New Toy

JustPJ · #1 07-09-2009, 05:01 AM

I leave for a camping trip on Sunday, and I cant wait to play with my new toy i got at this past year for Christmas. A coleman propane fired deep fat fryer designed for the camping enthusiast. What fun! We will experiment with it and I will let you know how it worked. Has anyone ever used this before? I have a propane crock pot that does a decent job. And a drip coffee maker that is propane also. The coffee maker is wonderful for camping and power outages!

Anyway I wondered if any of you all had any "special" gadgets you took to your camp?

KYHeirloomer · #2 07-09-2009, 08:30 AM

Sounds like a fun toy.

It's incredible how many propane appliances there are out there. But I wonder about the coffee maker. How is using it any different than just heating water and pouring it through the grounds?

I may be reading too much into that, though. Being as we always make boiled coffee, our camp and home method remains the same.

Let us know how the fryer works out.

JustPJ · #3 07-09-2009, 09:32 AM

The coffee maker is more like a drip coffee maker....actually the one we have can be placed on your gas stove at home which is what we do during power outages. it heats the water and slowly pushes the hot water onto the grounds so it is just like camp coffee with out all the work and rarely any grounds. it is a gadget is all....the old perk coffee makers had my heart for years when it came to camping but i am getting spoiled in my old age hehe

shroomgirl · #4 07-09-2009, 10:00 AM

reads similar to a Cajun coffee pot.

So, you're taking the dirty oil home?

What are you deep frying?

JustPJ · #5 07-09-2009, 10:46 AM

This trip I am letting my husband pick what he wanted to make and he choose doughboys and potato wedges. Not a culinary masterpiece but will be fun to make none the less.

Once I know how this thing works however all bets are off and ill get to make some things like fresh donuts with the morning coffee....might surprise him with that this time anyway...they are easy and soooooo good.

JustPJ · #6 07-09-2009, 10:46 AM

and yes we will take the oil home. hehe

shroomgirl · #7 07-09-2009, 11:44 AM

donuts were exactly what I was thinking when you wrote fryer.....

Are you playing with the toy prior to counting on it in the field?

Fried fish or tempura veg/lobster or crab balls would work in your neck of the woods.

JustPJ · #8 07-20-2009, 03:08 PM

How dissapointing ......

The new deep fat fryer failed to work properly. We still had our potato wedges and our deep fried dough but we had to resort to the old method of heating the oil in a pan.

Well we will attempt to contact the manufacturer of the fryer and if we dont get anywhere there it goes back to the store. I'll stick with the dutch oven for frying.

We did catch some lovely trout however.....
It is true, everything tastes so much better when cooked outdoors.

KYHeirloomer · #9 07-20-2009, 07:12 PM

How disappointing, PJ.

What persactly went wrong?

JustPJ · #10 07-20-2009, 07:55 PM

The mechanism that keeps the burner lit malfunctioned. It would light but would go right out again. It has a lighting system similar to that of a furnace where you have to depress a button to "prime" it. We tried everything we could think of to keep it lit but had no luck. so far it seems our only recourse may be returning it to the store.....bummer i was so looking forward to playing with that.

phatch · #11 07-20-2009, 09:17 PM

Considering that most of the consumer home fryers are pretty poor devices I wouldn't have held out much hope for the camping version.

Phil

JustPJ · #12 07-21-2009, 04:16 AM

well I told my husband.....nice idea but if we have to return it I am going to get another enameled cast iron dutch oven just for camping.....the one I have now is doing multi duty at home and camping too. At least with a dutch oven you dont need to worry if it will work every time or not!!

KYHeirloomer · #13 07-21-2009, 07:36 AM

Why would you choose enamaled cast iron for camping, PJ?

There are a lot of benefits to going with raw cast iron. For starters, a camp kettle tends to be abused as compared to one you use at home, and that can lead to cracking and chipping of the enamel.

With raw cast iron you have a greater choice of sizes and configurations. And it's certainly less expensive than the coated stuff---even more so if you shop around and buy used.

Give you an example of what you can find. My last true Dutch oven, a 14" model, cost me only 40 bucks at a flea market. Other kettles and Dutch ovens have run me as little as $10. But even new, raw cast iron isn't too expensive. I have a 12 inch "Dutch oven" (actually kettle) I bought new, that I've often used as a deep fryer. Paid $60 for it.

It's incredible what you can find. Although I passed on it, cuz I had no way to display it, and certainly no practical use, I recently saw a 20-gallon cauldron, complete with detatchable bail, for only $100.

While it's true that collectors have run the prices up on some makes and models, this doesn't apply across the board. If you're looking for a practical piece, rather than something to hang on the wall, there still are bargains out there.

JustPJ · #14 07-21-2009, 07:57 AM

I was looking at the coated pan for ease of cleaning..since we have a small camper that we use most of the time it wouldnt get banged around much....I can get a coated one for about 50-60 dollars locally Lodge brand. I might decide on the raw iron tho when i get into the store....depends on my mood that day i suppose....you are 100% right tho there are some really good deals out there and raw is much less susceptable to damage....i suspect i will be purchasing this at the same store (Cabellas) that I will return the fryer to. They have a good variety of coated and non coated oots there to choose from.

I also know what you mean about collectors. I have a very old Griswold pan that i fry venison in at home. I recently saw where this pan is rising in value at a very fast rate. I wouldnt sell it tho...nothing cooks up our deer meat quite as good as that pan.