Step 3 - Fryer Operation & Filtering
After selecting an appropriate oil fryer, it’s important to learn how it operates. This requires thought about food types, (auto)filtering, skimming, loading, and frying temperatures. For example, does your food type contain crumbs (e.g. breaded chicken)? If so, do you have a workable particulate filtration system in place to catch solid impurities that might fall into your oil?
Read on for a three-part process to ensure the best frying practices.
Before Frying:
- Don’t skip ‘melt-mode’ in your morning check-ups and clean
- Never fill the basket over the vat
- Respect the recommended quantity per basket (don’t overfill the basket)
- Ensure that oil is at cooking temperature before dropping the basket in
- Cook food items either always from frozen or always from fresh (for better consistency)
During Frying:
- Ensure correct frying temperatures (frying at higher temperatures does NOT decrease frying time)
- Never place a basket in the oil without using a timer
- After placing the first basket in oil, allow 30 seconds before dropping the second basket into the same vat
- Programme an alarm to remind cooks to shake the basket during the cooking cycle
After Frying:
- Drain/shake the basket over the vat
- Skim the vat regularly throughout the day
- Top-up oil throughout the day
- Use ‘night’ covers (to prevent debris falling into the oil and reduce contact time with light)
- Test quality of oil at least once daily (after the daily filtration/clean)
- Proactively filter the vats during the day (the more often the better)
- Use the ‘idle’ feature when the fryer is not in use
- Change filter paper daily
- Polish oil daily
