Share
Cooking is incomplete without the use of fat. Most cooks regularly utilise oil in some form, whether they are deep frying potatoes to produce a crispy, crunchy skin or sprinkling veggies with olive oil for flavour before roasting. Therefore, whether you have grease-covered pans from searing and sautéing or cups of oil left over after frying chicken or french fries, you need to do something with the residual fat. Although it may be tempting, pouring it down the drain could harm your plumbing, and throwing it in the compost could harm your compost.
Reusing cooking oil is a fantastic strategy to cut back on food waste in your home and your grocery bill. A high-quality oil with a high smoking point must be used, and it must be strained through cheesecloth after each use if you wish to reuse your cooking oil. In a container that is tightly closed, keep used cooking oil in a cold, dry location.
A high smoking point cooking oil should be used. It's critical to start with cooking oil that is suitable for reusing if you want to be able to reuse it. Pick an oil for frying that has a high smoke point, preferably 400° F (204° C) or higher. With a greater smoking point, cooking oil will perform better at higher temperatures and is more likely to be re-used. Use oils made from canola, avocado, sesame, sunflower, or grapeseed. You should determine which one you prefer because each of these has a different flavour. Olive oil shouldn't be used because it doesn't lend itself well to reuse and has a low smoking point.
Allow the oil to cool. Wait until the used cooking oil has totally cooled before attempting to store it. When you are done using the oil, turn off the heat source, let the oil cool, and then attempt to put it into a container for storage after letting it sit for however long is necessary. A cover should be placed over the oil if you want to leave it out overnight to prevent contamination.
Use cheesecloth to filter out the undesirable remnants. Every time you use cooking oil, something will inevitably remain that you don't want to leave lingering in the oil. This might be additional fat, loose batter, or breading crumbs. You can remove them by filtering the oil through cheesecloth to remove the surplus.
Put the cheesecloth on top of a spotless open container. Make sure the cheesecloth is positioned on top of a spotless container that can accommodate the filtered oil. Pour the oil onto the cheesecloth, letting it cleanly pour into the fresh container. This will assist you in preventing a major mess. Always keep in mind not to throw cooking oil down the drain. Over time, this could lead to clogs and other issues with your pipes.
Keep it in a container that is well closed. Cooking oil needs to be protected against tampering if you want to reuse it. Keep the oil in a sealed container is the recommended course of action in this situation. The oil you intend to reuse shouldn't include any traces of food, dust, or, worse still, insects. Glass jars or the bottle the oil was packaged in are the ideal containers for oil storage (if it is empty).
Keep the oil away from sources of heat. Old cooking oil is frequently kept next to the stove. This is among the worst things you can do because heat can hasten the breakdown of your oil. Away from any potential heat sources, such as the stove, oven, microwave, heating vent, or even direct sunshine from a window, keep your oil in a cold location. If it's not too hot out, you could store your old cooking oil in the garage, the back of a cabinet, or even a pantry.
The used oil should be kept in the fridge. If you believe you will store your remaining oil for more than a week, you might even want to think about putting it in the refrigerator. You will be able to utilise the oil for a longer period of time and help prevent any potential bacterial growth. Even in the refrigerator, keep it in a container that is well sealed.
Use the oil on foods that are similar to it. It's important to keep in mind that the food you are preparing in your cooking oil will flavour it.
You can use cooking oil for more than just deep frying, so don't limit yourself to that. You are welcome to periodically remove a small amount of cooking oil from the stock if you have a batch that you want to reuse. The leftover oil can be used in pasta salads or stir-fries. Just be careful to pair fresh foods with complementary flavours when reusing oil.
