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What Would French Fries Taste Like If You Made Them On Jupiter?

sciencehabit writes "Hoping that studying deep frying in different gravitational conditions will help them improve space food for future astronauts, scientists with the European Space Agency chopped potatoes into thin sticks and deep fried them in extra-virgin olive oil, one side at a time, in a spinning centrifuge that created conditions of up to nine times Earth's gravity, akin to that seen on Jupiter. Higher gravity levels significantly increased the heat transfer between the hot oil and the potato, shortening frying time and resulting in thick, crispy crusts, the team reports. In fact, the scientists may have discovered the ideal gravitational condition for creating crunchy fries: The crust reached its maximum thickness when the potato was fried at three times Earth's gravity; any further increase in gravity levels did not improve the fries' crispiness."

165 comments

  1. So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastrono by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Would be a centrifugal force deep fryer.

  2. Obvious proof... by stox · · Score: 4, Funny

    French fries did not originate on Earth, but were brought here by benevolent Aliens in the past.

    I, for one, would welcome the return of out benefactors!

    --
    "To those who are overly cautious, everything is impossible. "
    1. Re:Obvious proof... by Thomas+Miconi · · Score: 5, Funny

      all these worlds
      are yours except
      europa
      build no
      macdonald's there
      fry them in butter
      fry them in grease
      just don't dunk them in goddamn mayo
      or else

    2. Re:Obvious proof... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      No.

      French fries were an attempt to get all of humanity out of shape so that invasion would be much easier. I saw thr- *wiping grease off my fingers* *looking out the window* what's ... that...

    3. Re:Obvious proof... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Surely your time could be better spent with Suri?

    4. Re: Obvious proof... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I believe they evolved in a God directed manner, similar to the way that Mitch McConnel's ancestors were coaxed up out of the slime and their shells to form the leadership of the Charimatic religious right.

    5. Re:Obvious proof... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      By benevolent Aliens, or greedy cardiologists?

    6. Re:Obvious proof... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Just +10000000000 geek points. Goddamn yes.

    7. Re:Obvious proof... by garyoa1 · · Score: 1

      French fries and benevolent don't really seem to go together.

      --
      Wuddooeyeno? IITYWYBMAD? Like nuts? eclecticallyincorrect.com
    8. Re:Obvious proof... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Macdonald's is the Scottish McDonald's.

    9. Re:Obvious proof... by Phreakiture · · Score: 2

      They kept telling people "We are from France" as their cover story . . . .

      --
      www.wavefront-av.com
    10. Re:Obvious proof... by Megane · · Score: 1
      --
      #naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
    11. Re:Obvious proof... by rubycodez · · Score: 1

      that benevolent alien was Elvis, and he's an American!

    12. Re:Obvious proof... by rk · · Score: 1

      Statistical hypothesis: more people with a UID lower than yours will get this than a UID higher than yours. :-)

    13. Re:Obvious proof... by Phreakiture · · Score: 1

      Yeah, probably.

      --
      www.wavefront-av.com
  3. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by DexterIsADog · · Score: 5, Funny

    Whirling hot oil around at high speed, in a kitchen.

    What could go wrong?

  4. Ig Nobel Prize? by bunyip · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Surely this research is a leading candidate!

    1. Re:Ig Nobel Prize? by GumphMaster · · Score: 2

      Up there with belly button fluff studies IMHO

      --
      Patent litigation: A doctrine of Mutually Assured Destruction... in which everyone seems willing to push the button
    2. Re:Ig Nobel Prize? by fox171171 · · Score: 2

      Ig Nobel Prize?

      Surely this research is a leading candidate!

      Or, with some of the "try this at home" do it yourself amateurs, possibly even a Darwin Award.

    3. Re:Ig Nobel Prize? by tibit · · Score: 2

      I read about it a few days ago and I couldn't resist. With potatoes I have, 4g seems to be a sweet spot. I've had a 50A slip ring with a bearing/axle set laying about, and I've actually put an off-the-shelf deep fryer on an arm made of some scrap right angle. Works fine. Yum!

      --
      A successful API design takes a mixture of software design and pedagogy.
  5. Am I the only one thinking of building this? by raymorris · · Score: 3, Funny

    Am I the only Slashdotter thinking of trying this? The clothes washer on spin would be too big. Maybe put a faster motor on my ice cream maker and pour in some hot oil...

    1. Re:Am I the only one thinking of building this? by roc97007 · · Score: 4, Funny

      Am I the only Slashdotter thinking of trying this? The clothes washer on spin would be too big. Maybe put a faster motor on my ice cream maker and pour in some hot oil...

      Be sure to film it. This has the makings of a youtube favorite.

      --
      Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
    2. Re:Am I the only one thinking of building this? by narcc · · Score: 1

      After reading the Darwin-bait summary? Don't worry, I'm certain you're not alone.

    3. Re:Am I the only one thinking of building this? by NIK282000 · · Score: 1

      I was thinking of spinning a bunt cake pan with a rolled over lip over/with and induction heater to make a micro gravity friendly cook top. With a shallow lip you can do bacon, with a deep lip you could do soup.

      --
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    4. Re:Am I the only one thinking of building this? by aztracker1 · · Score: 2

      I was thinking it wouldn't be too difficult with a pressure fryer... For that matter, better use lard or beef tallow (beef lard).

