We recently purchased a Euro-Pro deep fryer to use at home occasionally. Primary usage is for fish and onion rings. So about 8 fillets and one large onion each time we heat the oil (about 1 gallon capacity reservoir).
We use canola oil and after it cools we filter it and store it, sealed, back in the empty container which is stored at the bottom of our pantry.
My question is how many times can I figure on safely reusing the oil?
At the restaurant I work at we change the oil in the fryers 2 times a week. We are open 24 hours a day. So our fryer oil sees a lot of action before we change it.
I don’t have a number for you, but I would say use it untill it starts getting dark.
This article looks pretty comprehensive. Its central advice–“If the oil smells funky and old, better to toss it away and replace it with fresh oil”–is supplemented with a lot of ideas on how to prevent the oil from reaching that point.
Daniel
Thanks for the link. Sounds like I am already following the recommended guidelines. I should be good to go. Last night was the second time I had used this oil and I just filtered it and put it back in the jug from whence it came. No bad odor to the oil and while it’s a little darker than new, it’s still pretty clear.
FYI, oil reaches it’s peak after 2 or 3 fry cycles. Fresh oil doesn’t brown foods properly and needs to break down a bit. Experienced fry cooks will mix a bit of old grease in with the fresh batch to ensure optimal frying but home cooks tend to be paranoid and use fresh oil every time and wonder why they can’t replicate what they get at restaurants.