The trouble with frozen chips/fries

[remedial_gash]

@remedial_gash, your grandmother's battered chips sound fantastic.

Regarding chip pan fires, I do seem to remember hearing about them a lot when i was a kid! I don't think most people (in the uk) use chip pans anymore or even fry chips. It was a regular thing when i was a kid.

No. I think if you grew up in the early eighties in the uk you were taught to be scared of chips, roads, building sites, pylons and strangers - if I remember all my public information films, also never cross a road without Darth Vader or Super Ted.

Sorry if this comes late am still being pre-modded, which is cool.

 

[Wandering Bob]

My grandmother who was always frail and doddery used to make 'battered chips' in a big pan of oil with no regard to safety

My mother made chips in a similar way, although she didn't batter them. Several times a week throughout the 1950s and 1960s she'd get out a deep pan full of beef fat and fry away. I have no idea whether she changed the fat weekly, monthly or annually. Perhaps one day she thought to herself, "oh it's the 1960s now - I'd better change the chip fat". My best guess is she never changed it - just kept it topped it up. Her 3 kids are still alive so maybe it didn't do us too much harm. As @remedial_gash says, perhaps the greatest danger was in setting the house on fire.

 

[Kake Lover]

I think pre heating the tray is essential. I use the pizza oven trays that have holes in. (you need to put another tray underneath to catch the grease.)

 

[Morning Glory]

Perhaps one day she thought to herself, "oh it's the 1960s now - I'd better change the chip fat".

I think pre heating the tray is essential. I use the pizza oven trays that have holes in. (you need to put another tray underneath to catch the grease.)

I just started heating the tray and its works much better.

ou were taught to be scared of chips, roads, building sites, pylons and strangers

Very true!