Black Wvo

[captgrady]

Just got some really black oil from restaurant bin, I get clean oil from one place, but I don't yet know anything about the oil I just got from this future source. Any tests besides splatter? Is this black oil normal when it comes from the processor's container, because there's so much crap at the bottom, or they don't change it enough? Anybody else deal with oil this black?
Thanks,

[greasyX]

the darker it is the more time or cycles it spent in fryer.golden was used less.:cheers:

[captgrady]

Is the oil still usable? detrimental? could it be that they are using lard? How bad is Lard?

[Clay]

Is the oil still usable? detrimental? could it be that they are using lard? How bad is Lard?

The oil i get from one place is black as coffee and has a layer of cloudy looking - kinda brownish in color - stuff in the bottom 1/3rd. This stuff is animal fat i believe...the resturant cooks alot of whole chickens...I strain out the cloudy stuff and put it in a pan, heat it and it melts and looks like normal oil. The dark color of the oil just means it has been used a longer time in the fryer as Greasy stated above. It won't hurt anything.

[skyskijason]

2nd what they said about dark = more use in fryer. Should be fine after passing HPT (hot pan test).

Lard, well thats a biggie there. First, I have found it is difficult to dewater, then it must be heated in order to filter and pump. Second, I would be very concerned about having a tankfull of SOLID oil and then V3 switching over in its usual way-fast way (w/in a couple miles) and the tank is still SOLID, particularly at bottom near fuel pick-up.

One of my sources switched to 'animal/vegetable shortening'/'lard' earlier this year. At 60+ degs outside, my drum was 3/4 full and you could almost stand on top of the oil. I dropped a 1500 watt heating element in it and after 4 hours I was still only able to pump 1/2 of what was in there 'cuase the rest was still solid as cold butter. I told'em to STOP putting oil in my drums, I don't want to mess with it. ALL of my other sources are liquid down to almost freezing temps...

[lancaster,pa]

Been using some of the very dark oil for several months (partially hydrogenated soy). I let it settle for an extended time, take the best off the top, filter to two microns and HPT. I was cautious in the beginning and got feedback from as many experienced greasers as possible. Consensus seemed to be as stated by others here that the dark color was a result of how long it was used in the fryer. Also, some of the darkness may be caused by frying a lot of mushrooms. I was also cautioned that used motor oil may have been dumped in the veg and contributed to the color change. Haven't had any problems so far. - Patrick