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We all love fries, onion rings, churros, and many other fried goodies, even if they are super high in calories. Since this kind of food is popular, the best home deep fryers became an essential appliance in many kitchens. But even if you can use the oil for some time, eventually there comes a moment to clean a deep fryer. It can be a bit time consuming, and many people are reluctant about doing it for this reason. However, it can be simpler than it seems, so let’s check out these tips on how to clean a deep fryer.
Steps to Clean an Electric Deep Fryer at Home
We would like to remind you that the first thing that you need before cleaning a deep fryer is to unplug it. It is also recommended that you wrap the cable with a cloth or towel, so it doesn’t get damaged during the cleaning process. If you want to clean a deep fryer right after it has been used you need to let the oil cool down for a couple of hours. The temperature of the oil should be about 150 degrees Fahrenheit/ 65 degrees Celsius. Many people are wondering: can I leave the oil in my deep fryer? Well, you can use the oil that you used before cleaning, but you have to empty the deep fryer properly before cleaning it. Once it’s cold enough, pour the oil in an adequate container, remove all the food particles and store it in a fridge until you are ready to use it again. Even if it is possible to reuse the oil a few times be attentive about how often you replace it. Because if it starts smelling funny or having a strange cloudy look, it’s time to throw it away.
- The best way to clean a deep fryer is to first wipe it with a paper towel or a clean cloth before soaking in water. You might wonder why this is necessary when it will be soaked in water with detergent anyway. If you have used this appliance, then you know that one reason why proper cleaning can be so time-consuming is that it is difficult to get rid of all the oil that gets stuck inside.
- We talked with experienced chefs to understand how to remove sticky oil residue and how to clean stuck-on grease from a deep fryer. They told us that wiping before washing is the best way to get rid of unwanted fat.
- After you finished with this part proceed by cleaning it with a sponge that has been soaked in lukewarm water with dishwashing soap.
- While you are doing this, be careful that electrical parts don’t get in contact with water. If there is still some residual oil, don’t hesitate to wipe it again with a clean kitchen towel.
- The next step is to pour the water with a few drops of detergent or deep fryer cleaner liquid and turn it on, so the water reaches the boiling temperature. Then turn off a fryer and let it soak for about half an hour. When the solution gets colder drain it out and rinse deep fryer pot under the water a few times, so you are sure that it is completely clean.
- If you need to remove caked-on grease, we recommend cleaning the outside wall with a soapy solution. Some people use scouring pad or brush but scrubbing several times with the soft side of the sponge is better.
- If your machine comes with a deep-fried filter, clean it with a brush and warm soapy water.
Keep in mind that you should never put your deep fat fryer in the sink because this can seriously damage appliances.
But before we go on, we would like to remind you that there is also a new machine, compact air fryer that is easy clean deep fryer and enables you to enjoy a healthier variation of fried food.
Using Vinegar and Baking Soda to Get Rid Of Grease
Cleaning grease fryer can sometimes be a real annoyance because some oily stains simply won’t be removed no matter how hard you try. Don’t fret, because there is a solution for that. If simple soapy lukewarm water doesn’t work thankfully, there are other ways, and now we will explain how to clean a deep fryer with vinegar.
There are three ways how to clean a home deep fryer from persistent stains.
First, one is making a solution with vinegar and warm water and soaking deep fryer basket in it and scrubbing it. Of course, at the end wash thoroughly with water.
Another thing you can try is to make a solution with warm water and baking soda. Combine water and baking soda until it becomes a thick paste and apply it to all parts with residual grease. Leave for a while and scrub until stains are removed. Don’t forget to rinse it with water afterward.
If the previous two don’t work, we have one more trick – a combination of baking soda with vinegar. Cover the bottom of the fryer with baking soda and pour vinegar over it. It will make sizzling sounds for some time. Then scrub with scouring pad or sponge. You will probably need gloves because this combination is quite strong and may damage your skin.
