Fried foods are a great customer draw in the foodservice business. Few things taste as good as a perfectly golden crisp french-fry and if you’re able to create well prepared fried foods you will have many happy customers. But before you start making great fried foods, you need to ensure you’re operating in a safe environment. Here are some very simple rules to follow when operating a fryer.
One: Make sure to use fryer baskets when adding or removing food from hot oil.
Both floor fryers and countertop fryers come with metal fryer baskets that fit the specific size fryer that you have. These fry baskets are used to place and hold foods as they cook in the hot oil. In the restaurant environment, it is common to use the term ‘drop’ when placing food in hot oil for cooking. It is important when frying foods that the fry baskets are lowered slowly rather than dropped so hot oil doesn’t splash out of the fryer.
Two: Keep Fryer Area Clean
Like all areas of a commercial kitchen, it is important that you keep the area around the fryers clean and free of debris. Additionally, staff needs to pay special attention to the floor around the fryer. While it is common for foodservice staff to where non-slip shoes while working, even the best non-slip shoe may not have traction on an oily floor. Monitoring and cleaning up any oil on the floor near commercial fryers can reduce slip and fall risk significantly. Investing in non-slip matting is also a good way to reduce risk in the fryer area.
Three: Never Use Plastic Near the Fry Station
Plastic can quickly and easily be melted by hot oil and create an unsafe environment. Steel equipment should always be used when changing oil manually. Additionally, any spatulas , buckets or accessories made from plastic can be damaged or ruined by hot oil. It is also important to not store any hot oil in plastic because it any damage to the container may also degrade or ruin the oil.
Four: Keep a Fire Extinguisher Close at Hand
With hot oil, fire is a possibility. It is critical that a fire extinguisher is nearby and that employees are trained to use it. It is also important to keep the correct type of extinguisher nearby too. Your best choice is a Type K extinguisher. K extinguishers are for large grease and oil fires, usually in commercial or institutional kitchens. An extinguisher labeled for Class B or Class K is suitable for grease or oil fires.
