Stuck-on grease has to be a deep fryer’s worst enemy. Because of how hard the substance can be to get off once set, you need to make sure that you deal with the problem.
If you don’t, then your appliance could have permanent damage and could result in having to buy a new one.
We’ve got a guide for you to follow so that cleaning your deep fryer will never get easier.
What Is A Deep Fryer?
A deep fryer is a very useful appliance that can be used as a good option for cooking a lot of different foods.
Running on electricity, deep fryers heat fat or oil into whichever food is immersed in the liquid.
This fries both the fat and the food, to create a batter around the original food.
Also known as a deep fat fryer, these cooking appliances are widely seen in lots of different fast food stores worldwide and work at incredibly hot temperatures.
It’s always best to be careful when cooking with a deep fryer, so you don’t risk burning yourself.
What Foods Are Best Deep Fried?
When it comes to deep-frying foods, some work better than others. In certain countries, such as the UK, deep frying sausages is a favorite amongst deep-fried food fans and can be seen alongside fries and a sauce of some sort.
On top of this, the UK has also been known to deep-fry Mars chocolate bars, creating a sweet and savory snack.
As previously mentioned, fast food restaurants often use deep fryers to cook their food and will lure in a lot of customers for these products.
At McDonald’s, they are typically famous for their popular McNuggets, where they deep fat fry the chicken bites to create a crunchy meal.
On top of this, many fast food joints will deep fry halloumi cheese to create halloumi sticks or halloumi bites.
These cheese bites are widely liked because it combines the soft texture from the cheese with the crunchiness of the hardened oils. Lovely.
What You Need To Clean Your Deep Fryer
Before cleaning your deep fryer of greases and oils, you need to find the right stuff to help you complete this task.
You’ll need a good mix of chemicals and substances, along with some useful tools to make your job easier.
The chemicals and substances that you’ll need are white vinegar, baking soda, dish soap, and warm water.
These will all become important at different stages throughout the cleaning process and will all have their own part to play.
The equipment you will need for this cleaning objective is a plastic knife, a strainer, a cloth, a pot, and an old toothbrush.
These will all be utilized to make your job easier, however, you can swap these for something similar if you don’t have the specific object in your possession.
Cleaning A Deep Fat Fryer
Step One – Soaking the Appliance. Before you start any cleaning of your deep fat fryer, you need to fill your pot or large bowl with some warm water and your dish soap.
This will soak up all of the grease and oils and will start to break down the substances, making them easier to remove later in the process.
Like when cleaning other household appliances and items, you need to wash down the item until the suds disappear or subside.
Then you need to scrub the surfaces with a brush or sponge of some sort and use a mild detergent to help break down the dirt and residue even further.
You should leave the water and the dish soap to rest for a few minutes and make sure that the suds have subsided before moving on to the next step.
Step Two – Apply Soapy Water to the Deep Fryer. Cover the deep fat fryer with water to the oil line and add a few drops of dish soap and mix the two together.
Set on the deep fryer and allow the water to cook for around 10 minutes.
Any more will be overkill and any less will prevent the mixture from sinking in, so find a good balance.
Your deep fryer is an electrical appliance, so remember to be careful and not submerge the whole thing in water.
Place a couple of drops of dish soap onto a sponge and remove the deep frying pan from the rest of the appliance.
Step Three – Baking Soda. Add a quarter cup of baking soda to help break down the bonds in the grime and grease from your fryer.
Much like how baking soda is great for your kitchen sink, it’s also good for your fryer.
You need to apply this baking soda to some water and then pour the mixture into the fryer.
After letting the substance rest for about 10 minutes, you can start to scrub.
Step Four – Get the Grate. Fill your sponge with water, one tablespoon of dish soap, and a cup of white vinegar.
Allow the basket to soak in the solution whilst cleaning the fryer from within.
Step Five – Clean the Basket and Below the Fryer. Start to clean the basket once you have the inside of the deep fryer.
Scrub the surface with a soft brush so you don’t damage the materials.
You should be able to remove any dirt and residue after scrubbing. Place a touch of dish soap into a cloth and clean the deep fryer outside.
Remember to use your toothbrush to get to all of the smaller areas.
Step Six – Cleaning the Filter. Clean the fryer filters with high-pressure water separately from the rest of the fryer.
Make sure that the water isn’t too strong on the filters, however.
Also, use a soft brush and a water mixture to get rid of all of the adhesive oil from your fryer’s filter.
Make sure you use your energy on the inside of the fryer with the oil drained and the basket soaking. Make sure that you ensure the grate that is stuck gets extra attention.
Make sure you scrape as much grime and residue from the fryer as possible. Don’t forget the corners and then reassemble the appliance!
Final Thoughts
Although cleaning a deep fryer sounds like a daunting task at first, you can make sure it’s easier by including frequent washes after every use.
Because the grime builds up over time, the more frequent you complete this process, the less time the grease has to build.
Always take special care when cleaning electrical appliances with water and make sure that you take your time! Your fryer will thank you!
