help! fried chicken! stat!

[dvs]

ok, so we're making buttermilk fried chicken. we don't have a meat therm to tell us whether the oil is ready. how do we tell?? THANK YOU FOR ANY AND ALL HELP!!

we're looking for a temp of 350 to fry it for 12 minutes on one side and cook until done (?!) on the other side...

[Marlene]

if the oil sizzles when you drop a droplet of water in it, you're pretty much good to go I think. I've got chicken soaking in buttermilk as I type. Good luck!

[mrbigjas]

at 350 if you stick the handle of a wooden spoon or alternately a wooden chopstick in it, you'll see bubbles come off it--not frying furiously, but pretty noticeable activity.

[andiesenji]

I always test the oil with a cube of bread. It should brown and crisp in 30-40 seconds.

[Irishgirl]

Just a hint: Water and Hot Oil....NOT Good!!!! Can you say spitting and grease fire?

I'd use the last two methods as a test.

[Kris]

I sprinkle a drop of water onto the oil...if it bubbles up fast and has a hollow sound to it, it's ready.

Just duck to avoid the hot grease splatter.

I use a mesh pan cover to avoid the splatter.

[dvs]

thanks guys... after the fact, i bought a thermometer. but, i will never again fry anything in this house. the whole place reeks

[DTBarton]

Just a hint:  Water and Hot Oil....NOT Good!!!!  Can you say spitting and grease fire?

I'd use the last two methods as a test.

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This is true. In my long ago (1976) days at a fast food place (Gino's), the initiation for a first timer working the french fry vat was we'd sneak a piece of ice in the vat when his/her back was turned. Several seconds later, the vat would bubble and sputter (not enough to cause injury) and we'd all run over yelling "What did you do?, What did you do?"

Most folks saw the humor after being pissed off at first.

[srhcb]

ok, so we're making buttermilk fried chicken. we don't have a meat therm to tell us whether the oil is ready. how do we tell?? THANK YOU FOR ANY AND ALL HELP!!

we're looking for a temp of 350 to fry it for 12 minutes on one side and cook until done (?!) on the other side...

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If you bought a whole chicken and cut it up yourself, breading and frying the tail makes a good "test run".

PS: A bit Off-Topic, but since today is Christmas by the old calendar the Orthodox churches still use, I'll sneak this story in:

Before modern political considerations took over, a primary source of conflict in East-Central Europe was differences between the Catholic and Orthodox branches of Christianity.

My maternal grandmother used to call the chicken's tail the "bishkoup" in Serbian. This translates literally as "bishop's hat", and was intended as a slur against the Catholic Church. To make things worse, my grandmother used to tell us it meant "Pope's Nose".

SB

[Mild Bill]

thanks guys... after the fact, i bought a thermometer. but, i will never again fry anything in this house. the whole place reeks 

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Right---here too...

Back patio, table, 'lectric skillet, and an extension cord...