# Deep Fryer question



## activescrape (Jan 8, 2006)

I have a deep fryer that works great when I'm just frying up a batch of fish for a small group. A couple of times a year though, I throw parties where I use it for up to a couple of hours. It's not always fish either. Way before I'm finisher, the grease is black and the food isn't very good. I've tried lowering the temp and using higher temp grease, like peanut oil. Is there anything else I can try? Thanks.


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## flatscat1 (Jun 2, 2005)

Cottonseed oil has a higher burning point that even peanut, you can get it at Academy even. You might try that. Though I suspect your real problem is that your fryer holds only maybe 1 gallon of oil and after a few batches of frying, whatever batter you have used (especially if flour or corn meal) has flaked off in enough an amount as to burn and turn the oil dark. This will have a burnt flavor for any later batches you fry. Changing the oil is the only remedy, other than getting a larger fryer that holds more oil or changing your batter to something that wont flake off as much - like a beer batter.

Most foods shouldn't take long to cook. I fry fish at 375 degrees and it takes just a couple or 3 minutes per batch. I do small batches though and let the oil heat back up the the full temperature before starting a new batch. This helps ensure minimum loss of batter to the oil.


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## activescrape (Jan 8, 2006)

You are exactly right flatscat1, it only holds one gallon. Thanks for your input.


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## steverino (Mar 8, 2006)

*Fryer*

Use a good quality oil with a high flash point. I don't like cottonseed oil as it has a varnish smell after you use it a couple of times. Sugar will also put a black residue in the oil. Do not put too much food to fry in the fryer such that the temperature of the oil drops so low that the food stops frying. When this happens do not just turn the temperature switch up so high that the flour or corn meal that has settled to the bottom burns. Size the fryer to the size of the batches of food that you plan to fry (if you have a lot of guests you don't want to use a small fryer such that everyone cannot at least get a taste while it is still hot; I always cut my fried food for parties in small pieces so the guests can get a few in a small plate and pop them in their mouth while they are hot; once a fried fish fillet is cold most guests will leave them on the plate and it will go to waste; especially kingfish). Skim off the floating black residue and strain the oil once you start seeing some black specks in the oil. Do not over use oil as it will lose its heating properties and the fried food will come out soft and soaked with oil and not crispy. Change oil after so many batches of frying. Good luck.

Chef Steve!!!


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## CoastalOutfitters (Aug 20, 2004)

you have to watch your oil temp with a gauge , don't guess

throw in a batch of fries every now and then to clear the grease

keep the cracklins strained out of the grease, very important......esp. the bottom
burned..................off taste later................


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## Suzaman (Nov 25, 2007)

The problem with your oil is that its dirty. You got to stop and clean your oil when it gets dirty. The burnt coating/batter at the bottom of your fryer is the source of your problems. Take the time to let the oil settle and pour off the clean oil into a fresh fryer and top off with fresh/newer oil.
If I have 3 fryers. As I fry, I drop oil out of #1 when it becomes dirty or gets a low level. I replenish oil from #2 to #1, #3 to #2 and fresh oil to #3. I always cook fries in the newest oil (#3) Who doesn't like fries cooked in fresh oil? Plus their the cleanest thing to fry. If you don't want to clean the #1 fryer just dump the whole fryer and rotate #2 to#1 and put fresh oil into #1 and make it #3. It cost a little more but you'll have a consistent product. Good Luck!


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## rolwhit (Feb 7, 2014)

Grease will only burn if you heat it past the smoke point of the fat used. What the usual case is the excess breading that falls away into the fryer and the suspended small particles burn easily because they are small. To avoid this you should shake out the excess breading before adding it to the hot oil. I usually shake the fry basket over a garbage can before putting it in the fryer. Also, if your frying fish, make sure your oil is at 350 and don't overload the basket. Cooking in slightly smaller batches allows the oil to recover quickly back to 350 so that the fish can't get soggy when removed to drain. Good luck.


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