Cleaning a used Turkey Fryer Pot

A co-worker just gave me his complete turkey fryer set up which includes the burner and 7.5 gallon aluminum pot. He told me that he only used it once to deep fry a turkey.

I'm wondering if I should buy a new pot or if I can clean the used one enough to use for beer. I am a bit worried about the oil used to deep fry a turkey "sticking" around and ruining my beer. Even after a thorough cleaning.

What do you all think? If cleaning is an option; any suggestions on what to use? Would Oxyclean work in this situation?

Jonny

id use cleaner first then boil some water in it. If you still get any oil slick on the water then id say you have may have a problem but im guessing you would be fine

I'd use regular dish washing soap with a plastic scrubbie.

Get some really hot water in there with dish detergent and a lot of the oil will come out of the aluminum. It might take a few scrub/rinse cycles to get the oil out. I'd do a final test by boiling water in there and noting if there's any oil floating. You don't want that in your wort.

Bobby_M said:

Get some really hot water in there with dish detergent and a lot of the oil will come out of the aluminum. It might take a few scrub/rinse cycles to get the oil out. I'd do a final test by boiling water in there and noting if there's any oil floating. You don't want that in your wort.

Click to expand...

Ditto. Use Dawn dish washing detergent or the like, stay away from the organic detergents, they seem to leave just as much oil behind as they take away.

Why clean it? Isn't EVERYTHING better deep fried?

Thanks for all the quick responses and patients. I was a bit excited about this and totally forgot to do a search prior to posting. Although I have recently found a lot of information on Aluminum pots, the information contained within these replies is direct and too the point.

Thanks again and I'm sure I can find out if deep fried beer is better at the state fair this year.

Jonny

I converted my used turkey fryer into a boil kettle. I used dish soap then oxiclean to clean it out. Never noticed any oil after putting water in.

Make sure when done cleaning to fill the pot up all the way with water and boil for a good hour to build the protective layer back up. The pot will clean MUCH easier and resist rusting if you do so.

How do you clean the burner ? My burner isn't what it used to be ... not firing on all jets..

I swear by oxy clean. Fill it and let it soak in oxy clean and then maybe clean it with dish soap if it needs it, but you should be fine. I use mine when i need a little extra water.

How do you clean the burner ? My burner isn't what it used to be ... not firing on all jets..

Click to expand...

I took the burner off and stood it up vertically in my vise. I used a drill bit that would just fit inside an open jet. Drilled them out and let the "stuff" fall out through the inlet. - Dwain