Fried chicken on a grill?

Figured I'd ask some pros before I recreate the Great Chicago Fire.

I have a big ceramic, egg-type grill. So, I can easily dial in a temperature and maintain that for hours. That got me to thinking that I could easily put a cast iron pan/pot full of oil on the grate and either pan or deep fry chicken without stinking up the condo for days. Anyone think this is a bad idea or have any tips? My only major reservation is that the oil won't heat back up to the right temp when the chicken is added. That is, I won't have the ability to fire up the burner to compensate for lost heat.

I think a turkey fryer setup would be the better tool for frying chicken.

HT70 wrote:My only major reservation is that the oil won't heat back up to the right temp when the chicken is added. That is, I won't have the ability to fire up the burner to compensate for lost heat.

I'm thinking you answered your own question, as this issue is key to frying chicken well. I'd add to Steve's comment that a turkey fryer would be much less scary to use as a fried-chicken-parts fryer - you don't have to worry so much about displacement (I assume you wouldn't fill it the way you would for turkey) or boiling oil dripping out of the cavity. And they're available for about $60.

Yes, that definitely would be best. I'm kinda in bind because I'm on a deck. So, however much I enjoy the thought of recreating medieval castle defense w/ a cauldron of boiling oil poured onto unsuspecting pedestrians below, I think I'd have a twinge of self consciousness that precludes the use of a turkey fryer.

The smell of fried chicken stinks? I guess I should ditch my development of that fried chicken scented cologne I was working on.

Yeah, I'm thinking the best way to fix the problem of your house smelling like fried chicken is to adjust your attitude.

Personally, I'd be rather cautious of having a large amount of oil above a fire that I am unable to turn off in the event of a disaster. Double that if on a deck in with people below

Jamie

Mike G wrote:Yeah, I'm thinking the best way to fix the problem of your house smelling like fried chicken is to adjust your attitude.

I was at Jim's Original for a Polish on Saturday evening. I thought I threw all the garbage away. When I got into the car yesterday, there was a Jim's Original Polish with onions smell still lingering. I thought to myself, "What a bonus! I get a second round without the temptation."

There were air freshner commercials in the 1960's where the bridge club ladies arrive, sniff and inquire, "Fried fish last night, dear?" Can you imagine they made natural preservative free cooking odors have a bad name to sell their product?

Regards,

"Personally, I'd be rather cautious of having a large amount of oil above a fire that I am unable to turn off in the event of a disaster. Double that if on a deck in with people below"

Your homeowners insurance would probably invoke the "how could you be so stupid" clause when you set the building on fire.

Jamieson22 wrote:Personally, I'd be rather cautious of having a large amount of oil above a fire that I am unable to turn off in the event of a disaster.

Excellent point. While I occasionally use my turkey fryer setup for frying turkeys, it gets more use boiling corn, lobsters, frying chicken and the occasional paella.

Coleman makes a nice one burner propane camp stove. Easily holds a large cast iron pan and stows away just about anywhere. I use mine on the deck along with my grill with no problems at all.

Another thing that makes heating lots of oil on a grill over an uncontrolled open flame on a deck, a bad idea is that the temperature could reach the ignition point of the oil. This is definitely a recipe for disaster.