Countertop fryers

The principal categories of restaurant fryers are (1) countertop fryers, (2) floor-type fryers, (3) pressure fryers, and (4) turkey fryers. 

Figure 1. Countertop fryers (a) Gas fired and (b) electrically heated.

Electrically heated fryers have the heating elements immersed in the oil like in the countertop fryers. The oil temperature in the fryer is thermostatically controlled. The fryer has an on-off power switch that turns on power either to the gas control system or to the electrical heating elements. The control system generally has two operating modes, namely, (1) standby and (2) high heat (or fry). The fryer is kept on the standby mode when the demand is low, such as after the lunch rush or in late evening. 

Countertop pressure fryers (see Figure 2) are especially suitable for frying batter-coated fish or shrimp in small restaurants and as experimental fryers for research work. These fryers have a single pressure setting and an automatic shutoff device. 

The typical oil temperature profile during frying French fries is shown in Table 1. The frying test was conducted in a countertop twin fryer (Model 5301 A, Star Manufacturing International, Inc., Hobson Lane, Smithville, TN). Each pan had an oil capacity of 15 pounds. The total thermal capacity of the fryer was 45,000 BTUs (11,364 CHUs) per hour (1). 

Deep-fryers are very handy, hut not crucial. There are electric fryers that look like big stockpots with a plug, restaurant-style fryers for countertop use, and stovetop deep-fryers fitted with a lift-out basket. These can he good investments if you plan on doing a lot of frying, hut to avoid the expense, you can simply use a large pot or Dutch oven and scoop out fried foods with a slotted spoon. 

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