Basic Components of a Fryer

Most fryers feature stainless steel on the front and sides, doors, and basket hangers. Economy fryers may have aluminized sides. The food rests in a frypot made of insulated steel. Frypots have a tank capacity that hold oil e.g. 40, 50 or 75 pounds of oil. Frying areas are commonly 14" x 14" or 18" x 18". The "cold zone" or "sediment zone"collects debris such as crumbs from breaded foods and slows down the carbonization process and help regard flavor transfer.

Thermostats keep the oil temperature precise, typically 350 - 400 degrees. In particular, a 1 degree action thermostat keeps the temperature steady and cooks the food uniformly. It also extends the life of your cooking oil or shortening. A centerline thermostat senses frozen food items immediately and gets the cooking process started more quickly. Your fryers thermostat might work together with jet burners, which raise the cooking surface to allow the flames to flow freely.

• Disconnect-valve combo: Prevents intentional or accidental disconnect of the gas until the gas is completely shut down. This also helps protect your fryer from growing bacteria.
• Drainboard: Collects excess grease and can double as a cover for the frying area when not in use
• Submerger screen: Provides food with direct contact with cooking oil without the threat of the food falling into the pit
• Ribbon design: Offering uniform heat transfer for thorough cooking
• Melt cycle: For liquefying shortening for cooking
• Solid state controls: Digital readout of the temperature, signal lights, and on/off switch
• Extra large capacity frypots: For cooking larger quantities of food quicker
• Twin kettles: Fries different types of food simultaneously without flavor transfer

Gas vs. Electric Fryers

Your first major decision in selecting a commercial fryer will be to decide between a gas powered fryer or electric powered fryer.

Gas fryers may be cheaper to operate and recover heat more quickly. Also, high-end gas fryers heat up faster than any other type. Gas fryers can use natural or propane gas.

Electric fryers are very efficient. They feature more safety measures and enhanced controls for temperature and time limits. With electric fryers, a low-watt design may be available that extends the life of both the heating elements and the oil or shortening. Electric fryers are also preferable for businesses that move frequently or reorganize the kitchen- they disassemble quickly for easy portability and storage.

Floor Models

Floor model fryers are most common and can have pot sizes ranging from 35-110 pounds of oil.Open-Pot refers to the heating area being element free or unobstructed. Electric models use a foldable element that can be moved for easy cleaning. Gas models use gas burners outside the fry pot. Open pots allow for easier cleaning, but have smaller “cold zones” (the area in which sediment can collect without burning and aging your oil) so they are not ideal for high sediment or specialty frying
Pros:
• Well suited for most frying applications. (Fries, Wings, Cheese Sticks, etc)
• Low price point.
• Easiest to clean.

Cons:
• Small cold / sediment zone. (Not suitable for specialty frying).

Tube fryers are suited for the same application as open-pot fryers, but the larger cold zone allows them to be used for specialty product as well. These fryers have elements submerged in the oil which are permanently fixed, which means cleaning can be more difficult.

Pros:
• Widest range of frying applications. (Chicken, Onion blossoms, fish, etc)
• Large cold zone for collection of sediment.

Cons:
• Higher price point than open-pot fryers.
• Difficult to clean

Counter Top

Do not let their small size fool you. These counter top fryers can do everything their big brother can, just on a small scale. These are great for small areas of for a restaurant that has small frying needs. Countertop fryer pot sizes range from 15-35 pounds of oil.

Fryer Purchasing Checklist

How much food do I need to prepare in a fryer every hour?
Will I need multiple fryers to cook different types of food?
Can the fryer handle the workload without downtime?
Do I have enough space for a large commercial fryer?
How much money can I budget for this purchase?
Should I purchase a gas- or electric-powered model?
What safety precautions are included?
Is my fryer easy to clean?
What kind of warranty will I get from the dealer or manufacturer?

Filtering Your Oil and Cleaning Suggestions

You need to know how much space you have for your fryer, the quantity of food you need to cook at a given time, and what type of foods you will cook. Its probably best that you do not use the same fryer for all kinds of foods at one time: you would not want to cook a funnel cake in the oil that was used for a batch of fried fish.

Maintaining the quality of your fryer starts with quality oil filters. They prolong the life of your cooking oil while collecting crumbs and other food debris you dont want to serve to customers. No matter how good your filters are, be sure to change the cooking oil frequently as excessive use can affect the taste and quality of the food.

Consider a transfer system to remove old oil from your facilities. Transfer systems will keep track of cooking oils degradation rate - its recommended that you replace the oil when the level exceeds 24% or when food quality and taste suffers. When you remove cooking oil, always use solid steel containers to transport the waste.

The best method of washing your fryer is to use soap to clean up dirty areas and then rinse the soap away with a vinegar solution, which helps remove the film soap can leave behind.

Oil tips

Start with a high quality oil - A low quality oil deteriorates faster, and over time transfers flavors to other fried foods.
Keep oil at 370ºF - Use a reliable thermometer to ensure oil is at correct temperature at all times to deliver a crispy, golden chip.
Change oil every 7 to 10 days - Change more often if the oil has been contaminated by other elements such as salt or water.
Skim oil often and filter it daily - Be sure to skim the oil between frying to extend its life and filter it every day.
Use a clean, well-maintained fryer - Keep your fryer clean and in good working order to sustain higher frying performance.

Step 2. Remove the oil

Once the oil cools down, drain it from the machine into a container.

Step 3. Scrape the interior

Use a cleaning rod or scraper to remove the oil and buildup from the

Step 4. Add water and cleaner

Fill the fryer with water up to the level line. Add an appropriate grease-cleaning solution or detergent to the water as well.

Step 5. Boil the water

Turn on the fryer and let the water and detergent boil for a 5-10 minutes. This will help remove excess grease remaining in the machine.

Step 6. Cool the water and dispose it

Turn the unit off and allow the water to cool down significantly. Once it’s cool enough, discard it in a container.

Step 7. Wipe down the interior

Wipe off the bottom and side walls using a sponge, cloth or paper towel. Mix of warm water and cleaner in a bowl or bucket. Using a soft bristle brush or a clean non-abrasive sponge, scrub down areas of the interior where oil and other remnants are still present.

Step 8. Rinse the fryer

Rinse the interior with water to remove the soapy mixture and oil remnants. If you still notice residue, scrub the base and side walls with water and baking soda. Rinse again when complete.

Cleaning the Fryer’s Exterior Regularly

Oil and remnants can splash onto the exterior your commercial fryer. On a daily or weekly basis, try to clean the outside using warm water and a degreasing cleaner or vinegar. Make the application easy by adding the cleaning solution to a spray bottle and spraying the mixture onto the exterior. Then, wipe the unit down using a wash cloth or non-abrasive sponge.