      --
      Michael J. Ryan - tracker1.info
    5. Re:Am I the only one thinking of building this? by nitehawk214 · · Score: 3, Informative

      I enjoy that most of the Wiki article on pressure frying basically is trying to state, "For fuck's sake, don't try this at home."

      --
      I'm a good cook. I'm a fantastic eater. - Steven Brust
    6. Re:Am I the only one thinking of building this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Cream separator? We used to use one for separating mass quantities of bacterial cultures.

    7. Re:Am I the only one thinking of building this? by Impy+the+Impiuos+Imp · · Score: 1

      Maybe put a faster motor on my ice cream maker and pour in some hot oil...

      Be sure to film it. This has the makings of a youtube favorite.

      Or a Liveleak one.

      --
      (-1: Post disagrees with my already-settled worldview) is not a valid mod option.
    8. Re: Am I the only one thinking of building this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Where's Ron Popeil when you need him?

    9. Re:Am I the only one thinking of building this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Peanut oil tops out at 110C...just saying...

    10. Re:Am I the only one thinking of building this? by eric_harris_76 · · Score: 1

      ... perhaps posthumously.

      --
      There's no time like the present. Well, the past used to be.
    11. Re:Am I the only one thinking of building this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Deep Fried Soup ???

  6. Jupiter Fries by RandomUsername99 · · Score: 3, Interesting

    So at work, they've got a food stand outside that does made-to-order liquid nitrogen ice cream. I think that a "Jupiter Fries" truck would fit in quite nicely.

    1. Re:Jupiter Fries by gordo3000 · · Score: 1

      where do you work that has something that cool outside? That has to be a hit, especially on bring your kid to work day.

    2. Re:Jupiter Fries by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      The GAP?

  7. At first I was going to say... by roc97007 · · Score: 1

    ...someone has way too much free time. But then, I thought. Extra crispy fries. Mmmmm.... I'm sorry, what was I saying?

    --
    Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
  8. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by narcc · · Score: 3, Insightful

    What could go wrong?

    I suspect that we'll read about more than one actualized possibility over the next few weeks.

  9. No Idea by tpstigers · · Score: 2

    I'd be busy having the life squeezed out of me by the gravity.

    1. Re:No Idea by kruach+aum · · Score: 1

      Sounds like someone should've spent a little more time training in the hyperbolic time chamber.

  10. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by roc97007 · · Score: 4, Insightful

    Whirling hot oil around at high speed, in a kitchen.

    What could go wrong?

    But you know, the same people who deep fry turkeys would try this.

    --
    Oliver's law of assumed responsibility: If you're seen fixing it, you will be blamed for breaking it.
  11. deep frying cures all ills... by turkeydance · · Score: 2

    even those you don't know about.

    1. Re:deep frying cures all ills... by jandrese · · Score: 1

      Especially heart disease.

      --

      I read the internet for the articles.
  12. Flavor Crunchiness by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    If watching astronauts on YouTube are telling the truth, then getting them to be able to taste flavors other than spicy would seem to be more important than texture.

  13. Jupiter is 9? by Wolfger · · Score: 5, Informative

    Every source I've found says it's 2.53, where did these people come up with 9? Nonetheless, I am looking forward to trying some high-gravity fries. Sounds delicious.

    1. Re:Jupiter is 9? by Dahamma · · Score: 4, Informative

      Not only are you correct, but TFA didn't even mention Jupiter. The submitter made that part up and got it completely wrong...

    2. Re:Jupiter is 9? by slew · · Score: 2

      Perhaps someone thought that since Jupiter's diameter is about 10x earth, it would have 10x the gravity?

      Given g = G*m*(M/r^2)

      If somehow the density of Jupiter was similar to earth...

      Me = De*4*pi*re^3
      Mj = De*4*pi*rj^3

      The force of gravity experienced by a mass at the surface would be...

      ge = G*m*(Me/re^2) = G*m*(De*4*pi*re/3)
      gj = G*m*(Mj/rj^2) = G*m*(De*4*pi*rj/3) (proportional to the radius or diameter)

      But of course, Jupiter is much less dense than the earth, so that analysis is totally bogus...

    3. Re:Jupiter is 9? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Simple dimensional analysis woulda done.. the 4/3rds etc isn't important for what you're trying to say.. :P

    4. Re:Jupiter is 9? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

      from OP: "The crust reached its maximum thickness when the potato was fried at three times Earth's gravity". So, 3 x 9.8 m/s/s = 29.4 m/s/s or so. Matchign teh closest planet using this table http://www.smartconversion.com/otherInfo/gravity_of_planets_and_the_sun.aspx give us: Jupiter!.

    5. Re:Jupiter is 9? by rubycodez · · Score: 2

      note one place that has nearly earth-normal gravity for making fries but makes them taste salty and smell terrible: Uranus

  14. Uh... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Well, *THAT* was a headline I can safely say I didn't expect to see today... Has a weird charm in that it is a question I can say with absolutely certainty I have never once wondered about or asked, even to myself, in my entire life.

  15. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Billions of humans on planet Earth, most of whom cook. Oh, there will be plenty of centrifugal cookers out there soon. In fact, there might already be a patent on the idea. Honestly, I don't know why someone hasn't thought of it yet! Doh!

    Note: Yes, there are used vegetable oil separators and reclaimer machines. Not the same thing!

