Can I use a chafing dish as a deep fryer?

[Kelemvor]

I have a chafing dish thing that looks like this: http://evergreen-rentals.com/images/chafingsterno.jpg

You put the sterno containers underneath and normally fill it with water to then heat whatever is in the tray you put in the bottom part. I'm wondering if I could just fill the bottom tray with oil and if the sterno would get it up to the 350 degree mark to use it as a deep fryer. I'm looking for something with decent surface area so a store bought deep fryer type thing just won't work so I'm trying to come up with other ideas.

Anyone ever tried this or think it would or wouldn't work?

Update from down below.

I want to do this to make Funnel Cakes. The oil doesn't have to be deep, but I need a large surface area so I can make multiple at the same time.

This is for a picnic so there is no stove or anything available. I do have a coleman camp stove that might worked fine. So now it's a matter of will the stainless steel chafing dish be damaged from being kept at 350 degrees for an extended period of time from the camp stove.

A turkey fryer would work fine but it's far to deep to be able to use since I only need a couple inches of oil and my turkey frying pan is like 3 feet deep.

 

[Crusty]

Doesn't look that deep to me...

 

[Kelemvor]

DOesn't have to be deep. Want to use something to make funnel cakes. they float on top of the oil. Only need like 2 inches of oil.

 

[slayer202]

what's that mascot in your avatar? your school needs to re-evaluate their english department

 

[PottedMeat]

is that like trying to boil a gallon of oil with 2 candles?

i guess it could work if you want to wait forever

 

[JulesMaximus]

You have a chafing dish but you don't have a deep fryer?

Do you know how I know you're gay?

 

[Kobota]

sternos wont get it near 350. they barely get the 1/8 inch water to boil

 

[UglyCasanova]

If you are doing it in a kitchen, just use a pot. I am assuming this will be away from the kitchen, but I would say negative. As mentioned above it wouldn't get very hot.

 

[Fritzo]

You can, but it will burn a caramel glaze into the pan. It'll take some heavy scrubbing to get it out.

 

[Kelemvor]

As I said, I have a deep fryer but it's a standard one with a basket which won't work for a funnel cake. And this would be out at a park for a picnic so I won't have a stove.

I just don't know how hot sterno can get something as I've never tried it before. I wonder if the chafing dish pan would fit on my coleman camp stove... Hmm.

 

[Kelemvor]

what's that mascot in your avatar? your school needs to re-evaluate their english department

What's wrong with my avatar? It's the marching band logo for UW Madison.
http://www.facebook.com/badgerband

 

[Howard]

Get a cast iron dutch oven

EDIT: Or you can buy a nice roasting pan and kill two birds with one stone (most people don't have a decent roasting pan)

EDIT2: is your chafing dish sturdy enough to put on the stove? put two elements under it and use a thermometer to monitor the temp

 

[zzuupp]

Using sterno as the fuel, probably not.

If you could get the chafing dish hot enough, it might work once. Only once

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

A Turkey deep fryer might work. As others have already said, using sterno for heat will be a major problem. If you could manage to get the oil hot enough, which is unlikely, maintaining a relatively constant temp would be a problem. For deep frying, proper heat control is everything.

Edit: Another option if you want to use the chafing dish - Get a portable, dual element, electric cooktop.

 

[Howard]

You can, but it will burn a caramel glaze into the pan. It'll take some heavy scrubbing to get it out.

Why would that be? There's no sugar in the oil, and the oil should be circulating fast enough to prevent major hot spots in the metal.

 

[Howard]

As I said, I have a deep fryer but it's a standard one with a basket which won't work for a funnel cake. And this would be out at a park for a picnic so I won't have a stove.

I just don't know how hot sterno can get something as I've never tried it before. I wonder if the chafing dish pan would fit on my coleman camp stove... Hmm.

You never mentioned the portability aspect... Saute pan with a camping stove

thermometer is mandatory

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Try sous vide.

 

[Spikesoldier]

sounds to me what you are attempting is not feasible with the sternos alone. your best bet imo is to get a kitchen fryer and DC to AC inverter for power from the car.

 

[Howard]

No, your camping stove is probably not going to damage your dish.

You could try it at home before taking it out, though, just in case...