A Guide to Commercial Fryer Oil Filtration
A good commercial kitchen always has an industrial-strength fryer. A commercial deep fryer can make everything from crispy sides and appetizers to delicious desserts and entrees. To ensure you’re making quality food, every fryer needs high-quality oil. Without good oil, everything from the taste to texture of your food can suffer.
In our quick guide to commercial oil filtration, we’ll give you the solutions and reasons for filtering.
Why is Filtering Oil Important?
In order to make delicious food, high-quality oil is an absolute must. Below are just a few important reasons why oil filtration should be a regular part of your preventative maintenance plan.
- Helps taste – Throughout each usage, burnt food particles and small traces of moisture make their way into the oil. As these remnants build up, it hinder the oil’s efficiency, leading to poor flavors and odors. Regular filtering helps maintain good taste and aromas.
- Maintains crispiness – As oil gets darker and dirtier, it can reduce crispiness. What does that mean? Fried food will come out soggy instead of golden brown. Clean oil allows food to stay crunchy and maintain its natural flavor.
- Saves on oil costs – Oil can be costly, especially if you use your fryers get heavy usage. For instance, instead of replacing it every two or three days, filtering throughout the week can stretch oil to about six or seven days of use.
- Saves on operational costs – According to Dine Company, it can cost a commercial kitchen about $5,200 a year to operate one 50-pound fryer if oil is frequently changed instead of filtered. By filtering you can cut the operating cost by at least 35 percent.
Oil Filtration Solutions for Commercial Fryers
- Filter paper – Filter paper is used to absorb any residue and food particles, keeping them from returning to the frypot.
- Filter pots – A filter pot is placed underneath a fryer, allowing oil to drain into it through a filter.
- Portable machines – Similar to a pot, a portable filtration machine is placed underneath the fryer and electronically pumps out oil, filters it and returns it into the fryer.
- Built-in filtration systems – High-end commercial fryers feature integrated systems that filter oil by pressing a button.
Fryer Maintenance Tips
Aside from daily or weekly filtration, regular fryer maintenance and cleaning certainly helps with oil quality. Boiling out a commercial fryer every week removes fat and carbon deposits on the heating element and fry tank. Also, keeping oil at a temperature under 355 degrees Fahrenheit and decreasing the temperature to 250 during downtime can maintain good oil quality. At night or during any long stretch of time during the day when it’s not in use, place a cover on top of the fryer.
Make sure to follow the specific cleaning procedures in the machine’s owner’s manual. You also should set up routine preventative maintenance and check-ups with an authorized service technician to keep your fryer in top shape.