Understanding the oil that moves through your commercial fryer is crucial to fryer maintenance. If you seek to maximize the fryer’s useful service life, and continue to churn out fry baskets full of crispy cuisine, focus on the fryer oil. The first in a series on commercial fryer maintenance will introduce you to the most common culprits responsible for degrading your fryer oil.

One major offender is water. Ice crystals from frozen fare are often melted in the oil, in addition to the naturally stored water that some foods release. Solid sediment from the food can also degrade the fryer oil. Salt, spice and batter are the most common forms of sediment. You can minimize the release of water and solid particles by not loading the fry baskets directly over the fryer. Shake off as much excess breading as possible prior to immersing a bloomin’ onion in your double fryer. When sediment particles do appear, use your fryer skimmer to remove the floating particles.

Air and light are also problematic for the oil. It’s easy to position a floor fryer in a cool, dark part of your kitchen. Make sure to store a countertop fryer away from sunlight. Always use a fry basket cover and invest in an overnight fryer cover to increase the life of your oil

Excessive heat is also a factor in fryer oil degradation. High temperatures during start-up hurt the life of your oil and high temperatures during cooking impact the quality of your food. No one wants fish that has been thoroughly fried on the outside, but undercooked within the crispy shell. Calibrate thermostats regularly to ensure accurate temperatures. Rapid changes in oil temperature hasten deterioration.

Avoid introducing water, sediment, air, light and excessive heat to your fryer oil and you’ll prolong the life of the commercial fryer in your kitchen and increase the bounty of flawlessly fried foods in your restaurant.