Shelf life in a fryer?

[bluedogz]

Just bought a little countertop fryer (think the Service Merchandise FryDaddy size) and it has a flip-top lid to the frying chamber with a rubber gasket around it.

The instructions say to leave the vegetable oil in the fryer while storing. I know commercial fryers don't change their oil every day, but how about little home units like this? What's the shelf life of used vegetable oil? Am I putting a bacteria farm in my cabinet?

[Suzanne]

It's not so much bacteria, since you probably will be heating the oil to 375 or so, and that will kill a lot.

The problem comes with bringing oil up close to the smoke point repeatedly -- after just a couple of uses it will deteriorate, break down, and be more likely to catch fire. (Well, then just slam the cover shut and turn off the power!. ) But seriously, reusing oil changes its chemistry and allows nasty compounds to form. It will get stales. And you'll taste everything you fried before.

Every place I worked that had a fryer changed the oil every day -- believe me, things tasted better for it. And it was safer. I imagine that a home unit uses relatively little oil, so there's really nothing saved in reusing it. Just be sure to dispose of the used oil properly -- in a closed container in the trash, not down the drain.

[Cookiemomster]

You'll want to change the oil after using the fryer to cook proteins, especially fish, it gets nasty quick. If you're using it for veggies or pastries, it won't get bad quite so quickly. You can actually dispose of the oil in a corner of your back yard, it's biodegradable, and that's much easier than trying to pour it back into a bottle you already got rid of to throw it in the trash. Just make sure no animals get to it before it soaks into the dirt.

[Culprit]

Originally Posted by Cookiemomster

...You can actually dispose of the oil in a corner of your back yard, it's biodegradable, and that's much easier than trying to pour it back into a bottle you already got rid of to throw it in the trash. Just make sure no animals get to it before it soaks into the dirt.

PLEASE, let's not do this. Most communities have recycling programs that will accept used vegetable oil (our does and we live in the boondocks) and if you connect with a friendly local restaurant they might (as many will) accept your used cooking oil for recycling.

[bluedogz]

I'll take it to the recycling center... I have 4 dogs who'd just LOVE their own personal Lick'n Puddle in the back yard. **blech**

[mudbug]

Technically, yes. The oil is biodegradable, but do not add it directly to your vegetable garden because it is in high concentration and a high concentration of anything including plant fertilizer will kill vegetation.

Some people will encourage it, some will discourage it. Not all backyards are created equal. Some of us are on farms, some of us are completely fenced in, some of us have open backyards in regulated neighborhoods. As when an animal dies in nature, it's tissue decomposes and nature goes to work to incorporate it back into the system.

Be educated and make your own judgements as to how you choose to discard the grease.

[nowIamone]

I think you can get a bit more use out of your oil by letting it cool down, then straining. Keep an old, clean, coffee can; prop a strainer, a funnel or a colander over it with a coffee filter inside. Pour the grease/oil into it straining out all of the fry particles. You may want to clean the fryer sides at this point. Then pour the oil back into the fryer for storage.
At the restaurant we strain the oil every day, it helps it stay clean longer. But you need to strain while the oil is quite warm, or hot to be successful.