Deep Fryers - do you use one?

Morning Glory

Morning Glory

Obsessive cook
Staff member
Joined
19 Apr 2015
Local time
4:53 AM
Messages
48,204
Location
Maidstone, Kent, UK
I have a deep-fryer which sits on my kitchen counter top. I used to use it quite a lot but now there are only two of us here and I eat very little fried food so its not getting much use. I keep thinking I should use it (or put it away somewhere - in which case it will probably never come out again!) but the problem is, if I use it, it may well be several weeks before I use it again.

Is it OK to let the oil just sit there or should it be filtered off and kept in a container for next time? If the latter it puts me off using it as that would entail washing the whole thing. If the oil can sit there, then for how long?

And I'd be interested to know how often you change the oil. When it was getting a lot of use, I only changed it if it got really dark. I used to filter it if there were bits in it and pour it back in.

What do you do?
 
It has been a long time since we've used ours. Mostly use a pot on the stove top when we deep fry, which isn't very often.
 
Craig forgot, we actually gave ours to DD as she didn't have one once she left the former SIL.

Since we never used it much, I would always filter and place in a clean soda bottle and refrigerate.

It would only get used 2, maybe 3 times depending on what was cooked in it. If fish was fried, the oil got tossed after.
 
I used to use the deep fryer from time to time, but it's mostly collecting dust because I never use it...health concerns, you know.

Whenever I've used it, I allow the oil to cool (which can take several hours), then I filter the oil through a fine mesh strainer and a cheese cloth. The oil will be darker, but it's usually still usable at least one more time. This all depends on what you decided to fry. Oysters completely destroyed the oil, but chips (fries) are clean enough that you can reuse the oil several times.

There is also a residual flavor that comes from the food you've fried. Besides oysters wrecking the quality of the oil, there's also a distinctive oyster flavor that you might not want in the next thing you fry.

Assuming it's cooled sufficiently, the oil can be funneled back into its original container. Note that first part of the sentence, though: these containers are almost always plastic, and I have partly melted a container when I was impatient about things.
 
The Late Night Gourmet said:
Whenever I've used it, I allow the oil to cool (which can take several hours), then I filter the oil through a fine mesh strainer and a cheese cloth. The oil will be darker, but it's usually still usable at least one more time.
Click to expand...

So you wouldn't let it sit in the deep fat frier (filtered or unfiltered)? Is there a reason that it couldn't be filtered straight back into the frier to save having to clean out the frier?
 
morning glory said:
So you wouldn't let it sit in the deep fat frier (filtered or unfiltered)? Is there a reason that it couldn't be filtered straight back into the frier to save having to clean out the frier?
Click to expand...
Are you talking about leaving it there for days at a time? My main concern would be contamination. Unless it's only a day, I'd expect an additional source of protein would have crawled in by the time you fire it up again.
 
The Late Night Gourmet said:
Are you talking about leaving it there for days at a time? My main concern would be contamination. Unless it's only a day, I'd expect an additional source of protein would have crawled in by the time you fire it up again.
Click to expand...

I was talking a week or so!!! Why would it get contaminated? Its covered as it would be in a bottle. We need a food hygiene expert...
 
Former SIL told DD that it was okay to leave the oil sitting in the fryer. I assume that's what his dad did. None of them died from anything fried in it. I have no idea how long they kept it and how many times they used it, but I guess as long as nothing gets dropped in the cool oil that would have Clostridium botulinum on it (the bacteria that causes botulism) you'd be okay as heating the oil to frying temperatures would kill any bacteria. Remember the toxin the bacteria secretes is what makes you sick, not the bacteria itself.
 
Last edited:
The Late Night Gourmet said:
I suppose if you inspect it before heating it up, that would be okay. I'm always concerned about unwelcome guests when I have good products out, especially as the weather starts to warm up.
Click to expand...

You probably eat a lot of "unwelcome guests" that you don't realize. The government allows a certain amount of insect parts in the processed food you eat.
 
medtran49 said:
Former SIL told DD that it was okay to leave the oil sitting in the fryer. I assume that's what his dad did. None of them died from anything fried in it. I have no idea how long they kept it and how many times they used it, but I guess as long as nothing gets dropped in the cool oil that would have Clostridium botulinum on it (the bacteria that causes botulism) you'd be okay as heating the oil to frying temperatures would kill any bacteria. Remember the toxin the bacteria secretes is what makes you sick, not the bacteria itself.
Click to expand...

OK. So I can leave the fat in the frier. As you say, it is heated to high temperatures so it kills off bacteria. Thank you!
 
Presto Big Kitchen Kettle_.jpg

Usually to make deep fried chicken or fish. But not that often. :wink:
 
Markus-O said:
When we had our deep fryer it sat out on the balcony all the time. We changed out the oil when it looked dark or if we cooked fish. Sometimes it would be in there for a couple of months.
Click to expand...

Didn't the oil go rancid?!! Once that happens, dump it!! :ohmy::headshake:
 
Ok my frier has a lid that covers it all up. I use mainly for twice fried chips. However I deep fry croquettes and samosas. Or fresh fish. I clean out by pouring through muslin especially after croquettes as the crumbs seem to stay in the frier. Hardly ever replace as last time I topped it up it was nearly 2 litres. I also make fried chicken southern style with bread crumbs.

Russ
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom