Least ugly way to prevent oil splatters

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agp

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Hi all, what's the least ugly way you found to prevent oil splatters? I thought about getting a stainless steel backsplash, but I'm not sure where the bottom of that would sit. If the steel is just stuck to the wall, and the stove is pushed up almost against the wall, then over time, the oil splatter would go on the steel backsplash and then drip down behind the oven. Anyone found a good way to prevent this aside from getting one of those flat splash guards to put on the top of the pan?
 
You mean behind a freestanding stove/oven combination right?

My goto solution has been not to look behind the stove too often, but I'm sure that a stainless (or any material that can be cleaned easily and is heat resistant) with a something like a U profile sealed off at the sides at the bottom end of the splash guard will work. You'd have to clean out the gutter that forms regularly but likely not too often.

These days I'm using a induction hob that is sunk into the countertop which sits flush to the wall and the gap between the countertop and backsplash is closed off with Silicone.
 
Yeah a U profile or L profile at the bottom would probably work. Or just put some paper towels on the floor and accept it. Out of sight, out of mind. ;)
 
The Viking ranges have a couple of stainless splashes. I think there is a 6 inch and a taller one with a shelf so you can use the heat lamps in the hood to keep food warm.

I did not buy either. I used a metal backing. It was a metal ceiling tile for behind my Viking range. My grandmother was an artist so she painted porcelain tiles that she used behind hers when I was a kid.

I try not to fry food on the very back burners. I have had my Viking out from the wall and I have not seen any run downs at the back or on the flour. The only place I see oil dripping is from my hood and that is when I clean the Viking range hood filters.
 
that screen spatter guard is surprisingly effective.

41MC74XGQQL._AC_.jpg
 
i use this thing sometimes

https://frywall.com/
1636505222249.png


silicone funnel that rests on the cookware rim

i like it because you can manipulate the pan contents while it's in place. it doesn't completely eliminate mess, but it reduces it.

i throw it in the dishwasher. if it's heavily slicked with oil, i wipe with a paper towel first.
 
I've looked at this gadget before and couldn't bring myself to buy one. I was afraid that it might be one of those things that just clutter the place up. It sounds like it actually works?

I do have a spatter screen, but it doesn't work all that well: a lot of the droplets go right through and make a mess anyway.
 
Use a wok, or a dutch oven whenever you can... Definitely keeps the mess down... Sometimes you need the faster evap-ratio, surface airflow, or maneuverability of lower pans, and - even with splatter screens (I've got one, and use it. As above, it only does so much.) - I'm not sure you can avoid the mess with them entirely.

Seen some neat tricks in Japan, lining the tray under the burners with foil to keep the stove clean... Looks ghetto, but must make things easier to clean. As for the backsplash area/behind the range... Crikey... I don't want to look back there! 😱

I've got an SS backsplash, which protects the wall from heat, and makes it marginally easier to clean. I guess you could rig something up with foil-tape, and foil out of sight below the range, to catch the grease, but that's the least of your issues... Any crack, crud will find its way down... If grease is getting back there, even with a powerful vent hood, it's going to end up on every surface in the kitchen. I've steam-cleaned my walls and ceiling a few times, so I'm quite familiarized with where cooking vapors can deposit themselves. It's sort of incredible...
 
sansho said:
i use this thing sometimes

https://frywall.com/
View attachment 151216

silicone funnel that rests on the cookware rim

i like it because you can manipulate the pan contents while it's in place. it doesn't completely eliminate mess, but it reduces it.

i throw it in the dishwasher. if it's heavily slicked with oil, i wipe with a paper towel first.
Click to expand...

I’ll third this gadget. Much better than a screen. If I’m cooking something extra splattery, the frywall comes out of the drawer.

doesn’t really meet your “not ugly” requirement though.
 
to be honest. i do the most damaging cooking outdoors. eff it.

my neighbor is always poking his head over the fence..."is that Lumpia?".
 
Kippington said:
You could do what my mom did and lay out newspaper everywhere... 🤣
Click to expand...

ever since switching to induction, i actually do that sometimes. or old kitchen towels. it's pretty crazy that you can have them almost touching the skillet, and nothing bad happens.
 
imo it's better than nothing, but it only captures some of the spatter. it obviously can't capture particles that go above it. i'll give candid action shots in a bit.
 
Last edited:
first, the good. you can see what it captured:

PXL_20211111_023036357.jpg


but check this out:

PXL_20211111_022910783.jpg


closeup of area the thermapen probe is pointing at in the previous pic:

PXL_20211111_022928397.jpg


what a mess! most of that is from this cooking session. i cooked several burgers over relatively high heat. i was cooking for over 20 minutes i bet.

unfortunately, the blower in my range hood died, so i have no extraction. i'm back to opening up the windows. it was smoky in the kitchen. i think a lot of this is actually mist that would have normally been extracted by my hood.

this kind of confirms it:

PXL_20211111_023002157.jpg


there's a lot of oil even in the pan's shadow.

i guess even after all these pictures, i can't give you a clear, conclusive demo because my hood's broken. sorry. the only thing that's clear is frywall doesn't save you if you have no fume exraction.

i definitely do remember better results in the past when my blower worked. no pictures to say exactly how good though.

also, i've never used one of those screen things, so i can't say how they compare.
 
if you have no fume extraction, i think it is worthwhile in lower temp cooking where you have spatter but little to no mist or smoke. or in something like candy making where you have sugar spatter.
 
sansho said:
i use this thing sometimes

https://frywall.com/
View attachment 151216

silicone funnel that rests on the cookware rim

i like it because you can manipulate the pan contents while it's in place. it doesn't completely eliminate mess, but it reduces it.

i throw it in the dishwasher. if it's heavily slicked with oil, i wipe with a paper towel first.
Click to expand...
Cool design! But, would have nowhere to store it in my kitchen.
 
I embrace the splatters, and clean afterwards...some fats splatter less than others and avoiding some fats/oils is about all I do about it.
 
Patting dry + seasoning + leaving uncovered in the fridge for a full day on a rack before cooking. Easiest upgrade to your meat you can do. And if you insist on doing SV, do a pre-sear before bagging it. Once you start doing it I think you'll rarely do your steaks and bigger meats in any other way.
 
If you mean wet brining then I disagree passionately. Adding water = dilluting flavor. Everytime I tried it because people claim 'oh my god it makes things so nice and juicy', I'm left thinking 'yeah and it makes it taste like cheap pumped up crap'. Good meat doesn't require added water to remain juicy if prepared correctly.
It might make sense for certain charcutterie / cured meats kind of prep, but for 'normal' meat or bird preps... no thanks. Dry brining is really the way to go for me.
 
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