  16. Another variable to consider by techno-vampire · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Deep frying, of course, is quite literally boiling in oil. As the boiling point is dependent on the pressure, they might want to consider putting the fryer in a pressure vessel that can handle several atmospheres. (No, I don't think a broaster is built for that.) Of course, that may well take the boiling point above the smoke point, so you may want to fill the container with nitrogen or possibly carbon dioxide.

    --
    Good, inexpensive web hosting
    1. Re:Another variable to consider by mirix · · Score: 2

      The oil isn't boiling though, is it? Doesn't oil smoke before it boils... at least at 1 atm? Since it is hotter than 100C, anything with water in it (say food) added to the fryer 'boils' instantly though.

      Since the oil is already much hotter than water's boiling point, I don't see any advantage to increasing the pressure? Except keeping the boiling water in the food item a tad longer, I guess...?

      --
      Sent from my PDP-11
    2. Re:Another variable to consider by adolf · · Score: 1

      Spoken as someone who has never, ever deep-fried anything.

      Remember, kids, cooking oil does not boil at the temperatures used for deep frying.

    3. Re:Another variable to consider by polymath69 · · Score: 1

      Parent didn't say the oil boils, s/he said there was boiling going on (the water in the food) in oil. Which is quite correct.

      --

      --
      I don't want to rule the world... I just want to be in charge of mayonnaise.
    4. Re:Another variable to consider by adolf · · Score: 1

      Parent said "boiled in oil"

      In common culinary parlance, there is a term for this. It is called "deep frying," not boiling.

      Boiled potatoes (wherein the potatoes are submersed in water that is boiling) are a very, very different thing from deep-fried potatoes (wherein the potatoes are submersed in hot oil or fat that is not boiling).

      It seems to me that these are simple, exclusive, and adequately descriptive terms.

  17. Harumph. by ApplePy · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Fat lot of good it does if you can't *grow* potatoes in 9x Earth gravity.

    If they can grow potatoes in their centrifuge... then we have a useful study. :)

    --
    That I'm right, and you don't like it, doesn't mean I'm a troll.
    1. Re:Harumph. by rossdee · · Score: 2

      I guess you import the potatoes from Earth.
      You can synthesize the oil from the Jovian atmosphere.
      But its gonna be expensive just to get there yourself.

      Next up, how to cook a burger on Venus...
      (oh wait, its already cooked, and so are you)

    2. Re:Harumph. by FatLittleMonkey · · Score: 3, Informative

      Next up, how to cook a burger on Venus...

      Actually, Venus is better for roasting. The sulphuric acid helps tenderise the meat. You can customise the temperature by floating the meat at a specific altitude. Diners themselves float at about 55km.

      (Mercury is for burgers.)

      --
      Science is all about firing a drunk pig out of a cannon just to see what happens.
    3. Re:Harumph. by Dahamma · · Score: 3, Informative

      Well, when reading TFA my first question was "why bother frying the fries anyway, why not just bake them!?"

      But that's because the article had absolutely ZERO to do with cooking fries on Jupiter. Jupiter is completely inhospitable to human life and there would be no reason to have humans live on the surface. Jupiter isn't even mentioned in the article, that was a stupid (and incorrect) addition by the submitter.

      The ACTUAL point of the study was that cooking in *zero* gravity brings up a bunch of challenges (ie. cooking with oil in zero G!) so they wanted to figure out what levels of artificial gravity would be acceptable/ideal for deep frying.

    4. Re:Harumph. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Jupiter's surface gravity is about 3 times Earth's surface gravity so it's actually a good and correct (if a bit silly) addition imho.

    5. Re:Harumph. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Ok, sciencehabit ... sure.

    6. Re:Harumph. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It seems to be in some doubt as to whether Jupiter actually has a surface...

      IMO maybe not, just increasing density as r tends to 0.

      Never know tho, things are never certain until tested. Thats good science.

    7. Re:Harumph. by Dahamma · · Score: 1

      in a spinning centrifuge that created conditions of up to nine times Earth's gravity, akin to that seen on Jupiter.

      3 times, not 9 times. So, no, it's not correct. And since it completely muddied the actual point to the experiments, it wasn't good either.

  18. Olive oil? by sochdot · · Score: 5, Informative

    I would think olive oil a poor choice for making french fries. In general, olive oil has too low of a smoke point; it just doesn't get hot enough to fry things well. Maybe the increased pressure made a lower oil temp better? I was always taught to use olive oil as a flavoring on pastas, salads, bread, etc. but never for actual hot-oil-cooking.

    --
    If at first you don't succeed, destroy all evidence that you tried.
    1. Re:Olive oil? by o_ferguson · · Score: 0

      I was just about to post the same thing. Stupid scientists. Use tallow FFS!

      --
      - In Soviet Korea, only old people loose all their bases to Natalie Portman's petrified hot grits overlords.
    2. Re:Olive oil? by DerekLyons · · Score: 2

      I was always taught to use olive oil as a flavoring on pastas, salads, bread, etc. but never for actual hot-oil-cooking.

      Then you weren't taught very well as olive oil is routinely used for for sauteing. A mixture of olive oil and butter (both low temperature oils) is commonly used in classical French cuisine.

    3. Re:Olive oil? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      agreed. I would give you mod points if I had them.

