Keith Lusher 03.29.23
I’m sure you’re familiar with the stereotype that people in Louisiana fry everything. Well, I’m here to tell you there is a lot of truth to that statement.
If I had to estimate a percentage of households in Louisiana that own a deep fryer, it would have to fall in the range of 85%-95%. Having been born and raised in the Bayou State, I’ve owned numerous fryers, so I know a thing or two about the cookware that is so essential to our way of life here in Sportsman’s Paradise.
After being given the all-important task of purchasing our family’s new deep fryer, I came up with three qualities that I was looking for: Durability, size, and ease of cleaning.
After about an hour of researching online reviews, I decided on purchasing The KRUPS KJ502D51 unit. The fryer topped the list of numerous reviews and since one of my concerns was durability, I thought I’d go with the company that manufactured German artillery and armor in the 1800s. That may sound like a joke but that’s how much importance I place on me not having to buy another fryer in the next decade.
First Look
Upon receiving the Krups Deep Fryer via U.S. Post Office I waited until the weekend to try it out. I defrosted a gallon-size ziplock bag of speckled trout and set the unit up on my outdoor kitchen on the back patio. Out of the box, the fryer was simple to assemble and I was able to do it with ease without the use of instructions. The fryer came in seven parts: The frame, heating coil, oil container, power cord, and three baskets. For the fish, I chose to go with the large basket instead of the two smaller side-by-side baskets that are intended for meals that require two different types of food being cooked at the same time.
Oil and Heating
My next step was to fill the oil container. I was surprised by how much the container held. It seems like the makers thought this out as it held a gallon of oil.
Next, I turned the unit on for the oil to heat up. The unit took a while to heat the oil, but that was expected because of the amount of oil that it was heating. After about 10 minutes a little green light appeared signaling that the oil was ready.
The fryer has an easy-to-understand timing unit that allows you to choose between french fries, onion rings, chicken, and donuts. There was no fish setting which was a bit of a disappointment, however, I chose the french fry setting as the temperature requirements for french fries are the same as fried fish.
Cooking Session
Next, I placed six large fillets of fish in the basket and put the basket in the oil. After putting the lid on, I pressed the start button and a timer appeared and started to count down from 6 minutes. As the fish began to fry I noticed the steam from the oil was funneled out of a vented section at the top which pointed away from the handle. This was a noticeable plus for me since I’ve been burned numerous times from past fryers.
Taste Test
After the timer beeped I took the basket out and dumped my first batch of fish on the plate. At first appearance, it was golden brown, just the way I like it. The fish was crispy and perfectly fried.
Oil Life
My next concern was how long I would be able to fry before smelling the dreadful smell of burned oil. I am happy to report that I was able to cook the rest of my fish in six more sessions and by the end of the session there was no burnt smell coming from the oil and the last batch of fish tasted like the first.
During the cleanup stage I broke down each piece of the fryer and was able to put all the pieces except the heating coil mechanism in the dishwasher which was a plus for me.
It’s been 4 years since I purchased my Krups Deep Fryer and it’s still going strong with no malfunctions or repairs to report. Since then I have fried chicken, donuts, pork chops, alligator, fish, Oreos, tenderloin, french fries, and tater tots in it and it has performed flawlessly. If you’re looking for dependability, ease of use, and the ability to fry large amounts of food in one session, The Krups KJ502D51 Deep Fryer is the way to go!
