I just received a 4 gallon Cajun Fryer for my birthday. What are some of your deep fried favorites (main dishes, sides, appetizers, etc.). I've already got the basics covered fried chicken, chicken tenders, wings, fish, and shrimp. Y'all have anything creative? I was able to make 15 pounds of chicken wings in 36 minutes yesterday. It's a pretty awesome contraption.

And $80 in peanut oil.

Hushpuppies are a favorite. But you've got to add spice to them. Onion rings in a tempora beer mix.

Fried mushrooms are fantastic.

Mac'n'cheese balls, with bacon.

Thin slices of catfish in a spicy panko breading.

Edit:

Crab Cakes
Cheese curds
Corn fritters
Ravioli or tortellini

Couple of things I do, I set it up on cinder blocks to give it a lift. This also helps with draining the oil afterward.

I drain mine into a SS corny keg. You can check Craigslist or any other type site for one that's pretty beat up. This way you can drain it before it fully cools off, but not while it's boiling hot as it may melt the rubber off. Also be careful it doesn't hit your leg. I think we may have the same model, if you have a fitting that connects to the drain port let me know, would be nice to modify that a bit.

And if you cook fish and then cook for a larger group just be sure to ask if anyone has any allergies. I have no idea if the boiling oil can denature allergens.

Thanks for the tips, yeah the $80 bucks in peanut oil was fun but I should get a lot of reuse out of it.

The other part is making your own dips, mustard, cocktail sauce, tarter sauce, add horseradish to everything. I think that aspect is greatly overlooked.

Now I want to use my fryer!

I've got Layne's and Cane's sauce down pretty well. I make a mean fry sauce that's caused my family to give up ketchup for the most part. I've never made mustard though, I may have to give that a try.

I think your right, dipping sauces make a lot of difference when eating fried stuff.

I looked those up and look pretty handy. I think I can make one for about 1/3 of what they are asking for them. Some 10 gauge steel and a length of 3x3 1/4 inch square tubing and a piece of 1 1/2 inch angle and my trusty Mig welder, chop saw and plasma cutter......

What's the best way to care for and reuse oil for these? How many uses can you get out of the oil?

I'd let my turkey frying oil set and settle then pour off slowly back into the original container till the bottom sludge appears and then throw the rest away. That's maybe 5% thrown away. I have a fridge out in the barn that I kept/keep the oil in. It seems to stay good for a year or so if kept cold that way.

People that have had them a while drain and filter the oil and capture it every 3-5 uses depending on how much breaded things they've fried. They clean out the fryer and refill it. Says they reuse the same oil for about 30 uses. They just keep filtering, refilling it and topping it off with new oil. Just leave it sitting in the fryer outside.

As I said, I keep mine in a ss corny keg. Don't have to let it cool all the way off.

I have the Outdoor Gourmet version from Academy that I keep down at the Coast for fish frys. I decided to get another one for home and bought the R&V from Buccees. I like the Outdoor Gourmet version much, much better and it's over a hundred bucks cheaper than the R&V. It's easier to move around but most importantly it drains far better which makes cleanup easier and faster.