      Extra virgin olive oil is a terrible choice. Light olive oil might be OK but extra virgin has a super low smoke point making it unsuitable for deep-frying.

    4. Re:Olive oil? by ebno-10db · · Score: 2

      That may be, but if you want truly great fries use suet. It may kill you, but at least you'll die happy.

    5. Re:Olive oil? by benlwilson · · Score: 2, Informative

      It's a complete myth that olive oil has a smoke point too low to fry with.

      The smoke point of oils varies by oil type and by how refined it is
      Here's some examples of oils people use for deep frying.
        - Canola oil 190 - 204C (375 - 475F)
        - Sunflower oil 107 - 232C (225 - 450F)
        - Peanut oil 232C (450F)
        - Tallow 215C (420F)

      And here is olive oils..
      - Extra virgin olive oil 191C (375F)
      - Extra light olive oil 242C (468F)

      Normally you deep fry stuff around 175C (350F) which is fine for all types of olive oil.
      It's best to use light olive oil if you're deep frying in a saucepan rather than
      a proper deep fryer because you have less temp control on a saucepan and light olive gives
      you more leeway.

      As far as starting a fire goes, It's more risky to deep fry using canola or sunflower oil rather than olive.
      The main reasons not to deep fry with olive is
      - It's expensive
      - It can sometimes leave an aftertaste on the food.

      It is however much healthyer

    6. Re:Olive oil? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I am french-canadien. Pass le gravy et la cheese eh!

    7. Re:Olive oil? by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 1

      That may be, but if you want truly great fries use suet. It may kill you, but at least you'll die happy.

      Saturated fats won't kill you - omega 6's and hydrogenated vegetable oils will. Full disclosure: I've recently started rendering my own lard from fatback with crockpots. The home-made Bisquick substitute makes better 5-minute biscuits than the factory stuff.

      --
      My God, it's Full of Source!
      OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
    8. Re:Olive oil? by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 1

      Then you weren't taught very well as olive oil is routinely used for for sauteing.

      Oilve oil is terrific for sauteing, but French fries aren't sauteed, they're deep-fat fried. The temps are higher, which informs your choice of oils (especially if your tolerances aren't very tight).

      --
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      OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
    9. Re: Olive oil? by O('_')O_Bush · · Score: 1

      Sauteing is (relatively) low temperature oil cooking. That is, around 150C, vs frying which is usually around 210-230C depending on what it is.

      --
      while(1) attack(People.Sandy);
    10. Re:Olive oil? by locrien · · Score: 1

      Olive oil will bitter and smoke at a lower temperature even if it does not reach combustion.

      Flash point is a reference to the temperate at which an oil can vaporize and BECOME combustible.

      This is not auto ignition temperature.

    11. Re: Olive oil? by DerekLyons · · Score: 2

      Sauteing is (relatively) low temperature oil cooking. That is, around 150C, vs frying which is usually around 210-230C depending on what it is.

      Um, no. Like the OP, you're badly misinformed about cooking techniques. French fries cook at around 150-175C, as do other items. Frying temperatures range widely depending on the food being cooked.

    12. Re:Olive oil? by Pokey.Clyde · · Score: 1

      I would think olive oil a poor choice for making french fries. In general, olive oil has too low of a smoke point; it just doesn't get hot enough to fry things well. Maybe the increased pressure made a lower oil temp better? I was always taught to use olive oil as a flavoring on pastas, salads, bread, etc. but never for actual hot-oil-cooking.

      It is a poor choice. Best I've found that is readily available is peanut oil. Of course, if you can find it, you could use what McDonalds used to cook their fries in and use beef tallow.

    13. Re:Olive oil? by n3r0.m4dski11z · · Score: 1

      Bake the fries. Never had olive oil coated fries smoking in my oven. Much healthier. There is a reason to pay good money for good oils. One of the worlds oldest cultivated crops can't be wrong!

      --
      -
    14. Re:Olive oil? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Olive oil typically is used for frying french fries in mediterranean countries, often with a bit of rosemary added to the oil. Though a bit expensive, it tastes great.

    15. Re:Olive oil? by RabidReindeer · · Score: 1

      I was always taught to use olive oil as a flavoring on pastas, salads, bread, etc. but never for actual hot-oil-cooking.

      Then you weren't taught very well as olive oil is routinely used for for sauteing. A mixture of olive oil and butter (both low temperature oils) is commonly used in classical French cuisine.

      With certain exceptions if you cook with olive oil, you don't want EVOO, which smokes at a lower temperature.

      French cooking is often done with clarified butter, which has the most burnable parts removed as part of the clarification process (likewise with Indian ghee). Another option is "browned butter", where the burnables (milk solids) are raised to a high enough temperature to toast them while not actually turning them into charcoal.

      Technically, of course even clarified butter is "burnable". But it can stand higher temperatures.

      Quite likely, at 9 gs, you could deep-fry even at straight butter temperatures. What I was concerned about (based on the sensationalist headlines) was whether or not the methane would give the potatoes an "off" taste.

      But perhaps it would pair well with that Old Janx Spirit.

    16. Re: Olive oil? by RabidReindeer · · Score: 2

      Sauteing is (relatively) low temperature oil cooking. That is, around 150C, vs frying which is usually around 210-230C depending on what it is.

