A fryer includes a cooking chamber for holding a cooking medium at least one heating element positioned within the cooking chamber, and a chain conveyor for selectively advancing food product through the cooking chamber along a movement path. The chain conveyor includes first and second chains coupled together by a plurality of baskets extending therebetween. The movement path includes a series of legs, including a first leg wherein the food product moves substantially vertically from above the cooking medium to a greatest depth within the cooking medium and including a second leg subsequent to the first leg wherein the food product moves substantially horizontally at the greatest depth within the cooking medium. Automated filtering systems and methods for removing debris from cooking medium are also provided.

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.

In order to suppress the deterioration of frying oil and fat, there are provided: a fry cooking method that uses a silicone-oil containing oil and fat as the frying oil and fat and forcibly cools the surface of the frying oil and fat; a method for suppressing the deterioration of a silicone oil-containing oil and fat, the method including forcibly cooling the surface of the silicone oil-containing oil and fat during the heating of the silicone oil-containing oil and fat; and a fry cooking device provided with a fryer into which the silicone oil-containing oil and fat is placed as the frying oil and fat, and a forced cooling device (blower) for forcibly cooling the oil surface of the silicone oil-containing oil and fat placed in the fryer.

An automatic cleaning device of food flying machines is disclosed, wherein a food flying pot and a cleaning device are respectively installed on the machine body, the cleaning device includes a water inlet externally connected to a water source, the water inlet is connected with at least one connection tube, a water control valve is installed on the connection tube, a water outlet head is connected to the end of the connection tube, and the master controller is set up to control the water control valve, after having completed the food flying operation, the water control valve can be activated so that clean water can be sprayed into the inner flying pot through the water outlet head.

A deep fat fryer (1) comprising: a housing (2), a pot (3) adapted to contain a cooking medium, one or more heating elements (4a, 4b), external to said pot (3), for heating a cooking medium contained in said pot (3), a temperature sensor (5) adapted to measure the temperature of a cooking medium contained in said pot (3), a control unit (9), controlling the electrical components of the deep fat fryer (1). The deep fat fryer (1) comprises one or more heat-shield elements (6a, 6b) arranged for slowing down the heat transfer from said one or more heating elements (4a, 4b) to a cooking medium contained in said pot (3).

A grease catcher apparatus for a frying apparatus can include a support assembly for positioning under the frying apparatus. The support assembly can be configured to receive a removable tray for catching grease from the frying apparatus. The grease catcher apparatus can also include at least one side wall extending generally upwardly from the support assembly. In some embodiments, the side wall may slope toward the removable tray, e.g., for directing the grease into the tray. In some embodiments, the support assembly may include a first support segment and a second support segment positionable across from one another, where each support segment has a base ledge, e.g., for supporting opposite sides of the removable tray. In some embodiments, the support assembly may include a partial enclosure defining an opening for permitting passage of grease, e.g., from the frying apparatus to the removable tray.

A frying unit, comprising an oil pan (1) which is essentially open on top, a transport unit (2), using which a basket (3) is movable from a filling position into the interior of the oil pan (1) and using which the basket (3) is movable from the interior of the oil pan (1) into an emptying position, wherein the oil pan (1) is designed in such a way that it can accommodate multiple baskets (3) simultaneously, and the transport unit (2) is designed in such a way that the baskets (3) are movable independently of one another.

An air-based fryer apparatus (100) includes a shield (101) for use in a cooking apparatus (100), the cooking apparatus having a food preparation chamber (102) to receive a food support (103), a system (104) for circulating a flow of hot air inside the food preparation chamber (102) and a heating element (105) to heat at least the circulated air. The shield (101), disposed between the heating element (105) and the food support (103), comprises a plurality of inclined surfaces (112) and a plurality of apertures (111) between the inclined surfaces (112) through which the flow of hot air can pass. The inclined surfaces (112) block a direct line of sight through the apertures (111) in the shield (101) from the heating element (105) to the food support (103) to prevent air flowing from the food support (103) to the heating element (105) through the apertures without being deflected by the inclined surfaces.

Systems and methods for delivering a cooking medium in a cooking apparatus are disclosed. A delivery system includes a rotary valve having a rotary inlet and a plurality of rotary outlets. The rotary inlet is configured to be in fluid communication with a source of cooking medium and the plurality of rotary outlets are configured to be in fluid communication with a corresponding plurality of receptacles. A rotary position sensor generates a signal, having continuous angular position resolution, based on an angular position of the rotary valve. A controller receives the signal generated by the rotary position sensor and selectively places the rotary inlet in fluid communication with one of the plurality of rotary outlets based on the signal generated by the rotary position sensor. The rotary position sensor may include a Hall-effect sensor that functions at elevated operating temperatures associated with the cooking medium.