Deep Frying is an excellent way of cooking food. It adds flavor, texture and aroma to ordinary food. Kids and Adults alike love its golden crispy brown exterior. However, to do it properly, you need the right tools. The Best Pan for Deep Frying are those that simulate a traditional pot. It needs a heavy construction to maintain the heat and it should be deep enough to carry enough oil.

What Kind of Pan is good for Deep Frying

For Deep Frying, you generally want a pan that is relatively tall. Shorter pan, like a frying pan is suited more for shallow frying. Only half of the food will be submerged in oil. You then have to flip it to brown the other side. The issue with this is that the crust often gets compressed and cooking time is variable. Results tend to be on the worst side as well.

With a Deep Frying, the food is completely submerged in oil. You get a uniform crust and flavor and cooking time is more consistent. In order to deep fry, you need a pan that is somewhat tall. They accommodate more oil and usually have a wire basket that lets you easily drain the excess fat. But if you want a true pan, then you need something like a deep saute pan. Those type of pan are the best mix between the two.

Nonstick Pan For Deep Frying?

You might be tempted to use a Nonstick Pan for Deep Frying. However, its not recommended. Theses nonstick pans are usually built to a lower standard. The gauge of the metal is low and as a result, very light. They dont hold heat very well and they tend to warp. When you drop food it, the heat will drop rapidly. As a result, you can never really get a good fry. When heat drops too much, the battered food will start to soak in excess oil. Pans that hold constant heat will take in just enough oil to deep fry it. It wont be overly greasy and have the right texture.

Other Material

Generally, heavier metal that can hold heat are recommended. They are also metal that takes a while to heat up. Cast Iron and Stainless Steel are good choices. Fully Cladded Pan can work as well as long as it has enough layer. For most people, I recommend sticking with cast iron. They are affordable and take well to deep fry.

Induction Pan for Deep Frying?

Any pan that has a magnetic pull can be used on a induction stove. Metal like Cast Iron and Stainless Steel will work. However, most nonstick pan uses aluminum and they dont work. Copper doesnt work either.

Best Pan for Deep Frying List

Below, you will find a list of some of the Best Pan for Deep Frying. There are a few option to choose from, pick one that best suits you.

Lodge Pre-Seasoned Cast Deep Skillet With Iron Cover and Assist Handle (Best Overall)

Lodge Deep Skillet is the best pan for deep frying. Its tall enough so that most food will get completly submerged in oil. The heavy cast iron construction ensures that the oil temperature will be steady. Best of all, it has a heavy lid to keep oil from splattering. You do need a Separate Basket for easy draining.

All-Clad 4206 Stainless Steel Tri-Ply Bonded Dishwasher Safe Deep Saute Pan with Lid (Best Stainless Steel Pan for Deep Frying)

Stainless Steel looks cleaner and generally heat up quicker. This model uses a stainless steel core to aid in the heat up time. Unlike a regular saute pan, this model is more deep. You can hold a total of 6 qt of oil. Giving you ample room to deep frying multiple food. The other good thing is that the handle stays cool to the touch. I still caution to use a glove though, you never know.

Cuisinart 633-24H Chef’s Classic Nonstick Hard-Anodized 3-1/2-Quart Saute Pan (Best Nonstick Pan for Deep Frying)

If you want nonstick for ease of cleaning. Then getting a hard anodized model is the way to go. Its heavier than your standard nonstick pan. Plus the handle is made of stainless steel to stay cool. There is also a glass lid so that you can look inside when its frying. The bad thing is that it hold only 3.5 qt of oil unlike the other models.

Thoughts

The Best Pan for Deep Frying are those that are tall that holds a good amount of liquid. It should be tall enough to submerge the food in grease. Cast Iron are the best in this category, they hold heat well and maintain a steady temperature. However, cast iron is slow to heat up. Your next best bet is stainless steel. The fully cladded pan has a aluminum core. It helps it heat up fast. You can also use nonstick if you want, in that case, get the hard anodized model. They are heavier and should hold the heat better.

Want to shallow fry instead? Check out our article on the Best Shallow Fry Pan.