I've never used peanut oil, but good ole vegetable oil and rarely re-cycle it. Guess we're either too lazy or stupid, but then again, I don't cook fish as much as I'd like too either.

Never do more than med or med high for oil, or like the other gents stated, it'll smoke and burn (turning dark brown).

After every 2 or 3 batches of fish, throw in some potatoes. They will help filter your oil as you go, and absorb some of the "fishyness."

Also, cut up an onion and throw in a few petals with your fish (not battered). Onion absorbs the fishyness better than even the potato and will make your fish taste oh so much better!

The above posts were right on with the straining and storage.

I always use a digital thermometer and drop fillets at 350-375. The oil will cool to some extent. when the oil get back to temp plus 2 minutes, they are right. If you fry in oil that is not hot, the fish absorbs grease.

It will get a burnt smell to it.

You can smell it and it darkens in color

After reading this, I might be borderline burning mine.....

Yep, a thermometer is worth the money.

I feel that crappie are one use fish. They smell up the oil and make it taste funny if you cook other things.

I need to try that potato and onion thing and also get some of those BPS filter thingys.

If you let it sit and the temps cool down, you can also see the oils from other foods that happen to intermix while cooking.

But if you haven't tried peanut oil you have missed the boat. My doc says peanut oil and olive oil are good for you and better than any other oils.

Temperature is important to having clean, crispy, crunchy goodness.....




R

Good point RAM. Peanut oil is good for your health. That's what I always use. Also remember to make sure anyone eating your fish cooked in peanut oil doesn't have any allergies to peanuts. Ruins the whole meal.

Good points, gents. I prefer to use oil only once, MAYBE twice, because like RAM said, the oil does produce a fishy taste to any other foods subsequently fried in it.

I also will try the onion thing as well for some added flavor mainly. Bought some peanut oil, and will consider a filter if I can find something to store the used oil in. Good advice and thanks.

Cook'em up fellas.

Looks good there, RAM. Cooking and Grilling some tonight.

Fried up the rest of my batch from going out with Cliff over a month or so ago in Peanut Oil and threw some yellow onions in. Was tasty for sure and my buddy enjoyed it as well.

As for oil type, I used peanut oil, but didn't see much difference between that and vegetable oil to tell ya the truth. One major suggestion on the onions, put them in later than earlier (found that out), because they fry up and burn (even at 350) if you put them in too soon.

That did it! I'm gonna have to thaw out some fish.

crappie are not good to eat, please forward your fillets to me and I will dispose of them properly
nice spread ram!

I tried something new to me last night. I dried a batch of fillets on paper towels, rolled them in the fish meal that I mix myself (Corky's Mix) placed them on a rack, that was sprayed with Pam, on top of a foil lined cookie sheet. Baked for 30 minutes in oven at 500 degrees. They were flaky and very tasty.
The Dr. said lay off the fried food, not lay off crappie.