Deep fryer oil

Roger Burton

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OK not the healthiest cooking method but I enjoy eating home fried fish and chips and a few other things that need deep frying. Last night when I put in a few chips (certainly didn't overload the basket) the oil "foamed" up and the chips were soggy (I had par boiled them and left them in the fridge all day to dry out - my normal method) ... my question ... can the oil become "exhausted" and need replacing (there was also a bit of a 'tang' possibly because I fry fish in the same oil) and is there a recommended method for oil disposal please ?
 
According to this website (aimed at commercial kitchens):

Foaming is caused by oil degradation or contamination, which is often the result of frying with oil on too high a temperature, overusing the oil or frying with poor quality oil that contains impurities.

There is further info on how to avoid it if you click on the above link.
 
I don't deep-fry much at all, but when I do, I use peanut oil, and after it cools, I strain it into a container for next time. After three fryings, it gets tossed.
 
OK not the healthiest cooking method but I enjoy eating home fried fish and chips and a few other things that need deep frying. Last night when I put in a few chips (certainly didn't overload the basket) the oil "foamed" up and the chips were soggy (I had par boiled them and left them in the fridge all day to dry out - my normal method) ... my question ... can the oil become "exhausted" and need replacing (there was also a bit of a 'tang' possibly because I fry fish in the same oil) and is there a recommended method for oil disposal please ?

When that happens, you must change the oil, wash the oil tank & start off with fresh oil to get rid of any bad oil, or staleness.
 
That's interesting TR ... only 3
Have you ever heard of "super tasters" - folks who have sharper-than-usual tastebuds? Kind of like those people who have highly-refined noses and end up employed in the perfume business.

Well, I'm not a super taster...except where foods that are about to go off is concerned. It's probably why I'm so diligent on best buy/use by dates, because I can taste something going bad before anyone else can, and I swear, it's 10 times as bad for me. I think I'd rather break a finger than taste sour milk.

After about three fryings, I can taste the oil starting to degrade. I could probably stretch it to five, but I've found after three, it's there - that kind of fishy, bitter taste. I can even smell it.

My deep fryer is...a Dutch oven. :)
 
Mine is a electric Presto Big Kitchen Kettle. In time, oil starts to break down, become stale or rancid, give off a sickening smell & it just doesn't smell or taste good. You gotta get rid of it, or it'll make whatever is cooked in it smell & taste bad. Trust me!:yuck:
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My deep frier is about 20 yeards old. I use vegetable oil and I filter it after about 5 cooks and replace about twice? A year. It contains nearly 3 litres.
When making chips/fries, I peel and cut into approx 10mm or 3/8 inch chips. I leave them to sit in the sink with a few inches of water. This takes a lot of starch out of the potatoes. It's amazing how much is left in the sink. I then fry until half cooked then put onto absorbent paper and leave to go cold. Then when ready to eat, recook them until crispy. I made fries on Sunday, grandson mr8 walked past, and said, oh yum, we're having yummy chips . Mine is temp controlled. I start them off at 190 as temp drops when they go on oil.

Russ
 
I deep fry so seldom that I use safflower oil as it seems the safest (without costing an arm and a leg). I don't own a deep fryer - I just use the minimal amount I can get away with in the smallest fry pan I have. The oil MIGHT be used a second time, but only if I plan to deep fry within a week or so... which is hardly ever.
 
Have you ever heard of "super tasters" - folks who have sharper-than-usual tastebuds? Kind of like those people who have highly-refined noses and end up employed in the perfume business.

Well, I'm not a super taster...except where foods that are about to go off is concerned. It's probably why I'm so diligent on best buy/use by dates, because I can taste something going bad before anyone else can, and I swear, it's 10 times as bad for me. I think I'd rather break a finger than taste sour milk.

After about three fryings, I can taste the oil starting to degrade. I could probably stretch it to five, but I've found after three, it's there - that kind of fishy, bitter taste. I can even smell it.

My deep fryer is...a Dutch oven. :)
Yes TR I have a pretty good sense of small I often remark on an odour and my wife isn't aware. I sometimes don't trust it though, I'll keep a close "nose" om the oil in future.
 
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