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Dedicated Fryers

larry mac

By larry mac
in Gluten-Free Restaurants

Recommended Posts

larry mac Enthusiast
larry mac
Posted

Hello gluten freers,

My co-worker opened a BBQ restaurant last weekend. I ate there an hour after they opened. I ordered the sweet potato fries as a side dish to the beef brisket and they were very, very tasty. I was a little nervous as they also offer chicken nuggets. But considering they had just opened for the very first time, I had driven all the way across town, and there wasn't hardly anyone there, I decided to go ahead. Well, didn't get glutoned (proving nothing).

I mentioned to him today that I really shouldn't risk those fries again as they may be contaminated with the chicken fingers. He said they dedicated that fryer only for regular fries and sweet potatoe fries. They use another fryer for the chicken fingers and onion rings. Guess why?

The flour breading makes a mess and neccessitates changing the oil and cleaning the fryer more frequently!

I know this to be true from personal experience. I have one of those little fryers that are ubiquitous now. When I've made homemade french fries the oil is still OK after. Not so when frying a breaded item. Plus, the bits of crust residue start burning after a while.

Now, does McDonalds come to mind?

best regards, lm

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Sweetfudge Community Regular
Sweetfudge
Posted

hm, interesting. glad you didn't get sick :D now if only we could all get guarantees that there's no second-hand gluten floating around the rest of the kitchen after the fries get fried ;)

gfp Enthusiast
gfp
Posted

I tend to agree with sweetfudge....(on stuff lfoating about)

I guess it really depends.... the difference between a non-franchised BBQ resto and McDo's as well....

As the resto owner he makes decisions to change the oils.... but with McDo I think everything is formula...

Oil goes in and each frying is logged... (its all electronic they press the botton and ....) ... and after either so many uses or every day the oil is changed....

The way I view McDonalds is more like a production line than a resto... everything is done to formulas calcualted at HQ to maximise proftability.... and equally give consistency across diofferent franchises/branches (I hestite to use the word resteraunts).. in a way if one was "better" than another this is against the corporate model which is really you should be able to walk into one in NY or Denver and get the "same" meal....

Your friend ..I would guess would find this concept abhorent... :D His business model is more likely he wants his food to be better so people will come to his place not elsewhere... McDonalds as an organisation don't care so long as its another McDO...

Jestgar Rising Star
Jestgar
Posted

larry,

I just wanted to add that I'm so glad you finally added the ..cle to your signature. That drove me up the wall everytime I saw it :P

larry mac Enthusiast
larry mac
Posted
  • Author
larry,

I just wanted to add that I'm so glad you finally added the ..cle to your signature. That drove me up the wall everytime I saw it :P

jg,

Yeah, I forgot about that part till recently when I saw the song on youtube. I've been going around singing it wrong for years. Sorry Arlo.

best regards,

p.s., jg - please say something next time I screw up (and there will be a next time!).

larry mac Enthusiast
larry mac
Posted
  • Author
.......

The way I view McDonalds is more like a production line than a resto... everything is done to formulas calcualted at HQ to maximise proftability....

......

gfp,

Exactly what I was trying to imply. Having seperate fryers for the fries and chicken products is most likely driven by practicality (ie. profits). The oil in the fries fryer lasts longer without the flour products in it. Of course it's not quite that simple, there are taste considerations etc.

What I'm suggesting is that the whole concept of seperate fryers has nothing to do with Celiac or allergies/intolerances. It's all about oil/profit.

best regards, lm

miles2go Contributor
miles2go
Posted
Hello gluten freers,

My co-worker opened a BBQ restaurant last weekend. I ate there an hour after they opened. I ordered the sweet potato fries as a side dish to the beef brisket and they were very, very tasty. I was a little nervous as they also offer chicken nuggets. But considering they had just opened for the very first time, I had driven all the way across town, and there wasn't hardly anyone there, I decided to go ahead. Well, didn't get glutoned (proving nothing).

I mentioned to him today that I really shouldn't risk those fries again as they may be contaminated with the chicken fingers. He said they dedicated that fryer only for regular fries and sweet potatoe fries. They use another fryer for the chicken fingers and onion rings. Guess why?

The flour breading makes a mess and neccessitates changing the oil and cleaning the fryer more frequently!

I know this to be true from personal experience. I have one of those little fryers that are ubiquitous now. When I've made homemade french fries the oil is still OK after. Not so when frying a breaded item. Plus, the bits of crust residue start burning after a while.

Now, does McDonalds come to mind?

McDonald's are a franchise. The day that I ate fries that tasted excatemento like Fried Apple Pies were an awakening.

So, your mileage may vary...

best regards, lm

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zkat Apprentice
zkat
Posted

Another little known fact about McDonald's is they filter the shortening every day. Chicken, Fish and Fries all have their own vats, but one machine is used to filter all the vats. Basically they drain the oil into this machine, it filters it and they run it back into the vat. The machine is cleaned daily, but I promise you there is hidden gluten all over it.

larry mac Enthusiast
larry mac
Posted
  • Author
Another little known fact about McDonald's is they filter the shortening every day. Chicken, Fish and Fries all have their own vats, but one machine is used to filter all the vats. Basically they drain the oil into this machine, it filters it and they run it back into the vat. The machine is cleaned daily, but I promise you there is hidden gluten all over it.

zk,

That is very, very interesting. We definitely need to know more about this filtering machine. Obviously, that would probably negate the whole dedicated fryer concept now wouldn't it? They would also need to claim it removes all traces of gluten? Although, if it removes odors and tastes (these are molecules after all), could it remove gluten molecules also?

