30

Apr

10 Tips For Using Your Commercial Deep Fryer Safely And Efficiently

Commercial deep fryers are used in restaurants and fast-food kitchens daily. They’re quite possibly the most used appliance for many businesses. So, if you want them to last long and not to break down on you at the rush hour, which would mean pausing food preparation and calling a commercial appliances repair expert, then here are some things to remember.

Commercial Deep Fryer Tips To Remember

Check The Temperature

First things first, you need to understand the numbers and what is the perfect temperature for the oil in the fryer. There are different temperatures for different oils used in deep frying, so as someone who’s dealing with the deep fryer regularly, you need to know these figures like the back of your hand. If you think that the temperature is the same for every oil, then you’re gravely mistaken.

Here are some common oils used in deep frying and their smoke points a.k.a. the temperature at which the oil starts to produce smoke and lead things to burn:

  • Canola oil: 400 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Peanut oil: 450 degrees Fahrenheit
  • Vegetable oil: 400-450 degrees Fahrenheit

You might be wondering: What happens if the oil starts to smoke up? Well, the most common thing that can go downhill is the quality of the food and it can be really hard to bring down the temperature, and a lot of food will be burnt and wasted till that happens.

Clean It Daily

Just like any other kitchen or restaurant equipment that’s used over and over again, you need to clean it up so that the food prepared in it can taste good. The same goes for a commercial deep fryer.

A tip that will make the food taste great and preserve the oil in it, is to always clean out the vat after every use. This will ensure that there aren’t any burnt food crumbs in the oil that’s making it dirty and there is also not a weird taste imparted to the food. If the fryer is clean, then it will make all of the difference.

Don’t Overfill It

It might seem tempting to fill the deep fryer to the brim with oil, but that’s not a good idea at all. There are a lot of things that can go wrong if you try to deep fry foods in a vat that’s brimming with hot oil.

Firstly, there’s a limit in every deep fryer. For example, if a deep fryer has a capacity of 20 liters, then you need to take that number seriously and only fill it up to the mentioned limit. That’s not to say that it can’t hold more oil per se, but the heating will be off and the food won’t cook perfectly.

Secondly, there’s always a danger of oil bubbling over and splattering on the floor and even on the staff member frying the food and anyone near it.

Handle With Care

You may already know that oil and heat is a deadly combination. It’s hot and there’s a lot that can be damaged. So, you need to ensure that you’re keeping yourself and the surroundings safe at all times.

Wear protective cooking gear like thick aprons, and gloves and protect the surroundings from splatters with a screen or some sort of obstacle so that the oil doesn’t fly around everywhere.

Change Out The Oil

Deep fryers can reuse oil to a certain extent, but that doesn’t mean that you can use it over and over. Even reused oil has its limit and once the food starts to taste off, that’s when you know it’s time to change it. Yes, discarding huge liters of oil can be painful and you may want to keep using it, but the taste will soon give away this fact and the customers will start to complain.

So, it’s better to be safe than sorry. So, after every 5-8 heavy-duty frying sessions, you should consider changing the fryer oil.

Unclog The Fryer

A deep fryer has a lot of parts that need to be looked after and the best time to get them all cleaned up is when the vat is empty. You need to inspect the filters of the deep fryer and check for any clogs.

The deep fryer drain is similar to a sink drain and it has holes in it. You can use a thin and long rod to poke out any clogs. Just make sure that whenever you’re cleaning the vat, it’s cold to the touch so that cleaning it won’t be an accident waiting to happen.

Keep The Oil Clean

A lot of chefs have the habit of seasoning the fried items right over the oil. That’s not the brightest idea, because they’re essentially making the oil prematurely dirty. Things like salt, pepper, and other spices might seem harmless, but they can make the oil very dirty and the taste can get altered too. Because of this whenever you go ahead and fry something else in the seasoned oil, there will be a distinct taste that you won’t be able to mask.

Plus, it’s not smart to season things on top of the hot oil because you never know if moisture in certain spices can trigger the oil to bubble violently.

Is That A Leak?

This is something that needs to be taken seriously. If you’re frying things in a deep fryer just like any other day, but you see drops of oil on the floor, then that is something that shouldn’t be left unnoticed.

Sometimes, a leak isn’t visible, but there can be signs that show the problem. For instance, you might notice the oil level in the vat slowly decreasing and that’s a prelude to a physical leak that’s just around the corner.

So, if you see these signs, you want to stop everything, let the fryer cool down, take the oil out, and have it inspected for internal cracks or issues that might be causing the leak.

Different Fryers For Different Oils

Did you know that there are different fryers for oils with different smoke points? They’re designed according to the temperature ranges of the oil and you can’t use a different oil in that fryer because it will be really hard to set the temperature and get everything to deep fry to perfection.

Therefore, always make sure that you’re getting a deep fryer that’s meant for the type of oil you use in the kitchen. This is something that will save you from frequent repairs.

Check For Power Issues And Gas Leaks

Even though deep fryers are gas-powered or electricity-powered, you need to ensure that there aren’t any loose circuits, shocks, or even gas leaks in the fryer. These are accelerants for accidents and a small thing can lead to a mountain of issues if you’re not too careful.

So, whenever the deep fryer is not in use, just do a quick run-over and check for any loose wiring, cracks in the gas pipes, damaged gas valve, etc.

Conclusion

Commercial deep fryers can be a pain to get repaired if you’re not too careful, so these tips will ensure that they stay in pristine condition for longer. In case there is a problem, it’s better to get it repaired by an authorized deep fryer repair Alexandria service.