As any experienced fryer will tell you, a clean deep fat fryer is crucial to producing great tasting food time and again. If fryers are not cleaned regularly then you not only run the risk of compromising the quality of your oil but also the taste of your food.
Maintaining clean deep fat fryers also has the added benefit of keeping your energy costs low. This is because carbonisation on fryer walls and coils makes it harder for fryers to heat up. Keeping them clean with a regular fryer “boil out” will therefore save you time, energy and a significant amount of money in the process.
In this post, we’ll provide you with a simple yet effective guide on how to clean your commercial deep fryer. Our frying tips come from our community of expert fryers with decades of collective frying experience, so you know it’s advice you can trust.
Deep fat fryer cleaning equipment
Before you get started on the cleaning itself, it’s crucial that you are properly prepared with the right equipment. While there are a wide variety of cleaning tools on the market, there are some essentials that will be needed for every commercial fryer boil out.
- Deep fat fryer cleaner
- Heat-proof gloves
- Protective goggles
- Protective apron
- Scrub brush
- Fryer rod
- Stainless steel bucket
- Lint-free cloths
Fryer boil out procedure
The deep fryer boil out procedure can be broken down into 10 simple steps:
- Turn off your commercial deep fryer and leave to cool to at least 60°C. Also remove any baskets and clean separately (or replace them to be cleaned during the boil out in Stage 5).
- Now that the oil is cool, drain it from the fryer into a suitable container ready to be recycled or disposed of (check out our post on the dos and don’t of frying oil disposal). Also remove any food debris that may be in the fryer, being mindful to ensure that the drain is never blocked.
- Clean the walls and base of the fryer with the scrub brush, using the fryer rod to clean any hard to reach areas.
- Fill the deep fryer with cool water up to the level line and add the deep fat fryer cleaner (follow the specific instructions of your chosen cleaner to ensure you create the correct solution).
- Turn your deep fryer back on and slowly boil the water and cleaner solution for 10-15 minutes. Never leave your deep fryer unattended at this stage as water may splash out.
- Turn your deep fryer off and allow the water to cool completely.
- Once cooled, drain the water into the stainless steel bucket and dispose of it appropriately.
- Clean the interior of the deep fryer again and wipe down with a lint free cloth to ensure all oil, food and other remnants are removed. Again, use the fryer rod to get in all those nooks and crannies.
- Rinse the deep fryer thoroughly with fresh water to remove all cleaning solution. Use clean lint free cloths to dry all interior parts of the deep fryer.
- Refill your fryer with recycled or fresh oil.
How often should you boil out a deep fryer?*
The most annoying of all answers – it depends. As well as routine daily cleans (which should be carried out whenever the fryer is used, no matter what) the regularity of a boil out clean will depend on the quality of the oil being used, the level of filtration and the calibre of the frying range itself.
If a fryer is correctly filtering their oil and cleaning their commercial deep fryer after use, then a boil out will only be necessary every 3 to 6 months. If a fryer is using substandard frying oil in their deep fryer and carrying out poor oil management, then they will see greater build up and find they need to boil out their fryer much more regularly.
TOP TIP – Always check your oil. If you notice that your frying oil has darkened in colour, changed consistency or developed an off-odour, it’s probably time to change it.
*(Disclaimer – This guide is intended to be a general guide to deep cleaning a commercial fryer using a boil out procedure. You should always consult your frying range manufacturer’s guidelines first before attempting any significant deep clean of your frying unit).
The best way to get the most out of your frying oil is to invest in the highest quality oil on the market. Frymax is the deep-frying vegetable oil of choice in the frying trade for a reason: it’s incredibly stable, free of additives and preservatives, and 100% sustainable. Get in touch with our team today to learn how Frymax can help you provide the best quality fried food for years to come.
Become a Frymax member today to gain access to exclusive content, expert frying advice and the chance to enter our fantastic competitions.
