deep fryer oil breakdown

I read that oil naturally darkens with use and that color is not a good indicator of when to change your oil, i don't want good oil thrown out.....any suggestions?

A good indicator of dead oil is when it starts smoking. To follow you oil's life, sample the food that comes out.. Some of the high volume places I've worked, we we're lucky to get a good 2 days out of it, yet some of the smaller venues, with filtering, it could be stretched a week.

Things that breakdown and shorten the life of grease are; salt, water, air, fats, and too high a temp.

I have known people who never even change the oil, just filter it and add more as needed. I think that's kind of nasty though. It makes the food seem more greasy and it tastes bad.

Depending on the type of oil you use, and your volume, and what you are frying, it will go from a light golden color to brownish in a day or so.

Filter it every day, and if you use it a lot, filter it once per shift. When it starts to look "too dark" and smokes at your fry temp, it's time to change it.

Darkened oil is absolutely a sign that the fat has deteriorated. Constant changing temperature, breading particles, protein juices, water (the worst) and anything else that goes into that oil starts to break it down. By time that fat smokes, it's really bad.

To extend the life of your oil and keep the foods you fry in it tasting neutral (no after taste), you need to filter it daily. There are some good additives that extend the life of the fat. Most places like Sysco sell them. They have some ascorbic acid in the mixture..I have no idea what good that does.

One of the most frustrating things we use to find was everytime we changed our oil (we had a built-in filter system) the fresh cut fries we used would never look completely fried. So, if someone wanted them well done, it took forever. As the oil grew older, the color of the fries improved. Then when the oil got too old, the exterior color would darken so fast that you had to make sure the inside of the potatoes were actually cooked through.

This is not a professional resturant question, but a home question. I have a home basket fryer with the lid that closes during frying. If I use new peanut oil, and fry french fries tonight, how long can I keep the oil in the unit and have it remain usable? Obviously at home I don't fry every night, or even every week. would it make a difference if I were frying chicken? Would that change the scenario??

Thanks in advance!

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quote:

Originally posted by UncleVic

A good indicator of dead oil is when it starts smoking. To follow you oil's life, sample the food that comes out.. Some of the high volume places I've worked, we we're lucky to get a good 2 days out of it, yet some of the smaller venues, with filtering, it could be stretched a week.

I agree here...
I used to work in a bar that served lots of chicken wings. Chicken tends to make the oil turn dark faster but it doesn't necessarily. It mean that it is bad until it really smells and smokes... Generally rule of thumb(depending on food output volume): change it every few days. AND for heaven's sake always change it after "fish day" !!!!

mmmm... fish day....

This is a question that bugs me too. I fry my fried pies in peanut oil, which doesn't smoke until it hits 450 degrees or so (and THAT was an oops moment!) and it doesn't get very dark. I only use it 30 minutes or so a day but don't change it until it's icky looking. Am I being disgustingly frugal (or just disgusting?!) Should I use those strips?

I think that you're OK....if the oil looks good and tastes good, then it's fine. Stale oil would be pretty easy to detect on something like a fried pie, I'm thinking.

I bet those fried pies are yummy.

Gee, I hope you're right! And, yes, most people assure me that my pies are "better than Grandma's", which is high praise indeed around here!

quote:

Originally posted by timmcnelis

I read that oil naturally darkens with use and that color is not a good indicator of when to change your oil, i don't want good oil thrown out.....any suggestions?

Tim - How are things going with your filtration test? How long are you using your oil now?

Thanks,
Dan

quote:

Originally posted by Fried Pie Lady

This is a question that bugs me too. I fry my fried pies in peanut oil, which doesn't smoke until it hits 450 degrees or so (and THAT was an oops moment!) and it doesn't get very dark. I only use it 30 minutes or so a day but don't change it until it's icky looking. Am I being disgustingly frugal (or just disgusting?!) Should I use those strips?

What strips?

There are test strips that will tell you when your oil is bad. You can see them here: http://www.webstaurantstore.com/fmp-3591331232-frying-oil-test-strips/3591331232.html