      Um, no. Like the OP, you're badly misinformed about cooking techniques. French fries cook at around 150-175C, as do other items. Frying temperatures range widely depending on the food being cooked.

      The word sauté comes from the same root as somersault. Because part of the technique is to periodically flip the contents of the pan, thus ensuring that all surfaces get jumbled instead of same-side down like stirring tends to produce and because it helps distribute the cooking oil more evenly on the food.

      For those prone to decorate walls, ceiling and floor, however, one should make due with a suitable weapon of destruction such as a spatula or spoon and do the jumbling manually.

      And while I haven't collected a really good set of data, a lot of my sauteing seems to be with a pan surface temperature of around 400 F, but as stated, that depends on the food and whether you're looking for mostly surface cooking fast and furious, low and slow, how much internal water you're dealing with/cooking out and so forth.

      Also, 400 degrees on the bottom of a air-filled pan is a lot different than total immersion in a fluid whose mean temperature is 350 or so.

    17. Re:Olive oil? by Anne_Nonymous · · Score: 1

      And use a pan with a lip.

    18. Re:Olive oil? by demonlapin · · Score: 1

      Home-rendered lard rocks.

    19. Re:Olive oil? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's possible but it doesn't taste optimal. For deep frying the best choice would be rice bran oil as it has virtually no taste, has a very high smoke point. Sunflower oil would be the next best choice. But olive oil, besides it being more expensive (and thus kind of a waste to use 'just' for deep frying) is not a good choice.

    20. Re:Olive oil? by gmhowell · · Score: 2

      Bake the fries.

      I bet you think sex with a condom is just as good as bareback.

      Oh, wait, slashdot:

      I bet you think masturbation is just as good as sex with another person.

      --
      Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. -John Lennon
    21. Re:Olive oil? by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 1

      Home-rendered lard rocks.

      Yeah, I'm a bit concerned with the resurgence of lard because all of it that you can buy in the grocery store is hydrogenated. Not the droid we're looking for.

      --
      My God, it's Full of Source!
      OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
    22. Re:Olive oil? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I bet you think masturbation is just as good as sex with another person.

      Wait... you can do that? Whoah. I gotta go tell my sister...

    23. Re:Olive oil? by Reziac · · Score: 1

      Any tips to pass along?

      I'm thinking about getting a few pigs, and the breed I've taken a shine to is a lard pig, so...

      --
      ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
    24. Re:Olive oil? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I bet you think masturbation is just as good as sex with another person.

      Let me know when you find out.

    25. Re:Olive oil? by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 1

      I don't know about pig breeds yet (on the list...) but as far as the lard, I chopped up the fat into cubes, per 'net directions, but then I had to squeeze all the cooked chunks to get the lard out which was a pain. 1 qt was free floating, but 1.5 qts were trapped in the chunks. Next time I'm going to run it thorough the meat grinder first to increase the surface area.

      I did 10 hrs on low, with 1 cup of water added to get it started. The water evaporates. Yield on 5 lbs of fatback was 4.5lbs of lard, so the conversion rate is really great.

      If you have your own pigs, you can harvest the visceral fat for a less flavorful lard, which is desirable for fine pastries, turnovers, etc. The kidney fat is what the foodies rave over, but to me a bit of pork flavor in a biscuit is a feature, not a bug.

      Oh, I have heard that there's a pig breed that is very lean and favored by some farmers for meat production - 'roid pigs, I've heard them called. Those wouldn't be as good for lard, I'd imagine.

      --
      My God, it's Full of Source!
      OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
    26. Re:Olive oil? by Reziac · · Score: 1

      Thanks for the info. Grinding it does sound like a better way to go, and probably less work. I'm thinkin' you might adapt a wringer washer to squeeze it out.

      I've cooked fat for the dogs but wasn't looking to pull out lard so hadn't looked into maximizing it. And yeah, the flavor is a feature. :) Costco used to have this wonderful low-salt bacon that I'd buy mostly for the grease -- great on toast!

      Here's a good quick breeds resource:
      http://www.ansi.okstate.edu/breeds/swine/
      My neighbor got some Mukotas -- they're smallish, quiet, cheap to feed, and seriously lardy (I swear they're as wide as they are tall!). Supposed to be among the best eatin' meat, too. (They do bite, tho. The other pigs they have don't.) I prefer my pork with some fat on it anyway.

      --
      ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
    27. Re:Olive oil? by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 1

      Super, thanks for the link. I'm still two years out from being able to keep them, but I'll save the data. Biting pigs? If they get too bad, I'll shoot them and eat them. ;)

      --
      My God, it's Full of Source!
      OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
    28. Re:Olive oil? by Reziac · · Score: 1

      Smacked 'em and they gave it up, at least with me (they're pretty friendly pigs, overall). I taught their other pigs MOVE with an appropriate blunt instrument, and boy do they when I say so. Don't even crowd the feed bunk anymore, at least when it's me feeding 'em. :D

      (Actually I'm not sure if they're Mukotas or Guineas. They're a little big to be Guineas, tho.)

      The other pigs they have that I like are a lean type, black and white mottled, not sure what breed. The boar was bottle raised and even so he's real polite and easy to deal with.

      --
      ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
    29. Re:Olive oil? by gmhowell · · Score: 1

      I bet you think masturbation is just as good as sex with another person.

      Let me know when you find out.

      I'm waiting to hear back from the first AC's sister. I hear she's a goer.

