User Manual Cuisinart® CDF-200 1800-watt 4 Quart Deep Fryer

• Owner's manual - (English, Spanish)

Table of contents

• PARTS AND FEATURES
• CLEANING, CARE AND MAINTENANCE
• SAFETY FEATURES
• TIPS AND HINTS

4 Quart Deep Fryer User Manual

PARTS AND FEATURES

1. Stainless steel housing
2. Viewing window
3. Collapsible basket handle
4. Lid
5. Basket
6. Basket hook (not shown)
7. Oil container
8. Handles
9. Lid handle
10. Timer
11. Temperature control knob
12. Oil Ready indicator light
13. Power On indicator light
14. Heating element
15. Breakaway cord (not shown; refer to page 3)
16. Reset button
17. Control panel

OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS

1. Lift off lid covering oil container.
2. Remove basket from oil container.
   • 
3. Attach handle to basket by squeezing posts and assembling as shown in diagram. Insert the control panel into the stainless steel body as seen below.
   • NOTE: The immersion heating element will not heat up unless the control panel is correctly installed.
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4. Pour approximately one gallon of good quality vegetable, corn, canola, soybean, or peanut oil into oil container until it reaches between the MIN and MAX marks inside container. DO NOT OVER- OR UNDERFILL. DO NOT MIX OILS.
5. Put lid on deep fryer.
6. Attach breakaway cord to the back of the appliance, then plug into outlet.
7. When unit is plugged in, the Power On indicator light will turn on.
8. Set the temperature control knob to the desired temperature. The Oil Ready indicator light will turn green once the oil has reached the desired temperature.
9. Lift lid and set basket onto the oil container using the basket hook. Put food into basket.
   • Do not exceed the MAX fill line on the basket. Lower the basket into oil and place the lid on top.
   • CAUTION: Oil is hot. Please use caution when placing food into hot oil.
10. Set timer (up to 30 minutes) to cooking time specified, depending on what you are cooking.
11. Timer will ring when set time has elapsed. Remove lid and raise the basket to see if the food has reached the desired golden color. If the food is done, carefully lift and hang basket on the oil container. Allow oil to drain completely before removing the basket. Remove cooked food from basket and place onto absorbent paper towels.
    • NOTE: To preserve oil quality, do not add additional salt or spices to the food until after it has been removed from the fryer.
    • WARNING: The timer does not switch appliance off.
12. When cooking is finished, turn temperature control to Standby. Unplug the breakaway cord from the wall outlet before detaching from the appliance.

CLEANING, CARE AND MAINTENANCE

1. Always unplug appliance, detach the breakaway cord and let the oil cool down to room temperature before cleaning.
2. Remove lid.
3. Lift out basket.
4. The control panel should never be immersed in water or other liquids. Before first use, clean the outer surface of the heating element with a damp cloth containing mild soap solution or clean water.
5. Once the oil has cooled, line a sieve with cheesecloth. Grasp each side of the removable oil container and lift upward. Pour the oil through the sieve and strain the used oil through it to remove food particles, crumbs and impurities. This process is safe to repeat after three or four frying sessions without the oil deteriorating.
6. The frying basket should be seasoned in oil before going into the dishwasher for the first time. Lid and oil container are dishwasher safe. Dry parts thoroughly after cleaning and before assembling.
7. The stainless steel housing is not submersible and should be washed by hand with warm, soapy water.
8. Ensure that both the lid and the oil container are completely dry after washing and before use.
9. After cleaning, reassemble oil container, heating element, basket and lid onto deep fryer. The heating element must be seated properly or appliance will not operate.
10. Warning: When cleaning, use care – underedge of deep fryer is sharp.
11. For storage, basket handle can be folded down to fit inside container.
12. Tip: For ease in cleaning, wipe control panel with damp microfiber cloth. Microfiber cloths are available in most kitchenware stores.
    • NOTE: Oil staining on the heating element and oil container can be easily cleaned with a plastic scrubbing pad.

Maintenance: Any other servicing should be performed by an authorized service representative.

SAFETY FEATURES

The Cuisinart® 4-Quart Deep Fryer is equipped with the following features to ensure safety:

• Safety Interlock – The control panel/heating element must be properly seated or deep fryer will not operate.
• Breakaway Cord – The cord is designed to quickly disconnect from the appliance when a pulling force is applied.
• Thermostat Overload Protection – Your Cuisinart® 4-Quart Deep Fryer is equipped with a thermostat overload protection. If the unit heats up beyond the recommended temperature level, the deep fryer will automatically turn off. To reset, unplug the unit from the wall outlet and allow it to cool down. Remove the control panel and heating element from the unit.

CAUTION: The heating element is extremely hot. Allow it to cool thoroughly before removing it. You will find a reset button on the front of the control panel below controls. Using a toothpick or another long, thin object, push the reset button and place the control panel back into its proper position.

NOTE: The unit will not work if the control panel is not properly mounted. Plug the unit back in, turn on and continue use. If the unit still does not operate, repeat the steps above or call a Cuisinart Certified Consumer Service Center for assistance.

