Fry ice (and why you should never do it)

Some people think that everything tastes better when fried. But can you really fry everything? Have you ever wondered what would happen if you tried to fry ice?

Can you fry ice?

You cannot and should not fry ice. Since there is a large temperature difference between hot oil and ice, the ice starts to melt as soon as it comes into contact with the oil. Also, as the shape of the ice changes from solid to vapor almost instantly, an intense bubbling reaction is created which can cause hot oil to boil out of the pan, potentially causing severe burns and/or fire.

In this article, you’ll learn why you should never try frying ice. We’ll also tell you what happens when you try to fry dry ice, the science behind the ice-oil reaction, and much more.

Can you fry ice?

The temperature difference between ice and hot oil is enormous. The oil temperature in a deep fryer is often over 300° F . In fact, it can get as high as 375°F. The freezing point of water, on the other hand, is 32°F.

The significant temperature difference between the fryer oil and the ice means that the moment the ice touches the oil, it will start to melt.

The ice (water) will begin to evaporate expanding into steam.  This expanding water will begin to push the oil, often causing hot oil to spill out of the fryer and onto the floor .

Therefore, you cannot fry ice as it will not only melt but create a dirty and dangerous situation in your kitchen.

Similarly, you should never put water in hot oil. Even a few drops in a pot of hot oil can leave you with oil burns and a possible fire.

What happens when you put ice in a deep fryer?

To understand what happens when you put ice in the fryer, it would be good to first explain how transitions between states of matter occur. It is known that matter exists in three states: liquid, solid, and gas.

Water can go from one state to another depending on the temperature to which it is exposed.

As a result of temperature changes affecting water, its molecules begin to vibrate at different speeds. The higher the temperature, the faster the molecules vibrate.

The increase in heat causes the ice to melt, causing it to change from a solid to a liquid.

If you maintain a high temperature, the water molecules will continue to vibrate intensely.  The water will begin to boil and will pass into a gaseous state, turning into steam. 

So what happens to the ice and oil when you expose cold ice cubes to boiling oil?

By the time you put the ice in the fryer, the oil is in its active state: it is vibrating at high speed. Ice molecules, on the other hand, are not active.

As a consequence of the drastic changes in temperature, the ice cubes begin to crack, and the ice molecules are instantly activated.

Due to the large temperature differences between the ice and the oil, the reaction in the experiment can be quite violent, with a lot of bubbling in the fryer. 

However, keep in mind that the intensity of this reaction also depends on the amount of ice you put into the fryer.

One or two ice cubes will produce a strong boil, while putting many ice cubes in the deep fryer at once can create a very sudden and intense reaction. If you put too much ice in the fryer, the oil can boil.

dry ice for frying

Dry ice does not react with oil in the same way as normal ice. Experiments conducted to find out how dry ice reacts with oil in the fryer revealed that it did not produce the same violent reaction as regular ice.

In case you didn’t know, dry ice is carbon dioxide in solid form.

The name comes from the ability of dry ice to go from the solid state directly to the gaseous state, skipping the liquid phase. Compared to normal ice, dry ice is heavier and colder.

When you put dry ice in hot oil, it does cause some bubbles, but not as much as regular ice when you put it in a deep fryer. If you put a piece of dry ice in boiling oil, it will reduce continuously.

What to do if you accidentally drop ice in the deep fryer

While the chances of accidentally dropping an ice cube into a hot deep fryer are low, you never know what can happen.

You might be making a cup of iced coffee at the same time you’re making French fries and an ice cube slips out of your hands and falls directly into the fryer filled with boiling oil.

So if this happens, what do you do? First of all, now that you know what happens when ice touches hot oil, you should always keep it away from the fryer.

In other words, when cooking with a deep fryer, ice should not be anywhere near the deep fryer. 

If you can’t prevent the accident from happening, the best thing to do is to get as far away from the fryer as possible, since you can burn yourself if a flame arises as a result of the ice coming into contact with the hot oil.

And what happens if the fryer catches fire? If the fire is not big, you can try to put it out by covering it with the fryer lid. If things get more serious, ask for help to stay safe. 

So can you fry frozen stuff?

The fact that putting ice in a deep fryer is not a good idea may make you wonder if all things frozen and a deep fryer make a bad duo.

The truth is that certain foods can go into hot oil and produce great results. They are usually foods covered in some type of batter. The batter is the protective layer that prevents the food from absorbing too much oil. 

Some frozen foods that can safely go into the deep fryer are French fries, onion rings, mozzarella sticks, nuggets, and corn dogs.

Ice cream can also go in the deep fryer if it’s coated in crushed cornflakes or anything else that will act as a protective coating to keep it from melting.

But whatever frozen food you’re frying, be sure to remove any excess ice before putting it in the fryer. 

General fryer safety rules

When using your deep fryer, there are a few safety precautions to keep in mind:

• Fill the fryer with oil when it is off, so that it gradually comes up to temperature once the fryer is turned on.
• Place the fryer away from any source of water. 
• Always have a fire extinguisher handy. 
• Check the smoke point of the oil you are using to prevent it from burning. 
• Use metal tongs to remove food from the fryer. 
• Dry defrosted food before putting it in the deep fryer. 

Do cold oil and ice mix?

When you put ice in hot oil, it quickly turns from a solid to a gas. But would oil and ice mix if the oil wasn’t hot?

Oil and ice just don’t mix, just like oil doesn’t mix with water.  Oil is hydrophobic. In other words, it repels water. 

If you put an ice cube in a glass full of water, you will witness a confusing scene. The ice will float on top of the oil, while the water droplets caused by the melting of the ice will sink to the bottom of the glass. Why is this happening?

The answer is simple.  Water is denser than oil and therefore sinks to the bottom. It is also denser than ice . Ice, on the other hand, is less dense than oil, so it floats to the top of the glass.