      --
      Jesus was all right but his disciples were thick and ordinary. -John Lennon
  19. "extra-virgin olive oil"? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Who the hell makes french fries with olive oil?

  20. that was KFC's innovation, Colonel Sanders secret by raymorris · · Score: 4, Interesting

    That's a good idea. So good that you could make millions of dollars from it, like Colonel Sanders did.

  21. Uh by maz2331 · · Score: 1

    You can't fry anything on Jupiter. It doesn't have a solid surface to stand on.

  22. Hydrogenated by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    That's my answer to the question, "What would French fries taste like if you made them on Jupiter?" Since the atmosphere there is 90% hydrogen.

  23. But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0, Offtopic

    What would French fries taste like if you made them on Uranus.

    1. Re:But... by Tablizer · · Score: 2

      And are onion rings better on Saturn?

    2. Re:But... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What would French fries taste like if you made them on Uranus.

      they would taste exactly like they do on earth... like shit

  24. OK, I'll say it by symbolset · · Score: 3, Funny

    If ever there was an article begging for a "hot oil on Uranus" comment, this is it.

    --
    Help stamp out iliturcy.
    1. Re:OK, I'll say it by symbolset · · Score: 1

      Somebody had to say it. I'm not sorry. Nerds are geeks. We are also sophomoric.

      --
      Help stamp out iliturcy.
    2. Re:OK, I'll say it by Megane · · Score: 1

      Good thing we changed the name to Urectum to avoid all those problems.

      --
      #naabhaprzrag, #sverubfr-000, #agi-fcbafberq, negvpyr[pynff*=' negvpyr-ary-'] { qvfcynl: abar !vzcbegnag; }
  25. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by Cryacin · · Score: 3, Funny

    Eat that Heston Blumenthal!

    --
    Science advances one funeral at a time- Max Planck
  26. A centrifuge full of boiling oil terrifies me. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    A centrifuge full of boiling oil terrifies me.

  27. Houston... by the_skywise · · Score: 1

    I have a bad feeling about this...

  28. OMG.... by PortHaven · · Score: 1

    I'm creating a fast food joint that just sells centrifuged french fries. This is AWESOME!!!!

  29. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by The+Grim+Reefer · · Score: 5, Funny

    Whirling hot oil around at high speed, in a kitchen. What could go wrong?

    Can't wait to see how someone's frozen turkey will turn out in one of these next Thanksgiving. It'll be like an angry birds reality show.

  30. A technical question by O'Bunny · · Score: 1

    So, what would be the optimal gravity for sweet-potato fries?

    1. Re:A technical question by mysidia · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Gravity so strong that it collapses into a singularity, the sweet-potato fries get sucked in, and ordinary non-sweet potato fries are ejected from the fryer, fully done.

  31. That's cool, but... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    It doesn't really tell us what they "taste" like.

    I'm guessing snozzberries.

  32. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 2

    I'm eagerly awaiting Alton Brown's commandeering of a playground roundabout with deep fryers lashed to the bars and an '01 Kia minivan's power wheel providing the input power.

    But how to distribute the AC power - rotors and brushes?

    --
    My God, it's Full of Source!
    OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
  33. Chicken by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    Same as a gay Frenchman or Barak Obama on Mars.

    Ridiculous question.

  34. They would taste like Giuliani by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Did you ever notice how the taste of fries improved after Dinkins?
    You New Yorkers now have bloomberg. -- GOOD GOD! You can't even wash your fries down with a big gulp.
    Obama is going away and Bloomberg doesn't have enough money to keep buying elections.
    Giuliani time. that is what is coming. Somebody just like him going to be beating some deadbeat ass real soon.

    1. Re:They would taste like Giuliani by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      I guess you haven't heard. New Yorkers have elected a guy named de Blasio. He's not like Giuliani at all.

  35. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by bill_mcgonigle · · Score: 1

    But how to distribute the AC power - rotors and brushes?

    Scratch that - Tesla wireless power distribution. The image of AB standing in front of this thing with lightning bolts emanating from the top while it spins with hot oil frying french fries is something I'd put on continuous loop for a daily moment of Zen.

    --
    My God, it's Full of Source!
    OUTSIDE_IP=$(dig +short my.ip @outsideip.net)
  36. Or, you know.... by jcr · · Score: 2

    You could just use higher pressure.

    -jcr

    --
    The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
    1. Re:Or, you know.... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Oh, I'm sure you'd find something in that process that's too much like socialism.

    2. Re:Or, you know.... by jcr · · Score: 1

      What?

      -jcr

      --
      The only title of honor that a tyrant can grant is "Enemy of the State."
  37. You're Jovian by Ukab+the+Great · · Score: 1

    Fry something.

  38. What Would French Fries Taste Like... by The+Grim+Reefer · · Score: 2

    ...If you made them on Jupiter?

    I suppose we can assume that there is somehow a way to remain on the "surface" of the atmosphere, since Jupiter obviously has no surface that we could build anything to withstand the pressures of. And overcome the issues with the 400 mph upper atmospheric wind speed. For the purpose of weight savings, we can also assume that the fryer will not be made of stainless steel like a normal fryer would be. This is also a good thing as the magnetic field at this distance is estimated to be at around 1 Tesla. It's probably still going to cause all kinds of issues.