TIPS AND HINTS

• When cooking foods dipped in fresh batter, first lower basket into hot oil. Using tongs, add food directly to oil. Use basket to lift out food when finished cooking.
• Do not exceed the MAX fill line in the basket. This helps maintain temperature of oil for better cooking results.
• Sort or cut food into pieces of uniform size. All the food will then be cooked in the same amount of time. To reduce splattering, remove excess moisture or ice from food.
• The oil does not need to be changed after each use. In general, the oil will be tainted rather quickly when frying food containing a lot of protein (such as poultry, meat or fish). When oil is mainly used to fry potatoes and it is filtered after each use, it can be used an additional 4 to 6 times.
• Once the oil has cooled, line a sieve with cheesecloth. Grasp each side of the removable oil container and lift upward. Pour the oil through the sieve and strain the used oil through it to remove food particles, crumbs and impurities. This process is safe to repeat three or four times without the oil deteriorating.
• It is important to follow the temperature recommendation for every recipe. If the temperature is too low, the fried food absorbs oil. If the temperature is too high, a crust quickly forms on the outside while the inside remains uncooked.
• For best results, drop freshly sliced food into basket one piece at a time.

FRYING FROZEN FOODS

• Due to their extremely low temperature, frozen foods inevitably lower the temperature of the oil. For best results, do not overload the basket with frozen foods.
• Follow the instructions on the frozen food package for cooking time and temperature.
• Frozen foods are frequently covered with a coating of ice crystals, which should be removed before frying. Lower the basket very slowly into the oil in order to ensure that oil does not boil over.

FILTERING AND CHANGING THE OIL

• WARNING: Always remove the plug from wall socket before cleaning. Allow the Cuisinart® Deep Fryer and the oil to cool completely approximately 2 hours) before cleaning or storing. Never immerse the control panel, cord or plug in water or any other liquids.
• The oil can be reused after your first frying session. In general, the oil will be tainted rather quickly when frying food containing a lot of protein (such as poultry, meat or fish). When oil is mainly used to fry potatoes and it is filtered after each use, it can be used an additional 4 to 6 times.
• Once the oil has cooled, line a sieve with cheesecloth. Grasp each side of the removable oil container and lift upward. Pour the oil through the sieve and strain the used oil through it to remove food particles, crumbs and impurities. This process is safe to repeat three or four times without the oil deteriorating.
• Used oil can be successfully stored in a cool, dark place for up to a month in a clean, airtight container. Refrigeration or freezing increases the oil’s lifespan by several months. However, do not use the oil for longer than months. DO NOT STORE THE OIL IN THE DEEP FRYER. Add a little fresh oil each time you reuse the oil. Any other servicing should be performed by an Authorized Service Representative.

TIPS FOR FRYING

Heat oil to 375°F unless recipe specifies otherwise. A cube of bread should brown in approximately 60 seconds. Correct temperature is extremely important. If the temperature is too high, breads will brown before the insides have cooked; if it is too low, the bread will absorb the fat and become soggy and greasy.

Cook only as much as will float easily in the oil. Too much added to the Cuisinart® 4-Quart Deep Fryer will cause the temperature to drop, and the food will be difficult to turn. Turn bread when it rises to the top of the oil, taking care not to pierce it. Lift cooked breads from the fryer; allow them to drain for a moment, then place on paper towels to drain.

DEEP-FRYING GUIDE – Prepared Foods

Prepared foods listed in this chart are breaded and cooked prior to packaging. If frozen, do not thaw; place foods directly from package into preheated oil. If there are frozen ice granules around prepared foods, set pieces on a paper towel and pat dry.

Use this chart as a guide to deep-frying times. Best results are obtained when food is cooked in small batches and size of pieces is uniform. Check deep-fried foods at the shortest times given; deep-fry until heated through.

Low heat 325°F

Onion rings . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5–6 min.

Medium heat 350°F

Chicken tenders . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5½–6 min.

Chicken nuggets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3–4 min.

Chicken pieces . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7–8 min.

Small mushrooms . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2½–3 min.

Medium shrimp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–2½ min.

Small shrimp pops . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–2 min.

High heat 375°F

Large or fantail shrimp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–2 min.

Mozzarella sticks . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–3 min.

Halibut fi sh fi llets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3–3½ min.

Halibut fi sh balls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–3 min.

DEEP-FRYING GUIDE – Fresh or Uncooked Foods

Fresh indicates food prepared from a recipe or purchased fresh, not frozen. Read package label to determine if prepared, packaged foods are NOT precooked. If frozen, do not thaw; place foods directly from package into preheated oil. If there are ice granules around prepared foods, set pieces on a paper towel and pat dry. Moist vegetables will cause the oil to splatter.

Frying times may vary because of food temperature, quantity and size of pieces. Best results are obtained when food is cooked in small batches and size of pieces is uniform. Check deep-fried foods at the shortest times given; deep-fry until fully cooked.

Low heat 325°F

Turkey thighs, bone in, skin on . . . . . . . . . . . . 20–22 min.

Turkey breast, bone up, skin down . . . . . . . . . . 30–35 min.

Breaded eggplant . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5–6 min.

Breaded portobello mushrooms . . . . . . . . . . . 4½–5 min.

Medium heat 350°F

Frozen chicken nuggets . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5½–6 min.

Breaded chicken tender . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3½–4½ min.

Breaded, boneless chicken breasts . . . . . . . . . . 5½–6 min.

Breaded bone-in pork chops . . . . . . . . . . . . . 7½–8 min.

Egg rolls . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 min.

Chimichangas . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . .7–7½ min.

Large shrimp . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1–2 min.

High heat 375°F

Red potato chips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–3 min.

Yam potato chips . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 2–2½ min.

American fries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 5–6 min.

Thin french fries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3–3½ min.

Thick french fries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 3½–4 min.

Curly french fries . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4½–5 min.