How did you find this out?

best regards, lm

grantschoep Contributor
grantschoep
Posted

I worked at McDonalds for years, I was also the guy who filtered the vats every morning. It was policy, because of odor/flavor issue. To filter fry vats first(actually this order...)

Fry Vats

Chicken Nugget?patty vats

Filet o Fish Vats

The machine is cleaned well, its all stailess steal, other than the big "paper" filter to catch the junk. But yea, now that I think of it, I can see where some places probably still contain some contaminated oil. In reality really probably due to poor cleaning....

dally099 Contributor
dally099
Posted
I worked at McDonalds for years, I was also the guy who filtered the vats every morning. It was policy, because of odor/flavor issue. To filter fry vats first(actually this order...)

Fry Vats

Chicken Nugget?patty vats

Filet o Fish Vats

The machine is cleaned well, its all stailess steal, other than the big "paper" filter to catch the junk. But yea, now that I think of it, I can see where some places probably still contain some contaminated oil. In reality really probably due to poor cleaning....

i will no longer eat mcdo fries as the last time that i did, within 20 min it felt like a razor going through my stomach and i had gas all afternoon. it takes one kid in a rush not cleaning something right, or someone frying the wrong thing in there on a busy day to screw it all up. its a shame cause their are workers in mcdo who really do try and be carefull.

zkat Apprentice
zkat
Posted

I worked at McD's for 7 years, before I was gluten-free. I just don't trust the guy cleaning the filter machine (I remember the guys we always had doing it). I have also seen it done in reverse order because it was easier-depends on the Manager on duty on how strickly the order is enforced.

It's funny-I had totally forgotten about this as it has been about 9 years since I worked there. It just came to me when I was reading this post.

grantschoep Contributor
grantschoep
Posted

Yeah, I haven't worked there since 1996...

Wow... that was more 10 years ago. I knew things were going to go odd when I hit that 30 mark...

I do miss food like McD's, it wasn't that good. But when your busy, its so nice to just getting something to make you full.

By the way, when you do work there. You can make a great tasting burger, if you don't "speed" prepare it.

-grant

gfp Enthusiast
gfp
Posted
zk,

That is very, very interesting. We definitely need to know more about this filtering machine. Obviously, that would probably negate the whole dedicated fryer concept now wouldn't it? They would also need to claim it removes all traces of gluten? Although, if it removes odors and tastes (these are molecules after all), could it remove gluten molecules also?

Im not sure it removes odours and tastes so much as removes the little bits of food that impart the odour and taste...and yes that does negate the dedicated fryer.. and I can't see a paper filter removiung gluten effectively at all.

The funny thing is just how so many people want it to be OK to eat at McDO.... but not really...

grantschoep sums it up

I do miss food like McD's, it wasn't that good. But when your busy, its so nice to just getting something to make you full.

Its true, I never liked McDo's or really any other fast food... but it sure was convenient... and it did feel you feeling full (if slightly queezy and bloated an hour later)....

This is what I really miss. Not the food, the convenience, especially when I'm out with others..

zkat Apprentice
zkat
Posted
Hello gluten freers,

My co-worker opened a BBQ restaurant last weekend. I ate there an hour after they opened. I ordered the sweet potato fries as a side dish to the beef brisket and they were very, very tasty. I was a little nervous as they also offer chicken nuggets. But considering they had just opened for the very first time, I had driven all the way across town, and there wasn't hardly anyone there, I decided to go ahead. Well, didn't get glutoned (proving nothing).

Hey, I just realized after all the posts on the thread, you never mentioned where the Sweet Potato fries are located! I am always in search of a good french fry and BBQ!

larry mac Enthusiast
larry mac
Posted
  • Author
Im not sure it removes odours and tastes so much as removes the little bits of food that impart the odour and taste...and yes that does negate the dedicated fryer.. and I can't see a paper filter removiung gluten effectively at all.

The funny thing is just how so many people want it to be OK to eat at McDO.... but not really...

grantschoep sums it up

Its true, I never liked McDo's or really any other fast food... but it sure was convenient... and it did feel you feeling full (if slightly queezy and bloated an hour later)....

This is what I really miss. Not the food, the convenience, especially when I'm out with others..

gfp,

Quite true on all points made.

It is the little bits of food that spoil the flavor & taste. They're not trying to remove the gluten. They don't really give a hoot one way or another about the gluten (except to play the PR and CYA game). They only care about keeping the oil relatively clean to maximize the life of it and thereby maximize profits.

And yes, I only ate at McDonalds out of neccessity, for convenience. Not for taste, and in spite of the fact that I knew it would make me ever so slightly ill later.

You are one smart celiac gfp. Now if only you would figure out how many dilutions for my sourdough starter to be gluten free. I know you can do it. lol.

best regards, lm

larry mac Enthusiast
larry mac
Posted
  • Author
Hey, I just realized after all the posts on the thread, you never mentioned where the Sweet Potato fries are located! I am always in search of a good french fry and BBQ!

zk,

It's a new little place at Independence & Parker called Ricky Rays BBQ. Found out the SP fries are bought frozen (still good though). I'd rather not post a review of the restaurant here. I'll send you a pm.

best regards, lm

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