Deep fryers are found in a lot of commercial kitchens, restaurants, and cafeterias. Standard deep fryers and pressure fryers represent an easy way to rapidly cook many foods to order. The oil’s ability to rapidly transfer heat energy into the food being cooked makes them incredibly convenient. Though it can also make them a challenge to clean safely.

When a deep fryer or pressure fryer goes too long without proper cleaning and maintenance it can lead to a host of problems. Not the least of which is off-tasting food that costs your restaurant customers, as well as the increasingly high risk of failing a food safety inspection from the local health department. Not to mention the very dangerous problems posed by grease buildup and the risk of a severe grease fire caused by a poorly maintained or improperly cleaned deep fryer.

Regardless of what your restaurant or commercial kitchen fries, knowing how to properly clean and maintain all your deep fryers or pressure fryers plays a critical role in maintaining normal operations. In this article, we will take a closer look at some of the nuts and bolts details of why and how you need to clean a professional deep fryer. This includes both daily cleaning measures as well as deep cleaning procedures and basic maintenance tips.

Cleaning Your Fry Oil

One of the most important aspects of maintaining a professional deep fryer calls for straining & filtering your fry oil. This is especially true if you are going to be frying meats and seafood as well as vegetables in the same fryer. If possible, you want to set aside a separate fryer for things like fish and a separate fryer for French fries, vegetables, absorbent starchy foods, and things like doughnuts.

Using separate fryers makes sense for several reasons. Right off the bat, it eliminates the transfer of flavors so that you don’t end up with doughnuts that have a whiff of fish sticks or fresh fries that are caked with fried chicken batter.

Keeping separate fryers for different foods will also help with the filtering process. Foods with batters or coating on them like fried chicken tend to leave behind more particulate matter. This can alter the flavor of the oil throughout multiple frying sessions and can leave behind so much material that it can clog internal filters in the deep fryer.

Most commercial deep fryer manufacturers recommend filtering and straining your fry oil at least once each day.

Daily Commercial Deep Fryer Cleaning

Of course, filtering, straining, or replacing the oil at the end of each service is just one of the many things you need to do to maintain a clean, healthy, and properly working deep fryer. Each day you should also:

  • Thoroughly clean the fry pot
  • Wash and completely dry the fry basket
  • Wipe down all oil droplets and grease from the exterior of the deep fryer
  • Scrape away any stuck-on material
  • Stain, filter, or completely replace all remaining oil if necessary
  • Inspect the thermometer probe and wipe away any debris
  • Clean the floor surrounding the deep fryer to prevent slips & falls
  • Weekly Or Biweekly Commercial Deep Fryer Cleaning

Depending on the volume you demand of your deep fryer, you should also plan the following cleaning measures at least once, or perhaps twice a week. This is a series of in-depth cleaning measures that focus on removing any lingering traces of grease as well as preventing further buildup. Weekly commercial deep fryer cleaning also includes cleaning and maintaining sensitive parts, such as thermostats.

How To Deep Clean A Commercial Deep Fryer

The first part of deep cleaning any commercial deep fryer starts with turning the fryer off and unplugging it to let the oil and all the components safely cool down. If you happen to have a deep fryer that burns propane or natural gas, you also need to shut off the gas supply. If your fryer is on casters or wheels, pull it out to clean the floor and the walls as well.

Then wait for the oil to cool to at least 140 degrees Fahrenheit or below. Once the deep fryer is cool enough to handle, you can use the following steps to deep clean your commercial deep fryer.

  • Step One: Drain the oil according to the manufacturer’s specifications. If you intend to reuse the oil, run it through a commercial-grade filter cone, or some type of other high-quality fryer filters.
  • Step Two: Carefully extract all removable parts and components. This includes the fryer baskets and racks.
  • Step Three: Gently wash all removable parts in warm soapy water and thoroughly dry.
  • Step Four: Visually inspect and clean any remaining debris or burnt food debris on the inside. This typically requires scrubbing the inside of the fryer with a fryer rod and brush. Rinse and scrub the interior with a solution of water and detergent before flushing it out with hot water.
  • Step Five: Replace all the dried parts and refill the fryer pot according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

How To Boil Out A Commercial Deep Fryer

Boiling out a deep fryer is a special type of deep cleaning that some commercial deep fryer manufacturers recommend based on either time or usage. Specific information on how often you need to do this to maintain proper operation will likely be found in the commercial deep fryers owner’s manual.

While the technical procedures might vary from one model to the next, most commercial deep fryer boil-outs involve filling the well with water and special cleaning chemicals. You then bring the mixture to a boil to effectively cook away any stuck-on grease or food that could affect the quality of your final product.

Most commercial deep fryer boil-outs follow the same process.

  • Step One: Close the drain plug and then carefully Uninstall any removable parts as required by each fryer.
  • Step Two: Fill the fryer with water to the minimum level or with the volume stated in the deep fryer’s owner’s manual.
  • Step Three: Add in the correct amount of boil-out detergent.
  • Step Four: Set the thermostat to the temperature recommended for the cleaning solution the manufacturer recommends.
  • Step Five: Bring the water and detergent to a simmer for 15 to 20 minutes.
  • Step Six: Allow the water time to cool and scrub the inside of the fryer with a brush.
  • Step Seven: Drain the water, and allow the fryer to dry thoroughly.

At that point, you can refill the fryer according to the manufacturer’s instructions and resume normal use.