Fryin’ Saucer 2217401947 with Hell Fire Burner Review
A convenient and portable outdoor griddle that can also double as a fryer can be a thing of beauty. It can be especially helpful if you need a unit that can double as a camp stove or help you cook when you go tailgating.
The Fryin’ Saucer stands out with some unique traits that you rarely, if ever, find in other portable griddles. The most notable is the central reservoir which can be used as a deep fryer or a high heat searing pot. The heat from the “Hell Fire Burner” also transmits throughout the “Saucer” to provide you with a griddle, or a warming area for holding over batches of fried foods.
The cooktop is also gently angled. The light slope sends grease from the food on the saucer back to the central reservoir. The entire cooktop is coated in a special layer of non-stick Teflon.
It also comes with heavy-duty brass fittings that allow you to use a 1-pound propane tank for times when lightweight is at a premium. Yet it can also be quickly changed over to use a hose connected to a larger propane tank. The Fryin’ Saucer also comes with its own convenient carrying bag.
Construction & Ease of Assembly
The Fryin’ Saucer is meant to be a portable fryer that can act as a griddle. Yet you shouldn’t think of it as a griddle that can do some frying. The outer ring isn’t meant to get too hot. The Teflon coating is a bit of a mixed bag. On the one hand, it means the cooktop is nonstick. On the other hand, Teflon has a nasty habit of being prone to scuffing and scratching easily. It’s best to use silicone spatulas and tongs to preserve the Teflon.
When it comes to assembly, the Fryin’ Saucer is designed to be easy to put together, pack up and move. This means you can get it fully assembled in a little under 10-minutes. This could vary by a minute or three depending on if you need to change it from a 1-pound propane canister to an adaptor hose and tank.
Fryin’ Saucer sells a wind skirt accessory that you should really consider investing in. it will greatly reduce problems with wind blowing out the “Hell Fire” burner. A “Spider” or a “Skimmer” is also a must-have item. It’s essentially a long wooden or metal handle with a mesh ladle at the end. It will let you quickly pull out any pieces of food as they finish cooking.
Grilling Performance
You really need to think of the Fryin’ Saucer as being a fryer first and a griddle second. At full flame, the outer ring gets hot enough to slowly fry bacon and perhaps some scrambled eggs. However, this level of heat will also have the inner fryer reservoir roiling hot and perhaps smoking.
The Fryin’ Saucer was designed to be used as a fryer with a non-stick warming area in the outer ring. When used in this way, it does a great job of frying things like breaded fish, shrimp, and onion rings. When frying it’s important to keep in mind that if you overload the fryer reservoir, it can drop the temperature of the oil, taking a little extra time to rebound.
One example of how you can use the Fryin’ Saucer:
When you are at camp making shore lunch for the gang, you can start by dropping quartered red potatoes with a light dredge into the fryer. Pull them out as they brown and put them on the outer ring to stay warm. Some thinly sliced onions and garlic sweating nearby would also be a nice touch.
This will give you, or a cooking partner, time to bread the fish fillets. You can then slide the fish into the oil in small batches to fry them off. Pieces that get done first can warm on the outer ring with the potatoes. When you are ready to serve, smash the potatoes with a spatula.
It’s also worth keeping in mind that the Fryin’ Saucer is not just a fryer. If you prefer you can pour up to 32-ounces of water in the central reservoir to do things like boil pasta.
Grilling Areas
The central reservoir is capable of holding up to 32 ounces of oil or water. The outer ring itself is meant to be used as a warming area.
Ease to Clean
The Fryin’ Saucer is intended to be easy to transport and reassemble any time you need to move camp. This means it was also designed to be easy to clean. Yet it’s not something you should rush.
The first step is to make sure everything has cooled down. The last thing you want is to get a severe burn from spilling hot oil! Once it has cooled down you can pour off the oil. Keep it away from any other flame like the campfire, as it could cause a flare. Pouring off the oil can be a little awkward, so it’s best to have a large-mouthed funnel nearby, to pour off into a spare milk jug.
You can then take a clean paper towel and wipe down all the surfaces. If it’s particularly messy the Teflon surface can be washed with warm soapy water and a soft sponge. You should never use anything abrasive to clean the Fryin’ Saucer, as it could scratch the sensitive Teflon coating.
Conclusion
If you need a reliable way to fry and hold warm foods over at camp, then the Fryin’ Saucer might be on your radar. When you consider that it can also be used as a boiler, it could feasibly serve as your camp stove. Just make sure to be careful cleaning and packing it, to prevent damaging the sensitive Teflon layer.
