the temp at 350 degrees, really reduces the sogginess with fish.

I strain it & use it over & over,

Always peanut oil

crisco

Mrs. Tuckers shortening.

Peanut oil up here

Peanut

I buy the cheap oil and pour out when done Never had a problem and I fry fish a lot

Cheap Oil from Sam's then pour it through a paper paint mesh strainer to remove the corn meal then only re use it about three times.

Peanut.

Canola normally but will use peanut too. Like others, I strain it with coffee filters to remove the corn meal. I typically use it two times before tossing but it really depends on the color of the oil and how much fish I fry each time.

Peanut Oil

After you strain your oil place in freezer till next time you fry fish.

I use either soybean or cottonseed oil. High burn temps like peanut. Way less allergy problems. Strain and re-use. Works great for fryin turkeys too. About half the cost of peanut oil.

Have noticed a lot strain the oil after using and before storing. I always did the same but now use a small fine mesh strainer (bend the ears back so it will scrape the bottom of the pot better) and dip out the crumbs between batches while frying to keep them from burning. Also do the same after the last batch. It seems to keep the oil in better shape for a second use. Then I pour the oil into jars after cooling without straining it. What little residue remains settles to the bottom and will stay in the jar when pouring out. Saves some time and mess.

Peanut Oil for deep frying anything.

Coconut Oil....

Yes Sir! Peanut Oil for sure!

Rice oil is the best, but hard to find and expensive. Canola next.

Peanut oil period.

They all work.

what do you use for a thermometer, I get the cheap ones - but they never last very long before the readings go south.

I use the kitchen match trick.

I have a counter top 2 basket fryer. It holds a hair over a gallon of oil. We use it weekly sometimes more than once a week for fish, fries, tater tots, onion rings, home made mozzarella sticks etc. I change the oil about 2 times a year, maybe 3. Have yet to have anything out of it that didn't taste great.

I use canola oil most of the time. Generally I buy the cheapest of the generally accepted good high temp frying oils, which include general vegetable oil, corn oil, peanut oil, or canola oil. Canola more often than not is the cheapest I find.

Most of the time I'm cooking for 4 or less. If its a bigger group I use a different cooker.

Best be careful who you feed fried food to cooked in peanut oil.