Frying is one of the ways of cooking that gives the most flavor and texture to any food. It leaves them a little greasy but delicious and crunchy. In addition, fried food can save you from more than one trouble if you don’t have time to cook one day: put some potatoes and croquettes in the fryer, and that’s it! But this utensil that allows us to cook so fast, has a small drawback: cleaning. Because you enjoy eating the croquettes but cleaning them? It’s a real hassle!
Nowadays, it is rare not to find this small appliance in the kitchen of any home and, even if you like to lead a healthy lifestyle and do not want to put a lot of fat in your body, there are already models of fryers that operate by hot air without the use of oil. And with the fryer, it happens as with the oven cleaning, you leave it and leave it, and more and more grease accumulates and more and more it is difficult to remove it later. Therefore, in this article, we have compiled the best tips for you to learn how to clean a deep fryer at home.
How to clean a deep fryer
Yes, yes, yes. We know you hate cleaning the fryer as much as we do, but what can we do? It’s the right thing to do! In addition, the longer you let it go without cleaning it, the worse it will be because you will have to scrape off more dirt and, on top of that, you run the risk that the appliance will stop working or that the food will have a bad taste. So here’s everything you need to know to get started with cleaning:
Products you need to clean this appliance
Before you start cleaning, make sure you have the following products at home and, if you are missing any of them, buy them without fail:
- Soap
- Cooking paper
- Non-stick spatula
- Strainer
- Soft bristle brush
- Sponge
- Container for used oil
- Cloth
- White vinegar
- Baking soda
Steps to clean a deep fryer properly
If you want to leave your fryer squeaky clean, these are the steps you must follow to do it correctly:
- Unplug the appliance and wait until it is completely cool before starting to clean it.
- Take the container, put the strainer on top and pour the oil from the pan. This way, you can remove the pieces of food left over from previous uses and reuse them. But if you see that the oil, even when strained, is too cloudy, too dark, or smells rancid, it is better to throw it away.
- Next, remove the metal basket and place it in a bowl or sink with hot water, soap, and two or three tablespoons of white vinegar. Vinegar is great for removing stuck-on grease.
- While the basket is soaking, take the brush and scraper to remove all the dirt that has been left on the inside walls of the fryer, especially in the corners.
- When you have scraped everything well, wipe it with kitchen paper to remove food and oil residues.
- Fill the bucket with water up to the top line for the oil and add a few drops of soap.
- Turn on the fryer and bring the water to a boil and let it boil for several minutes. Heat is the secret to good deep cleaning.
- After these minutes, unplug the fryer and allow the water to cool.
- When the water is already cold, drain the water with the strainer and pass it again through another paper towel.
- Just in case any oil remains, dip the brush in hot soapy water and give it a good scrubbing on the inside; even in the areas that are still greasy, you can put a little baking soda and scrape harder.
- Rinse the basin with clean water and dry it well with kitchen paper or cloth. Rinse the metal basket, dry it, and put it back in place.
- Finally, wipe the outer casing with a slightly damp cloth and dry it with a cloth.
How often should the fryer be cleaned?
The frequency of cleaning will basically depend on how much you use the fryer. This means that if you use it very occasionally, you should clean it thoroughly after each use so as not to leave it dirty for so long. If, on the other hand, you use it every day, or almost every day, the best thing to do is to wipe it with a cloth between uses and give it a thorough cleaning, as in the previous steps, once a week. However, no matter how many times you use it, you should continually check the oil for any change in color or odor.