How to Clean a Deep Fryer Pot
If you have a deep fryer pot instead of an electric one and you love deep-fried turkey, then you know that it is crucial to know different ways to clean a deep fryer. Deep-fried turkey is a fantastic dish that everybody loves and making it is fairly easy, but you surely know that cleaning turkey fryer can be pretty complicated.
We’ve discovered two methods that can magically turn your utensil into the best easy clean deep fryer, and they mostly depend on the type of material used for a fryer.
If you are using Dutch oven, the best way is to fill it with water and add few spoons of baking soda after boiling. Let it simmer while you are scraping off stains and after wash with soap.
If you are using a stainless steel fryer thing that works ideally is a combination of water, vinegar, and baking soda. First, while the pot is on the stove pour a little bit of water, then add vinegar and wait until it boils. Afterward, add two tablespoons of baking soda, mix and empty the pot. Remove the stains with a scourer. If you are dealing with some persistent stains, apply to them a paste of water and baking soda and scrub them off.
How to Clean a Deep Fryer Basket
Electric deep fryers often come with removable parts, and usually deep fryer basket is among them, that are dishwasher safe. If that is the case, then its quite simple, because you just need to remove the remains of food and put in a dishwasher. If not, however, then first wipe as much residual oil as you can using kitchen towels. Alternatively, create a solution with vinegar and a bit of water and wipe the basket with it using a clean cloth.
After that, you can make a degreaser by creating a paste of baking soda and water. The good thing about is that it doesn’t require scrubbing. Simply apply the mixture and leave it on for some time. After it stayed on for a while wipe it off and rinse the basket through the water until you are sure it’s clean.
How to Clean a Deep Fryer Heating Element
When you have to clean a deep fryer, washing the heating element is the easiest part of the job. Check out what kind of a heating element your deep fryer has. If you see two metal rods, then it is perfectly safe to wipe them clean. However, if you see wires, then checking guidelines is highly recommended. Otherwise, not only that appliance can get damaged, but there is an increased risk of accidents as well.
How to Remove Unwanted Flavors Trapped in the Used Oil
If you want to avoid replacing oil after each use, then be ready to tackle the problem of lingering smells and flavors. Fortunately for you, there is a way to Remove Unwanted Flavors. After you heated the oil put a couple of slices of raw potato inside and fry until they get a golden brown color. Potatoes should absorb whatever flavors remained in the oil.
How Often Should You Clean a Deep Fryer?
It depends on how often you use this machine. If you are using it a couple of times a year than simply follow guidelines for cleaning it and do it after your meal or the next day. If however, you like experimenting with fried food and use it frequently that it is advised to clean it and replace the oil at least every couple of days.
How to Prolong the Lifespan of Your Fryer Oil
Here are a few things that you should know if you want to use the oil for a longer time.
- Wipe dry all the food before frying it. Surely you have seen that water and hot oil don’t get along and can be a dangerous combination. Moreover, oil quality deteriorates when it gets in contact with water
- Avoid adding salt or any spices. Salt in combination with very hot oil creates free radicals that damage the oil. Sprinkle salt on your French fries after you take them out from the fryer
- Don’t increase heat because it will create oxidation and destroy your oil. Keep the temperature around 375 degrees Fahrenheit/ 190 degrees Celsius
Additional Tips
What we can say in the end is that all deep fryers come with instructions that also include detailed explanations about methods to clean a deep fryer. Ensure that you are doing its best way by checking out these guidelines. Before we leave we have two more tips that can help you with really greasy fryers. Some people have tried and discovered that products that we use to clean ovens can be really helpful. If you are dealing with oil residue that doesn’t want to go away, try spraying WD – 40.
We would also like to hear if you heard of some ways of cleaning the deep fryer that we didn’t mention in this text.
You can find lots of interesting information on mykitchenadvisor.com, like recipes for healthy fried chicken and texts about best home deep fryer.