Battered fried food is delicious and a customer favorite. Which is why it’s a staple in restaurants and foodservice establishments around the world. However, while customers love the crispiness of battered fried foods, operators know freshly battered and breaded dishes can be tricky to cook consistently. After a few batches, the oil can get full of bits, forcing workers to have to clean the oil out, slowing production. So, what’s the trick to preventing batter from sticking to a commercial fryer basket?
Understanding Why Battered Food Sticks
One of the primary challenges operators face when adding fried dishes to the menu is how to prevent batter from sticking to the fryer basket. Sometimes, the batter can become so problematic that workers must empty and refill the fryer before making the next batch, causing lengthy downtime and lost sales.
But why is battered fried food so tricky?
First, if the fryer oil temperature isn’t at the right level, it won’t keep the batter adhered to the food. That’s because the batter is at a lower temperature than the oil in the fryer, which causes the batter to ooze off and not stick. When the oil is hot enough, it helps keep everything contained better.
Another area for improvement is overcrowding. When dozens of orders are waiting, it’s tempting for workers to add more items to a single basket. Unfortunately, this crowding means the batter binds with both the basket and other foods next to it.
Finally, the batter itself can create challenges. If it’s too thin, it’ll seep almost immediately and drip into the fryer oil. So, operators must make the batter thick enough to stay on but not so thick that it makes it harder for the rest of the food to cook.
Pitco’s Pro-Tips for Stick-Free Frying
If a battered fried dish is a popular menu item, operators can avoid many of the challenges above by upgrading to a better frying system. Pitco offers high-end fryers that can handle larger volumes without the risk of batter sticking to each commercial fryer basket. Operators can also mitigate the problem by focusing onproper frying procedures.
For example, workers should season each basket by dipping it in the hot fryer oil before adding food. This layer of oil helps prevent the batter from sticking to the metal. Similarly, workers should use a shake time counter to ensure all excess oil and debris come off once an item comes out of the fryer. Then, they can skim any leftovers from the surface before the next batch.
High-efficiency fryers can also make the job much easier. Horizontal racks designed for high-volume frying won’t cool down as much between cooking sessions, and they allow employees to put more items on the rack without anything touching them. Workers can also submerge the rack before adding the food to prevent sticking.
Overall, Pitco fryers give operators more flexibility with their menu options. A consistent, stick-free frying experience makes it easier to keep up with demand. Plus, with automatic filtration and top-off features, operators can worry less about dirty oil ruining batches later in a shift.
Discover how Pitco fryers can help your foodservice business succeed with a consultation from a fry expert:
