Apart from giving your fried foods a crispy texture and gloriously golden hue, high-quality frying oil (like sustainable palm) can be used over and over again. Just how many times you can use frying oil, however, depends on how you store it between uses. To make sure you get the most out of yours, here are our top tips on how to store frying oil for reuse.
#1 – Cool the oil
After the last order has left the kitchen, it’s time to turn off the deep fat fryer. Given that frying oil usually has a temperature of between 160-180°C when in use, you have to wait until it’s cooled down before filtering it into containers. Most modern commercial deep fat fryers have an in-built thermometer, so check it to make sure you’re not handling hot oil.
#2 – Filter the oil
Once the oil has cooled down, it’s time to filter it into a suitable container. Take a chinois and line it with cheese-cloth. Hold it underneath the fryer tap when you start to drain into the container – it will filter out any bits and pieces of food that have accumulated during the shift. And remember to follow this up after with a regular deep fat frying clean.
#3 – Store the oil
After you’ve drained the oil into an airtight container, make sure to label it with a date (you won’t want to use oil that’s been lying stagnant for a while). Store it in a cool, dark place i.e away from the ovens or the tops of fridges. Storeroom shelves are fine for this, with the added benefit that they help to avoid any kitchen staff tripping over it and slipping in the oil.
Frymax Tip – Frying oil takes on the taste of whatever it’s used to cook. If you stick to a regular menu, don’t worry – it’s fine to re-use the same oil (as long as it’s still in good quality). If you change what you’re cooking, on the other hand, it might be a good idea to replace the oil with a fresh batch – this prevents your foods from taking on unwanted flavours.
If you’re looking for the highest quality sustainable palm oil, check out what Frymax has to offer. As the UK’s leading supplier of deep fat frying oil, we’re dedicated to providing restaurants with the best quality of product at reasonable prices.
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