# potato nest fryer baskets



## richard (Aug 14, 2002)

potato nest fryer basket.. Potatoes sticking?


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

Your question isn't quite clear... do you mean, how to keep the nests from sticking to the wire basket? At what temperature is the oil in which you're frying? That may be the problem.

Hey, out there, would the starch content of the potato make a difference?


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## richard (Aug 14, 2002)

Ya,, The potato keeps sticking to the screen. I have tried different temps, shaking the basket while cooking. Pre blanching the potato to coat in oil, gaufrette potato, shredded, whole chip like slices, even went as far as to coat the potato in flour first. They stick so bad they destoy when the baskets are seperated. I am so frustrated but i am determined to be able to bang these little things out eventually.


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## mezzaluna (Aug 29, 2000)

Try posting your question in "Cooking Questions" since this may turn out to be about the potatoes or method rather than the equipment. I'm sure you'll get an answer here at ChefTalk!


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## mudbug (Dec 30, 1999)

Could you explain to us in detail each step you're using to fry your potatoes from the time you peel them? ie: water temp, rinsings, oil temp, draining, drying, etc.

We may be better able to help you then.


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## kimmie (Mar 13, 2001)

I got so frustrated with mine that I sold it...for $1


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## richard (Aug 14, 2002)

I threw this one out. I tried different potatoes today. Still nothing..Junk


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## bouland (May 18, 2001)

I've never cooked potatoes this way, but I have made deep-fried baskets from taroroot many times. After grating, the taro is soaked for about 30 minutes and then wrung in a towel. The taro is then sprinkled with a little flour before frying. The frying starts at 350 to 375°F. It never sticks significantly.


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## tinman (Jul 26, 2002)

Well the only advice I can give is to dip the basket in the oil (without the potatoes, and in a pre-heated fryer, of course.)…Then add potatoes to basket and dip in the oil. If that doesn’t help…then you should consider frying them the old-fashioned way….*shrugs*

Note: this if of course done after the potatoes have been peeled, rinsed, drained etc.


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## mikebham (Jan 2, 2012)

Here a recipe I have for making bird nests -

Maybe it's the cornstarch??

*To make 4 potato nests:*

Peel the potatoes and place them in a bowl of cold water.

Slice the potatoes with a mandoline. Cut them into small pieces like matchsticks

Put the potato sticks, once they are cut, back into the bowl of cold water.

Rinse the potatoes to remove the excess starch. Drain them well and dry thoroughly with paper towels.

Place the potato sticks in a bowl and add ½ teaspoon salt and 1 cup of cornstarch.

Mix everything together.

Put the oil in a deep-fat fryer heat the oil to 375°F.

Place the potato sticks in the basket and press the smaller basket over it.

Submerge the bird's nest fryer in the very hot oil.

Fry for about 3 minutes, or until it is crisp, golden, and cooked through at the bottom.

Drain and remove the bird's nest out from the strainer.

Continue making the nests with the remaining potatoes.

Sprinkle all the nests with the salt, and keep them warm.


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

Another blast from the past. This thead is ten years old.

I used to have one of those baskets. After frustrating myself with it for years I finally deep sixed it. The thing never worked, no matter what I did to the spuds.

Recently I saw a celebrity chef (forget which one at the moment) who made the baskets using two ladles. I would have thought this unsuitable, cuz the potatoes aren't actually surrounded by the hot oil. But they seemed to come out ok.

One of these days I'll try it.


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## chefross (May 5, 2010)

Now come on....I've made literally hundreds of those baskets in my career, and had a few that stuck.....but it was my problem not the baskets.

Firstly, why would you rinse out the starch?  That's the glue that holds the baskets together. If you don't rinse the starch, you don't need cornstarch.

Secondly, spray the baskets with pan release before using them each time. I'll have 4 going at once.

When placing the potatoes into the basket, make sure nothing is sticking out of the tines, as that can interfere with the basket releasing.

That ladle idea works well. After the initial frying to get them started, you simply release the two ladles and allow the basket to "fry-free" in the oil.


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## pete (Oct 7, 2001)

I have used those "baskets" and while I haven't had nearly the problems that some of you have had, I've found that I prefer the ladel method more.  There seems to be less sticking and as Chefross alluded to, no errant pieces of potato bent over the wires locking the baskets shut.


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## benway (May 24, 2009)

I've done the two ladles thing, it's pretty fool proof.


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## kyheirloomer (Feb 1, 2007)

Obviously, Ben, you don't know how big a fool I can be. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/drinkbeer.gif


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## chefburl (Jul 17, 2011)

I am with chefross, I too have made hundreds with little problems. I find that blanching the potatoes in warm water works the best for me.


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## robert carmack (Sep 7, 2012)

your dishwasher could be the culprit.  Aluminium nests will pit from electric dishwashing detergent, so hand wash them, dry, then spray with a light coating of oil.  Kind of like a seasoned pan.


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## chefedb (Apr 3, 2010)

Most potao nest at least good ones are stainless steel. They are a has been in most places but once in a while we use for banquet. We make 100s at a time, and break or have stick very few.  Julianne and make sure taters are dry .  Spray the baskets, put taters in make sure none sticking out put in fryer our is set at  360   open basket  when light brown ,let freefall into fryer  remove with a spider. turn upside down let cool.

     They are less apt to break taking out of baskets  in oil  instead of tying to bang or tap  out on sheet pan which is what I have seen some people do.


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## mikebham (Jan 2, 2012)

Unfortunately, potato baskets/potatoes stick! I've tried EVERY suggestion. Let me know if you have any success, I thing it is a great idea, just doesn't work.


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## chefburl (Jul 17, 2011)

I have one and they do tend to be hard to deal with. Try making gaufrette potato slices instead of shredded or julienne potatoes. I find they are easier to remove and hold up better. Practice makes life easier.


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## michaelga (Jan 30, 2012)

Also don't just drop the shredded potatoes into the basket.

Place the portion between a couple pieces of plastic wrap / foil or sheet pans - press flat.

Then lift and drape into the baskets - this helps prevent any strands of potatoes from sticking through the mesh.

Also pre-heating the baskets prevents individual strands from sticking.


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