What You Need to Know about Pressure Frying   Back To Frying Menu Not a day goes by that I don't get a request from someone looking to turn their pressure cooker into boiling oil bomb. If you are reading this now, you are about to find out that you absolutely CANNOT use your pressure cooker as a pressurized deep fryer. A pressure cooker IS NOT a pressure fryer. A pressure fry pan IS NOT a pressure fryer. Used properly, today's modern pressure cookers are very safe,but even small amounts of hot oil under pressure will splatter and damage the gasket. The same gasket that performs well at 250 degrees in normal use, may melt away in 400 degree heat of boiling oil and cause serious damage. If you're thinking about trying to fry in a pressure cooker please read the warnings in your owner's manual. Unless you have purchased a real pressure fryer your owner's manual will have restrictions against using any amount of oil above 1/4 cup. Yes, there are some diehards that insist that they have successfully used their pressure cooker as a fryer for 30 years with no troubles at all. Hopefully their lucky streak will continue, but it's like a game of Russian Roulette. Just because you've "heard" of someone who used their pressure cooker to deep fry successfully, that does not mean you will. Using a large amount of boiling hot oil under pressure is a potential for an extremely, dangerous disaster. Unless you invest in a pressure FRYER It's not worth the risk of being burned, or endangering your family, by exploding boiling oil just for a $9 bucket of chicken. If you want to do pressure frying then buy a pressure fryer. Fagor makes a pressure fryer, and so does Magefesa. Read carefully, because each of these manufacturers make several different models, but only one that is made for pressure frying. Pressure fryers have an additional safety feature consisting of a heavy duty metal bar that clamps and locks over the top of the lid in case of an accident. Pressure fryers also cook at a lower pressure than pressure cookers. Tell Me a Story You have undoubtedly heard the stories about how the colonel invented his famous chicken. Maybe you've even found that dreadful KFC recipe on the Internet, you know the one - it uses 6 cups of oil. Keep in mind that KFC uses industrial, commercial restaurant grade pressured fryers that are designed just for this purpose, they do not use a pressure cooker like the one you have at home. As for that "copy cat" recipe - it too is for a commercial fryer - and not intended for use in your little pressure cooker. Dangerous Chicken Buckets In the 1970's several well known companies were manufacturing various kinds of "Chicken Buckets", with both stove top and electric models sold for home use. All of these products were discontinued because they are unsafe, and serious burns could result under normal use Many people own, and still use these, old pots, completely unaware of the dangers they pose. They are often sold at garage sales, and online auctions. Parts have not been available for at least 10-20 years, so the seals are unreliable. If you, or someone you know has one of these dangerous "Chicken Buckets" I strongly urge you NOT to use it. Toss it out, but make sure it cannot by used by anyone else. Pressure Fryer Recipes If you already own a pressure fryer stick with the amount of oil stated in the owners manual, and follow the directions provided by the manufacturer. Do not change the amount of oil called for in the recipes provided. You can mix your own breading-coating ingredients to suit your tastes, but do not alter the amount of oil. Pressure fryers are more costly than pressure cookers. If you can't justify the cost of purchasing a pressure fryer you may want to try some of the safe recipes for making pressure cooker "fried" chicken. My versions use very little oil, and while they take a bit more time, the results are very good.