How often should I change the oil in the fryer?

One of the most used appliances in every home is the fryer; however, not everyone knows how to perform proper care and maintenance. Not making the oil changes in the indicated time or not cleaning the fryer properly can not only degrade the flavor of the oil and the food that we fry, but it can also put our food safety at risk.

If you want to put this common appliance to good use, you should know which fryer is the one that best suits you and know how often you should change the oil in the fryer. Next, we give you the best tips to carry out quick, simple and adequate maintenance on your fryer.

How to choose the best fryer?

First of all, it is important to know which fryer is best suited to you and your needs. There are different types of fryers:

• Industrial: if you work in the hospitality industry, it is essential that you have good equipment. You will find them gas, one of the most used types in professional, electric or high-performance kitchens, widely used in restaurants.
• Domestic: you will find practical fryers with varied designs that make them more domestic. Oil fryers are the most common, they come in different sizes to achieve excellent frying, but hot air fryers, which fry without oil, are also gaining ground.

The important thing when choosing the best fryer is to know the use and frequency that you want to give this appliance. The variety is very wide, which one do you prefer? In any case, learning how to use it properly and knowing how to clean the fryer oil is essential to ensure good maintenance.

Fryer, oil and food

In many places, frying is a very common cooking method. It consists of cooking food in oil at high temperatures for a short period of time. To carry out the frying there is the fryer, one of the most common kitchen appliances. But how to use it correctly?

Frying causes the oil, which is raised to a high temperature for cooking, to suffer changes in its flavor and properties, due to humidity, the action of oxygen and the frying temperatures it reaches. In other words, by increasing the grades of the oil, it contributes to accelerating the chemical processes of oxidation, thermo-oxidation, hydrolysis or polymerization.

Fried foods themselves have a high level of fat from frying. Therefore, the higher the quality of the oil, the better the fried food will be. Therein lays the primary importance of changing the fryer oil properly. We must bear in mind that food absorbs around 40% of oil during frying, so it is very necessary that the oil is of quality so that the food does not become unhealthy.

When to change fryer oil?

Now that you know how important it is for your fryer to have oil in good condition, we must answer the frequently asked question: when to change the oil in the fryer?

Changing the oil is part of the maintenance of the appliance and, although it depends on several factors, we must take into account both the food that we are frying and the number of times that oil has already been used for frying.

Generally, when frying vegetables or potatoes, no additional fats are added to this oil.  However, these foods have a higher water content, which can accelerate the hydrolysis process, that is, there is a greater presence of water or moisture in the oil, which increases its acidity. In the case of meat or breadcrumbs, it is easier for the oil to degrade due to the incorporation of other fats, and as for fish, in addition to adding more fat to the oil; it is easier for its flavor and its smell.

With all this, how many times can the oil are used for frying? You must assess the following factors to decide whether or not it is time to change the oil in the fryer:

• The color of the oil has darkened, indicating that it is dirty.
• The oil smokes earlier than expected.
• Little oil left.
• The smell it gives off is unpleasant due to previous frying.

In some cases, the oil change is subjective. Some people use it just once and then throw it away, while others throw it away after two, three or four frying. It is best to use the same oil in the least amount of frying possible, since it will degrade. Thus, the advice is to change it after two to four uses.

How to change fryer oil?

To clean the fryer and change the oil, simply turn off the appliance and pour the oil into a glass bottle or container for recycling. Then, carefully remove any remaining food from the fryer, pour water, a few drops of detergent and let it boil for 10 minutes to remove all dirt.  Then, rinse and clean the fryer well with a soft cloth or scourer.

Now, if what you want to know is how to clean the oil from the fryer to use it again, it is best to strain the oil with a fine mesh strainer.

Tips for taking care of fryer oil

In addition to maintaining the fryer well, it is important to take care of the oil so that it lasts longer and is healthier. To do this, keep the following tips in mind:

• Do not add new oil to use. You will have to change everything at once.
• If you have doubts about the condition of the oil, change it.
• Avoid putting the fryer at its maximum temperature. Try not to exceed 200ºC.
• Clean the fryer thoroughly to remove all dirt before making the new oil load.
• Try to reuse the oil, for example by turning it into handmade soap.
• He prefers olive oil. Sunflower oil is not bad for frying; however, olive oil resists higher temperatures.