Deep Fat Fryers

Before launching into buying an effective and worthy deep fat fryer, it is nice to know about the process itself. Deep frying is to submerge the food inside the boiling oil or animal fat completely to cook. If cooked appropriately it is not as harmful as imagined by many. The secret is to have the oil at the correct temperature so that when the food is placed in it, the moisture in the food will repel the oil and cook the food in its own steam. Steam cooking takes place and the oil does not enter the food. The food should not be cooked long enough allowing the oil to penetrate. When the food is fried for a longer time the oil enters the food and it becomes greasy and definitely a health problem arises here. The ideal temperature is between 170 – 180 degrees.

Frying techniques are of two types in which one is where the traditional pan is used to fry food. Placed on a cooking hob on high heat sometimes poses a risk of catching fire if the oil is spilled or heated too high. So most of the modern cooks and households prefer a deep fat fryer in which the appliance is best known for safety. It is best to buy one with all the necessary safety measures like the safety locking lid, cool exterior walls which allows touching accidently or to remove the fryer, automatic safety power cut when the oil is over heated and also a viewing window which helps to check if the food is cooked.

Types of Deep Fat Fryers

Basically deep fat fryers are available in two models of the domestic one which can be used at homes and the commercial one which is large and used in more professional way. While choosing any of the type it is good to know the size of the mouths to feed and decide on the need. Instead of totally relying on the manufacturer’s suggestion it is best to make a self decision as individual’s preference of food consumption vary a lot practically.

Domestic Deep Fat Fryer

These models are definitely less expensive than their counterparts but possess all the necessary safety measures. The size and shape of these domestic fryers come in a wide range from perfect round, oval and rectangular. There are also single and double fryers side by side models to choose from as per the need. These appliances make homemade fried chips possible on a leisurely day along with much other delicious choice of foods. So depending upon the size of the family, buying a fat fryer will be useful. If an unsuited sized fryer is bought, it may not be put to use frequently and as an alternate choice two different sized fryers is also better to have with.

Professional Deep Fat Fryer

These models are mainly used professionally in a restaurant or a fast food centre where it feeds many mouths. They are usually rectangle and have more than one frying basket placed side by side. This is useful to fry large quantity of food or different types of food at the same time. Though expensive it is quite functional and comes in a different ranges and models.

Gas or Electric

There are yet types based on the fuel consumed by these deep fat fryers. Both the gas and electric energy is used and both have their advantages. Electric fryers give more crispness and function good at low and medium quantity of food but gas is good for large amount of food to be fried and is much cheaper. Maintenance and servicing is slightly on the high with gas fryers. Performance and operating cost levels between the two do not have much difference.

In gas deep fat fryers, one can find three heating systems. The wide tubes which run along the frying tank has gas jets which heats the oil is one type and the second one possess big gas jets which is found on the exterior of the frying tank. Yet another type makes use of infra red heaters with high output.

Electric deep fat fryer

Gas deep fat fryer

Features

On deciding to buy a deep fat fryer, the user should make sure there are some basic features that ought to be available and that make it better than a traditional frying pan. An indicator which will allow the user to know when the oil is sufficiently hot is of real use. If the same fryer has two different baskets to fry will certainly lessen the number of frying times.

A drainage hose proves to be valuable while oil need to be drained for cleaning the fryer. This makes the cleaning a whole lot less messy than the ordinary frying pan and one without drainage is definitely a safety hazard. Simple filtration with a collecting pan at the bottom makes a lot of difference when the oil is 180 degrees centigrade. Some advance models have a better auto filtration means to it.

Also if the basket can be rotated, then it reduces the frying time by half and less oil is sufficient. When a fryer is accompanied with a digital timer which shows the cooking time it is handy when concentrating on cooking a large meal.

Spacing or positioning the deep fat fryer is more important as it occupied a decent amount of space. Placing on the kitchen top requires extra cleaning whenever some cooking is done. Also it is best to look out for a model with controls in the front as one need not bend or cross over the fryer to reach out. This poses danger if the cook is not careful.

Cooking tips

Ordinary food may react differently than chilled food or frozen item. Dense foods has to be chopped into a decent size for faster cooking while frozen food has to be thawed before immersing in the oil. In some canned food, half the cooking would be over and it has to be just cooked over for crispiness. The timing may also vary for different types of food from fresh chips to frozen meat. An experience chef may sense from the colour and aroma whether the food is cooked but for an unskilled cook it is better to go by recipe books. Some fryers automatically lift the basket as soon as the cooking is done when a preset button is timed to it.

Maintenance suggestions

In any big household, the deep fat fryer works overtime and has to be dealt with the cleaning process frequently. Though it does not have any movable parts and is low on maintenance it requires constant caring. If left unattended after every cooking, the oil easily solidifies and bakes itself hard making it hard to remove. Not only the basket but the fryer itself has to be washed with a b detergent often to soften these oil stains and keep the fryer clean and hygienic. The heating elements or gas tubes and jets should be handled carefully not to be damaged. The controls should always be clean not to get stuck up in the middle of some serious cooking. A regular service with a service engineer for professional deep fat fryers is always best for good functioning. Never use any hard abrasives to scrub or scratch down the fryer.

Important Do’s and Don’ts

It is better suggested to keep the fry baskets clean and remove the debris from the fried food as indicated by the manufacturer’s instruction manual. Always make use of oil filtration without fail and frequently check for accumulation of oil grease in the fryer’s rear end.

While cleaning a stainless steel frying tanks never use abrasives that are harsh and creates scratches. Never overload the fryer more than its quantity. Clean the control buttons or dial for any grease that might build up there in course of time. Be careful not to damage the heating elements of the frying tank while cleaning. Remove the excess oil instantly from the frying tank to avoid overflowing and catch a fire.

Deep fat fryer Glossary