When you’re running a food business, you’re going to need a deep fryer too. This is just as important as a stove top for restaurants that serve fried goods. So, the two main issues with a deep fryer are either a smell coming from it or it being too smoky or both at the same time. Does it have something to do with the oil or do you need to consult a commercial appliances repair expert? Let’s know.

Causes Of A Smelly Commercial Deep Fryer

Here are some of the reasons why your commercial fryer can get smelly.

It Is Dirty

This is probably one of the most common reasons why your commercial deep fryer is really smelly. It can be because of not cleaning your deep fryer chamber every now and then.

Look, the deep fryer is also an appliance. You have to ensure that you’re cleaning it every so often so that you don’t end up with this issue, otherwise, this is not going to turn out well.

So, make sure that you empty out the oil chamber and clean it up nice and good either daily or after every couple of days.

There Is Debris In The Oil

This is also another reason why your deep fryer may be smelly. You fry up a lot of things in this bad boy, so you might see debris if food settles at the bottom and sometimes, these very specks of food can be responsible for altering the taste of the food you’re frying in the fryer and also causing bad odor. This is not good at all.

This is why it is so important that you’re cleaning the deep fryer as you go and skimming off all of the debris and any foaming that is present on top of the oil. This will save your deep fryer from getting smelly.

You Haven’t Changed The Oil

This is also a huge problem and this is understandable, since it is a lot of oil. But as a commercial food business, you have to stop frying everything in the same oil for a long time.

Depending on how much the fryer is used every day, you have to ensure that you’re changing the oil every 2-6 days. It also depends on the food. Some food require frequent oil change the other food items.

If you keep the same old, stale oil, then your food as well as the fryer is bound to get smelly and the food won’t have the taste and crisp that your customers desire.

Is There Clogging?

A commercial fryer has a lot of slots and chambers from where heat is emanated as well as where the oil is drained once you’re ready to change it. But with these slots, clogs can also be a major problem.

Food debris and specks can get stuck in these slots and cause bad smell. So, you want to double-check those slots and ensure that there isn’t anything in clogging them. To avoid these problems, thoroughly clean your commercial fryer every week, apart from daily cleaning and oil filtering.

Does The Vent Work?

There are also vents in commercial deep fryers and they do exactly what you think they do. They let the air ventilate the closed oil chamber. This is important because the oil is kept stagnant in a small, closed chamber and if there are no vents, then things can get really smelly in there.

So, if these vents are clogged or improperly installed, then that is not going to be good. You have to check these vents and have them cleaned or fixed if there’s an issue.

Causes Of A Smoky Commercial Deep Fryer

Is your commercial fryer producing a lot of smoke? Here are some reasons why it can happen.

You’re Using The Wrong Oil

A smoky commercial deep fryer can be due to many reasons. However, one of the most common reasons can be using the wrong oil. There are many types of oils out there. There are some oils that are perfect for frying such as canola, vegetable, and peanut oil, and then there are others that aren’t so much, like flaxseed, walnut, sesame, and extra virgin olive oil.

If you’re using an oil with a very low smoke point, then it will heat up really quickly and then it will cause smoke to emanate from the deep fryer. So, avoid oils with low smoke points.

The Oil Hasn’t Been Changed For Some Time

Changing the oil frequently is really important and if you didn’t realize the importance of this seemingly simple thing, then here is your proof. Old oil or oil that has been used for a long time without changing can lead to not only a bad or stale taste in the oil and the food, but it can also lead to the oil getting smoked up really quickly and then the deep fryer will look like a witch’s cauldron.

So, you don’t need to use the same oil for too long. Change it frequently and you’ll save yourself from a lot of problems.

The Thermostat Is Broken

Sometimes, you might think that your oil is set at the right temperature, but it won’t be. So, if your instinct is telling you one thing and the thermostat is showing another reading, trust your instinct because the thermostat could be broken.

So, even though you might have set things at the right temperature, it might be really high, and it can lead to a smoky fryer and could even burn the food, which is really bad. This means you should always keep a food-grade thermometer to double-check the temperature when you feel that the fryer’s temperature readings are not right.

You’re Putting Things In Wrong

There is a certain way you have to put things into the deep fryer. This is going to be different for frozen items and even fresh items. For frozen things, you want to thaw the stuff before you pop them in the oil. If you put icy cold and hard things straight into the hot oil, it will sizzle and smoke like there’s no tomorrow.

For fresh items, you want to throw them in the deep fryer straight away, because if you’re using chicken or something with a lot of moisture, you don’t want to wait too long and let the water come in contact with the hot oil.

Uneven Heat Distribution

The heating element of the commercial deep fryer can be faulty too and it can lead to uneven spots in the frying chamber. Some spots will be very hot and some will be cold. The spots that are extremely hot will also smoke very easily and that is not good at all.

So, you definitely want hire an expert to check the heating element if you notice this problem, because it is just ruining the oil very quickly.

Conclusion

A commercial deep fryer shouldn’t be smelly or smoky. And now you know exactly why this can happen and how you can combat these issues so that your food quality doesn’t get compromised. Moreover, hire a deep fryer repair Alexandria technician for inspections and maintenance.