    But the real kicker is the radiation. A person who is exposed to 30 Sv or more in a short period of time will be dead in 24 to 48 hours. Io averages a little over 400Km distance from Jupiter. At that distance you would receive 36 Sv in a single 24 hour period. So the radiation and magnetic field are probably going to play hell with any kind of electronics, or electric heating element. And good luck using gas as an electrical arc will probably cause an oxygen tank to explode. But let's say we somehow find a way to work around all those problems. Just how do we keep the fries from getting cold and mushy in the time it takes to get them to us at our survivable distance from Jupiter? I can barely get fries home from McDonald's w/o my wife telling me I took too long and that the fries are disgusting.

  39. Irony #46 by Tablizer · · Score: 1

    If the fries are too tasty, you become Jupiter.

  40. Re:that was KFC's innovation, Colonel Sanders secr by mirix · · Score: 2

    Sanders' isn't a deep fryer though, or at least it wasn't. The whole point is he didn't want the chicken to be deep fried, but pan fried (which was too bloody slow)... Hence the compromise of pressure-pan frying.

    Never worked at a KFC, so I'm googling it, and it sure looks like a deep fryer, though...

    --
    Sent from my PDP-11
  41. Uh flash point idiots... by locrien · · Score: 1

    Every somewhat decent cook knows you don't fry with olive oil.

    They call themselves scientists and don't even understand what the flash point of common cooking oils are.

    I call shananigans!

    1. Re:Uh flash point idiots... by Firethorn · · Score: 1

      Flash point is different than the smoke point. As for the oil used, it might be that they had Italian scientists who LOVE olive oil. Extra virgin oil has a high enough smoke point for *most* frying, though you need to keep good control over the temperature(hmm... I wonder if the scientists were set up to control that...)

      As for the probelm with having soggy bottoms, that would be why you'd use a proper fry tray that allows the fries to move around and ensure even cooking.

      --
      I don't read AC A human right
  42. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Bolt a generator to the roundabout.

  43. Henny Penny brand pressure deep fryer. moisture by raymorris · · Score: 1

    I'm pretty sure they use Henny Penny fryersm

    http://www.hennypenny.com/products/frying/pressure-fryers/

    The problem with open deep frying is that as the moisture within the meat boils, it bursts out as little steam explosions popping through the coating. Sealing the deep fryer to create pressure keeps the moisture inside. Because the steam doesn't escape in a pressure fryer, the hot steam goes into the meat, cooking the center more quickly.

    1. Re:Henny Penny brand pressure deep fryer. moisture by El+Puerco+Loco · · Score: 1

      The steam still comes out of the chicken. What do you think creates the pressure? The pressure raises the boiling point of water, just like in a regular pressure cooker. The chicken, being mostly water, reaches a higher internal temperature than it would without being pressurized, making the meat more tender.

  44. So will tomorrow's deep friers be centerfuges? by mark-t · · Score: 1

    [nt]

  45. What about the gravity by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    So, if you were theoretically able to build a skybase in the atmosphere like in starwars wouldn't the gravity be 9 times larger in the atmosphere also? Even if you could make the skybase, wouldn't this make it impossible to live on the base even if you could make it float?

  46. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by Firethorn · · Score: 1

    That would make starting your charcoal with liquid oxygen seem passe, I'm sure.

    Whirling hot oil around artificial lightning? Sign me up, just from a couple hundred yards away.

    --
    I don't read AC A human right
  47. Why not . . . by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    . . . make some healthy food for the astronauts? This is strange research.

  48. No virgins here by skidisk · · Score: 1

    The TFA says nothing about the oil other than it was hot, and the words "virgin" and "olive" do not occur anywhere.

    And as someone else noted, Jupiter is about 2.5 times Earth's gravity, not 9 as the submitter implies.

    Slashdot now runs Enquirer headlines, I guess. Sheesh.

    1. Re:No virgins here by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Read the second link the headline points to which is also TFA.

  49. I for one welcome... by valerio · · Score: 0

    ...our centrifugal frying overlords! CentriFRY 3000

  50. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by SuricouRaven · · Score: 2

    Don't. You can get gas-powered friers. Use those, put a canister of propane in the middle.

    Then turn it on by remote control from a safe distance. Such that you have to watch it through a telescope.

  51. I love science. by Chardansearavitriol · · Score: 1

    That's all.

  52. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by wonkey_monkey · · Score: 2

    He looks a bit stringy to me.

    --
    systemd is Roko's Basilisk.
  53. Extra virgin olive oil? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1

    They obviously had NO CLUE about how to make French Fries.

  54. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    if this were to become a reality in a commercial kitchen, i expect it to be implemented first at mcdonalds.. a place that started using robotic arm for french fries and automated soft drink fountains in the 90s.

  55. Acrylamide by dr.Flake · · Score: 1

    The thicker the crust and the higher the temperature, the more Acrylamide is formed.

    For those unaware that they are eating a neurotoxin damaging your male parts when consuming chips, coffee and french fries: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylamide

    One woud think the bright guys at NASA would take this into consideration before exposing their expensive astronauts to this stuff.

    --
    Why are other peoples sig's always more witty ???
    1. Re:Acrylamide by Red_Chaos1 · · Score: 1

      You're being disingenuous and just a little bit hyperbolic. The very article you link clearly points out that humans do not ingest enough acrylamide to be a problem from either a neurological or carcinogenic standpoint.

