| One of the cheapest forms of fuel is firewood. | | | | types of fuels, especially if you go get it yourself. |
| To get a winter wood supply of fuel legally you | | | | Deep Fryer - Pieces of Wisdom |
| need to apply for a firewood cutting permit from | | | | We all know how to deep fry food in a domestic |
| the Forest Service. This is really easy to do at | | | | situation but deep frying commercially is a |
| the Forest Service office. If there isn't an office in | | | | different matter. The process is described here |
| your town, just phone the nearest office and | | | | as are the Deep Fryer cook's safety tips. |
| apply over the telephone. They just require that | | | | For a time I worked in a convenience store as a |
| you live in the area and have a telephone contact | | | | clerk and cook and I used a deep fryer quite a bit |
| number, plus your mailing and residential address. | | | | for cooking battered chicken and French fried |
| When you receive your firewood cutting permit, it | | | | potatoes. |
| has an information sheet explaining what trees | | | | Of course the chicken doesn't start out battered. |
| you can cut down and where you can legally cut | | | | It comes delivered frozen in big cardboard boxes. |
| those trees. Basically you can cut dead trees, not | | | | Before the chicken is ready for the cooking part |
| valuable for commercial use, on land that is not | | | | it must be prepared and time to thaw out. Each |
| privately owned, or leased out as tree farm or | | | | piece of chicken is rinsed in cold water, then put in |
| wood lot to other people. Tree farm land must | | | | a vat of tenderising, salty water to soak for |
| have signs posted plainly identifying it as such. | | | | several hours in a refrigerated area. It is again |
| We are assuming here that you have some | | | | rinsed and kept cold, until needed for cooking. |
| knowledge of how to use a chainsaw safely, to | | | | When needed for cooking the chicken is breaded |
| cut down trees. You should also have training or | | | | in a special spicy flour mix, dipped in spice water, |
| experience in the correct method used in cutting | | | | and breaded with mix again. Each piece is than |
| down trees. You don't get a second chance here. | | | | carefully placed in the boiling oil in the deep fryer; |
| If something goes wrong, while the tree is being | | | | starting with the large, meaty pieces, and finishing |
| cut down, it becomes deadly serious. | | | | with the thin bony pieces. This gives the thick |
| To go get your fuel for winter, you take a drive | | | | meaty pieces more time to cook. They get the |
| in a rural area, usually on gravel, Forest Service | | | | hottest oil in the pot to start off the cooking |
| roads, far away from privately owned property. | | | | process. The deep fryer is on a timer and part |
| The area you will cut in will not display signs | | | | way through the cooking process the timer sets |
| indicating it is leased from the Forest Service, as | | | | off an alarm which notifies you that it's time to |
| a wood lot, or tree farm. You look as you drive | | | | stir the chicken, so it gets all sides cooked evenly, |
| slowly along for areas which contain dead trees. | | | | even the sides touching when first put in the |
| Trees which look discolored, with brown needles | | | | fryer. After stirring the chicken it cooks until the |
| near the top or all the way down are a good | | | | end of cooking cycle alarm goes off. Then the |
| indicator of this. When you find a promising area | | | | pot elevator will automatically lift the cooking |
| get out and take a walk through the woods, with | | | | basket out of the hot oil, allowing the chicken to |
| your saw. If you are in hilly terrain be sure to find | | | | drip off the excess oil. |
| dead trees up hill from your vehicle, so you move | | | | The deep fryer also cooks French fried potatoes. |
| the cut wood down hill to your vehicle. Make the | | | | After cutting the potatoes into the elongated |
| work as easy as possible for yourself. Try to find | | | | cube shape in a cutter, the fries are battered, |
| dead trees as close to the road as possible. | | | | dipped and battered again. They then can be |
| When you find a dead tree you want, take a | | | | gently lowered in hands full, into the boiling oil. The |
| good look at it first. Check to see if it looks | | | | cooking is again controlled by a timer, which |
| rotten. Give it a kick. Does it look sturdy? Does | | | | sounds when the cooking cycle has completed. |
| the tree move at all? Does it look like any | | | | After 4 cooks the oil in the fryer needs to be |
| branches are loose above you, that could fall | | | | filtered to clean it for future cooking cycles. |
| down on you while you are working beneath the | | | | Another alarm indicates when oil filtering needs to |
| tree? Look up in the direction you want to fall the | | | | occur. |
| tree to. Is there a clear path for the tree to fall | | | | The heat on the oil is turned off, so the oil can |
| through, to hit the ground, without hitting any | | | | cool down enough to work with. The cooking |
| other nearby trees? You can save yourself a lot | | | | basket is raised and removed from the fryer. A |
| of time and work, planning the direction the tree | | | | valve is turned to allow the oil to drain down into |
| will fall, so it goes down hill toward your vehicle, | | | | the filtering drawer. When the oil has drained the |
| without hitting any other trees, and getting stuck | | | | empty oil reservoir is brushed, including the |
| in their branches. | | | | heating coil element, to remove anything sticking |
| When you have done all the planning, fell the tree | | | | to their surfaces. A pump is turned on which |
| carefully. If needed, use a falling wedge and axe. | | | | circulates the oil repeatedly through the filter. The |
| When the tree is down on the ground safely, cut | | | | filtering can take place for 10 or 15 minutes, |
| off all the branches. Next cut the trunk into 3 to | | | | depending how dark the oil appears in color. When |
| 4 ft lengths. This will depend on how big and | | | | the oil has become lighter in color it is pumped |
| heavy it is. You will be flipping these lengths of | | | | back up to the oil reservoir, after the valve at |
| wood toward your vehicle. When you have all the | | | | the bottom of the pot has been closed. The |
| wood close to your vehicle cut it into the size | | | | heating element is turned on and the oil is brought |
| pieces your heater will handle. | | | | back up to cooking temperature. The unpleasant |
| Load up your vehicle. Be careful not to overload it. | | | | part is scooping out the sludge at the bottom of |
| Drive carefully back home, keeping an eye out | | | | the filter drawer. Then the cleaned filter is dusted |
| for other vehicles. Your vehicle will react slower | | | | with a special powder, put back in its place under |
| when loaded. | | | | the fryer pot, and all is ready to go again. |
| Before piling the wood in a woodshed or wood | | | | Yes the fryer does most of the cooking for you |
| pile, split each piece in half, so it will dry faster. | | | | but watch out for the hot oil when loading the |
| Keep the wood sheltered from rain and snow. If | | | | food into the cooking basket. Even wearing rubber |
| not piled in a woodshed, cover the wood pile with | | | | gloves won't stop the oil from burning you, should |
| plastic sheeting, which can be obtained from a | | | | it splash on your hands as the food drops into the |
| hardware store. | | | | hot oil. The secret is to be brave and gutsy. Get |
| There is nothing finer than a wood fire, to heat | | | | the food close to the oil before you drop it in. |
| your home. It gives off a dry, rosy, comforting | | | | That way the splash is really small, and doesn't |
| sort of heat. Another great advantage to using | | | | jump up to fry your wrist. |
| wood is that it is low priced, compared to other | | | | Happy cooking. Cook, but don't be cooked. |