An apparatus for frying snack foods, the apparatus including a fryer having a tubular frying section with inlet and outlet ends, the outlet end downstream relative to the inlet end. An oil supply system for supplying oil to the inlet end. A food input at the inlet end adapted to introduce pre-fried snack food pieces into a flow of oil at the inlet end. A food output at, or downstream of, the outlet end adapted to separate fried snack food pieces from the flow of oil. An oil flow accelerator accelerating oil flow from the inlet end to the outlet end thereby conveying the snack food pieces, immersed in the oil, from the inlet end to the outlet end during a frying process. Also disclosed is a method of frying snack foods.

A system for measuring the state of degradation of cooking oil or fat includes at least one fryer pot. A conduit is fluidly connected to the fryer pot for transporting cooking oil from the fryer pot and returning the cooking oil back to the fryer pot. A pump is provided for re-circulating cooking oil to and from the fryer pot. A sensor is disposed in fluid communication with the conduit and measures an electrical property of the cooking oil as the cooking oil flows past the sensor and is returned to the at least one fryer pot.

Device for removing foreign matter from a liquid by means of at least one filter, wherein the liquid with the foreign matter is fed from a bath to the filter by means of a rotor (34) via a shaft or an extension (40) in a housing (9), wherein an inlet (22) extends columnar vertically over at least a major part of a rear wall (21) of the housing (9) opposite to the filter.

Systems are disclosed for cleaning a fryer using a washing element coupled to a bottom wall of a cooking chamber. An upper portion of the washing element extends above the bottom wall of the cooking chamber and includes a plurality of spray jet nozzles that are separated at predetermined angles relative to one another around a periphery of the upper portion of the washing element to orient the plurality of spray jet nozzles so as to spray a plurality of pressurized streams of the cooking medium to predetermined areas of the cooking chamber, including at least one corner of the cooking chamber. Also disclosed is a fryer that includes a spreader bar that maintains an electric heating coil in the serpentine pattern. The spreader bar is coupled to the upper surface of the electric heating coil and is disposed at a predetermined distance away from the bottom wall.

Food holding, mounting, and/or positioning devices, with particular application to, although not necessarily limited to, supporting unitary articles of food, including, but not necessarily limited to, deep frying large fowl, including Thanksgiving Day sized turkeys. A simplified cooking liquid filtering apparatus. A method and apparatus to simplifies, and makes more accurate, cooking liquid dispensing, and measurement. Example devices use liquid to cook foods, with particular application to, but not limited to, deep frying large unitary food articles, including, but not limited to, large fowl, including Thanksgiving Day sized turkeys. Further example devices store, dispense, and measure pourable materials, including both liquid and dry materials. An informational device, with particular applications to, but not limited to, provides instructions, and more particularly, although not limited to, providing operating instructions for household cooking devices.

An appliance for frying has a frying pot disposed within a housing for containing oil or fat and having a normally-closed valve disposed at a bottom thereof. An oil receiving tank is removably receivable within the housing below the frying pot, and has an oil receiving hole positionable below the draining valve such that when the valve is opened, the or fat may flow from the frying pot into the oil receiving tank. An actuation mechanism disposed entirely on the housing has a first condition wherein the activation mechanism allows removal of the oil receiving tank relative to the housing, a second condition wherein the activation mechanism prevents removal of the oil receiving tank relative to the housing while not opening the valve, and a third condition wherein the activation mechanism prevents removal of the oil receiving tank relative to the housing while opening the valve.

The present invention is an apparatus comprising a disposable frying oil filter and a filter securing element, and a method of using the same. The disposable filter is adapted to cover the sides and base of a fryer basket and allow oil to pass though at a substantially similar rate to a filterless fryer basket, while trapping virtually all small particles released from a cookable item. The filter securing device is preferably a frame attached to the fryer basket, and is adapted to hold the disposable filter in place and allow for easy replacement when the disposable filter becomes saturated with small particles.

Systems and methods are disclosed for cleaning a fryer using a washing element coupled to a bottom wall of a cooking chamber. An upper portion of the washing element extends above the bottom wall of the cooking chamber and includes a plurality of spray jet nozzles that are separated at predetermined angles relative to one another around a periphery of the upper portion of the washing element to orient the plurality of spray jet nozzles so as to spray a plurality of pressurized streams of the cooking medium to predetermined areas of the cooking chamber, including at least one corner of the cooking chamber. Also disclosed is a fryer that includes a spreader bar that maintains an electric heating coil in the serpentine pattern.

A substantially closed loop filtration and convection system is configured to move fluid/oil volume within a fryer vat. The vat has a flow directed inlet, which directs flow of cooking fluid in a direction across the bottom of the vat directing the flow of oil and crumbs/debris across the vat, up and across a flow separation portion toward and into a cleaning zone portion of the vat. A crumb tray or crumb/debris catch system is disposed in the cleaning zone adjacent to the vat.

The present disclosure provides a filter tray and filter tray assembly with removable filter media. The filter tray may include a quick-release retainer or spring-clip pivotally engaged with the tray and engageable with the tray to form a pressure fit over a filter medium. The filter tray may further include or interface to a handle extension and/or a removeable handle for manipulation of the filter tray, including removing and replacing the filter tray in a deep fryer cooking system.