      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylamide#Acrylamide_toxicity_from_food_exposure
      http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Acrylamide#Human_cancer_risk_of_acrylamide_exposure_from_food

    2. Re:Acrylamide by Reziac · · Score: 1

      How the hell did I go from your link to reading about washing machines??

      Waitaminnut -- can you make french fries in the washer??

      --
      ~REZ~ #43301. Who'd fake being me anyway?
  56. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by GuldKalle · · Score: 1

    Induction cooking?

    --
    What?
  57. Oh, please, fix this historical mistake! by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Fries are NOT French! They are Belgian! I shall reclaim the retirement of the expression "French fries" for it's a lie. Call them "Belgian fries" instead and give due credit to their original creators. (If only Jefferson had travelled a little more to the North...)

    Amen.

  58. FREEDOM FRIES! by Shoten · · Score: 2

    No! Not French Fries! Freedom Fries! Remember 9/11!

    Also, not French Kissing! Freedom kissing! NO TONGUE, OR THE TERRORISTS WIN!

    (Sorry...apparently I've been possessed by the ghost of Ann Coulter's career. I have someone with common sense and knowledge of facts coming to perform an exorcism later today.)

    --

    For your security, this post has been encrypted with ROT-13, twice.
  59. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by fustakrakich · · Score: 1

    Watch out for stuxnet

    --
    “He’s not deformed, he’s just drunk!”
  60. Newfie Suicide by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    But what about gravy and curd cheese, eh?

    This is a Newfie suicide attempt! Someone call a counselor.

  61. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by blackanvil · · Score: 1

    I'm eagerly awaiting Alton Brown's commandeering of a playground roundabout with deep fryers lashed to the bars and an '01 Kia minivan's power wheel providing the input power.

    But how to distribute the AC power - rotors and brushes?

    Just use a portable generator -- you're going to want something to counterbalance the frying assembly anyway.

  62. Heat and pressure by peterofoz · · Score: 1

    It seems the factor was the amount of pressure between the fry and the oil. You could probably accomplish the same thing by submerging the fry in 2 ft of cooking oil rather than floating them on the surface. Not as much fun though.

    I concur about not cooking with olive oil - that's for cold dishes since heat destroys it. Cook with natural peanut or coconut oil, or lard for bacon flavor fries. Avoid the chemically refined and stripped vegetable oils.

  63. Fried chicken... by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    To make super awesome fried chicken you need a pressure fryer. That's some scary stuff... boiling hot oil under pressure... under control of a high school drop out... making minimum wage...

  64. Death. by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Death. Any other stupid questions?

  65. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by demonlapin · · Score: 1

    Deep frying turkeys is perfectly safe, provided you observe basic safety precautions. I'd try this, assuming I could find a reliable centrifugal fryer.

  66. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by S.O.B. · · Score: 1

    But you know, the same people who deep fry turkeys would try this.

    Centrifugal turkey fryer(tm).

    Next year's 911 top 10 call.

    --
    Some of what I say is fact, some is conjecture, the rest I'm just blowing out my ass...you guess.
  67. What Would they Taste Like? by RespekMyAthorati · · Score: 1

    Like Uranus, of course.

  68. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    He looks a bit stringy to me.

    Nonsense. If you cook him for 4 days at 52.2 degrees C precisely, then blowtorch his skin, he'll be perfectly edible.

  69. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Would be a centrifugal force deep fryer.

    Well, a high-capacity centrifuge is already mandatory. All we need to do is wire them up with a thermostatic heater... I'm thinking induction would be the best way of getting the power in there.

  70. Re:So, next piece of equipment for molecular gastr by Mars729 · · Score: 1

    The hot oil would whirl around faster in Jupiter's gravity. Difficult to predict by how much due to the viscosity of the cooking oil. I speculate it would travel about 60% faster (square root of 2.53), just like the most comfortable walking speed on Jupiter is 60% than on Earth. I say most comfortable because your legs work like a pendulum and the frequency of that is 60% higher. In lower and lower gravities walking becomes impractical because it is so slow -- you have to wait longer for your legs to complete a step. http://www.phys.ufl.edu/courses/phy3221/fall07/DanielDimAnalysisMost%20Comfortable%20Walking%20Speed.doc

  71. Watchmen Burgers by Dabido · · Score: 1

    I think Sally Jupiter would be unimpressed if people starting making French Fries on her.

    --
    Sure enough, the cow costume was hanging up next to the superhero outfit and sailors uniform. (S,Spud)
  72. Business Opportunities in Space by Optali · · Score: 2

    Well, this will definitely become the mayor incentive for the Human Colonization of Space: Building snack and fast food factories in Jupiter and Saturn...
    Instead of a the a war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire we will end up with Doritos vs. Pringles and a Starbucks on every asteroid.

    And the worst of it is that it perfectly fits all what already happened with each and every technology util now: Instead of intelligent supercomputers dedicated to advanced science and pure mathematics we have Facebook and porn, instead of flying in UFO at light speed in nice Starfleet uniforms we have fat moms driving their ugly kids to school in an SUV... shit, and the only Androids that we have are nothing more than crappy cordless phones with a few more functions. Shit, shit, shit.

    We should be drinking Vulcanian ale right now in a Klingon tavern :_(

    --
    -- 29A the number of the Beast