Re-using oil for deep frying

[LindaK]

I've decided to join the deep frying club too, so this is all helpful information. But I still have a few questions about reusing oil.

It sounds like filtering is imperative. what do you use--cheesecloth? coffee filters?

what type of container do you use, or does it not matter? can i recycle a milk jug, for example?

do you store your oil at room temp, in the fridge, or in the freezer?

[gfweb]

I store mine strained, but not filtered, at room temp in a big plastic jug. I've not had problems, but I can't say that I know that this is the best method. It would be a good study for a someone with access to a lab. What changes exactly make for "bad" oil? What foods make oil spoil? How many uses with various foods until the oil is no good. How much time can the stuff sit at room temp etc etc. Mc Donald's has the data I'm sure.

[sparrowgrass]

I reuse my oil a couple times, til it smells funny. One thing that makes it easier to filter is to do it while it is still hot. Don't be stupid and burn your fingers off -- let it cool a while, but hot oil goes thru the filter much faster. I use a coffee filter, usually, set in a big colander over a bowl.

Edited January 14, 2011 by sparrowgrass (log)

[nakji]

what type of container do you use, or does it not matter?

I use a stainless steel cup with lid. I think you can get ones with a mesh strainer, but I didn't bother; I just set one over the top when I'm emptying my wok. It's convenient, because I can tip in hot oil. Since my kitchen is cool, I keep it on the counter, so I dip oil from it into the wok as needed.

[Anonymous Modernist 301]

I have read the section in book II regarding deep frying. My wife and I enjoy home cooked deep fried foods on occasion but we have one problem and that is we don‚’t have a desire to deep fry more than one a twice a month. Do you have any data on how to store the oil after its initial use? How long will it stay viable, what are the methods for keeping it viable longer, etc.? For the number of times we wish to deep fry, it is wasteful to use the fat once notwithstanding the break-in period. Can anyone offer specific data to this effect?

Glenn House

[Anonymous Modernist 10]

Glenn House said:

I have read the section in book II regarding deep frying. My wife and I enjoy home cooked deep fried foods on occasion but we have one problem and that is we don‚’t have a desire to deep fry more than one a twice a month. Do you have any data on how to store the oil after its initial use? How long will it stay viable, what are the methods for keeping it viable longer, etc.? For the number of times we wish to deep fry, it is wasteful to use the fat once notwithstanding the break-in period. Can anyone offer specific data to this effect?

Glenn House

Hi Glenn,

Here are a few tips for keeping frying oil once you've used it.

Filter out all of the solids. They will flavor the oil and turn it rancid more quickly.

Because oils will oxidize in light, wrap your container in aluminum foil.

A hermetic seal is best. If you have a vacuum sealer, use it! If your vacuum sealer doesn't seal liquids, freeze the oil and then seal it.

The colder the oil is, the longer it will keep. This is why some people prefer to keep their oils in the fridge.

If all else fails, smell it! Sometimes your nose is the best judge.

[Anonymous Modernist 2565]

Hi there, I also have a question regarding this chapter, i hope you can help

for a while now i have been adding methylcellulose to my batter for deep frying (at 1% of total weight), with the theory that the methylcel will "gel" in the heat of the oil, thus more effectively reducing the amount of oil the batter absorbs by forming a protective barrier. Obviously melting after it cools enough to eat, and therefore not effecting the final texture or flavour.

this seems to have been working for me for a long time (although, until i read this chapter, I assumed it was for entirely different reasons lol)

now my question is, does this actually have any scientific basis? if so, (and this may require some testing beyond my capabilities) does it have a similar, or better effect than the egg white and calcium additions that you recommended?

also, you mentioned there are many speciality blends of salts, gels and gums used for these purposes, is methylcel one of those ingredients?

What a happy accident

Regards,

Chefzilla.

[Anonymous Modernist 10]

Chefzilla said:

Hi there, I also have a question regarding this chapter, i hope you can help

for a while now i have been adding methylcellulose to my batter for deep frying (at 1% of total weight), with the theory that the methylcel will "gel" in the heat of the oil, thus more effectively reducing the amount of oil the batter absorbs by forming a protective barrier. Obviously melting after it cools enough to eat, and therefore not effecting the final texture or flavour.

this seems to have been working for me for a long time (although, until i read this chapter, I assumed it was for entirely different reasons lol)

now my question is, does this actually have any scientific basis? if so, (and this may require some testing beyond my capabilities) does it have a similar, or better effect than the egg white and calcium additions that you recommended?

also, you mentioned there are many speciality blends of salts, gels and gums used for these purposes, is methylcel one of those ingredients?

What a happy accident

Regards,

Chefzilla.

Methylcellulose has two functions in batter:

1. We like to siphon our batter. Methylcellulose is a good stabilzer/agent in foams, which is important because when we aerate batter, the coding is actually much lighter and delicate.

2. It gels upon heating providing structure to the batter beyond the egg/starch componants that typically give batter its body. We have noticed in some tests, not done on batters but on fried chips, that have been coated with a methethylcellulose slurry that thet will absorb less oil. This MAY be because the porous vacules or air pockets have been filled with that gel, which forms a barrier to oil absorbtion.

Does that answer your question? What else are you interested in?

[Anonymous Modernist 2565]

yes, that answers my question, thanks very much Max

thats a very broad question, im interested in everything food science!

currently researching animal rearing, and its effects on final product quality if you know much about that, or have any links?

have loads of info on final feeding and pre-slaughter stress etc so far, just gotta find more on selective breedingto birth to pre-final few months.