I haven’t deep fried anything in years and up until two days ago didn’t know I had one. I bought a mobile home from someone that inherited it and everything except food, clothes and personal items were included. Among these items was what I assumed was a bread maker. Two days ago I was getting things together for a trip to Goodwill and discovered it is a rather nice deep fryer. It has a lid that seals and had oil in it that looked and smelled like new. I dumped that out (you didn’t think I was going to ask if I should use it did you?) and cleaned it up.
Now I’m thinking I might keep it. I know, slippery slope. A few times a year I get a craving for some fried chicken or fish and have had no luck what so ever with “oven fried” or pan frying. I would never have bought one but…
Anyway, I plan on using peanut oil and am wondering with a sealed lid how long could I keep and how many times could I use it?
I empty mine to strain out the food/coating bits which can decompose. Then I put it in coffee cans and store in the fridge. I’ve kept it in the fridge a year or so. I never use it more than 3x. (old restaurant experience with old oil)
With a sealed lid the oil itself can last quite a while, months at least if not too much surface area is exposed for oxidation. The problem is that you’ll be frying things in it, that leaves residue in the oil that can spoil faster. If you’re just frying French fries it won’t make much difference, but chicken will make your oil nasty pretty quickly. Aside from fatty foods like chicken you can filter the oil after use and put it back the original container and make it last longer. A coffee filter in a strainer will do.
Yeah when I want to save oil, I filter it and then store it in the fridge. I don’t know how many times is safe to use, but honestly, I’ve used oil many many times over to no ill effects.
I strained peanut oil used for deep frying through coffee filters and poured it back into the containers it came in from the store (plastic jugs). It’s been there for 3-4 months at room temperature, while I decide what to do with it. Is it still good, I wonder? Does it have to be refrigerated? Even now? (I suppose I could taste and smell it, duh.)
What do you filter it with? A wire mesh colander?
Here is a very thorough article about what is possible; why and how. A couple of interesting quotes and the paragraph headings:
I’m not that cheap. I just buy new oil after the oil starts to darken or have a smell which isn’t too long. I usually get Peanut oil at Menards for $5 or so by the gallon.
is it walking on its own?
if it doesn’t stink bad or too dark then fry daddy.