What do you do with vegetable oil after frying

Olive oil is great for frying. Olive oil is naturally stable under heat and has a smoke point that is high enough for most types of cooking. Because it is more expensive than other cooking oils, many people ask us if it can be re-used after frying.

The answer is yes, you can reuse olive oil. Researchers conducted a study where food was fried in olive oil and found that olive oil was stable even when reused 10 times.  They concluded that for frying foods, olive oil maintains quality and nutrition better than seed oils.

For best results when reusing olive oil, follow these guidelines:

1. Let the oil cool and then filter it through a couple of layers of cheesecloth, a fine meshed sieve, a paper coffee filter or even paper towels. The objective is to remove the little fried bits that remain in the oil. These food particles can burn when reusing oil so remove them as best you can.
2. Store the oil in an appropriately sized container. You want the oil to fill the jar, leaving little room for air in the container.  A dark colored bottle, a glass jar, or opaque stainless steel container are good choices. We do not recommend that you store the oil in metal containers other than stainless steel. Copper and brass can react with the oil. You can even reuse the bottle the oil came in. Make sure the bottle is tightly capped.
3. Store the oil in a cool, dark place like in your pantry. Do not store it near the stove or in the light. Heat and light will accelerate the oxidation of the oil. Use the oil quickly. 
4. Label the oil with the date and what you fried in it. Cooking oils retain some of the flavors of the food. You don't want to fry doughnuts in oil you used for fish! Take a minute to write yourself a quick reminder.
5. Reuse the oil only for cooking. Use fresh oil for dressings and marinades.
6. Depending on what you have fried in it, you can reuse the olive oil up to 5 times.  Discard the oil when it becomes dark in color or changes viscosity. 
7. When you discard the oil, don't pour the oil down the drain. Oil may clog your plumbing.  If you can, recycle it. 

If you intend to reuse your frying oil, keep these tips in mind when frying. 

1. As with all frying, make sure that the oil reaches the correct temperature before adding your food and do not allow the oil to burn. A thermometer is a helpful accessory for frying. 
2. Avoid letting water get into your frying oil. Avoid ice around frozen foods, and do not use a lid when frying to prevent condensation from dripping into the oil. Oil with water in it will prevent the food from becoming crisp when frying. 
3. Plan ahead by frying neutral tasting foods in the oil when it is fresh and stronger flavored food in the oil when you are reusing it.

Learning to fry food as a college student is no small feat. Sadly, getting that food onto a plate and seasoning it perfectly is only half the battle. After finishing your exquisite meal, you often find yourself confronted with a pot or pan of used oil. What do you do?

The proper disposal of oil is an important waste concern. Cooking oil can block plumbing and piping, which allows for sewage backup into homes and businesses (ew). People assume that pairing the used oil with hot water and pouring it down the drain will suffice, but drains do not have a proper grease management system, and the problem continues to persist.

How do we stop this unsanitary phenomenon? Here are eight ways to get rid of that cooking oil through responsible and sustainable methods. Your drains and the environment will thank you.

1. Re-use it

2. Pour it out

Recycling sounds nice, but sometimes it's just impossible to do. If you have to throw your oil out, do it the right way. Once the oil cools, pour it into a milk carton or an unrecyclable container and toss it out. Make sure the container is unbreakable and it is sealed tightly to prevents spills and leakages into your garbage can.

3. Freeze it

A good way to deal with oil, whether you plan on re-using it in the near future or throwing it out, is freezing it. Once the oil cools, pour the oil into a tightly sealable container. Place it in the freezer, and done; it can be re-used at a later date and even makes for an easy way to get rid of otherwise pesky liquified oil.

4. Convert it into biodiesel

UnitedSoybeanBoard on Flickr

Say what? Believe it or not, leftover oil can be turned into biodiesel, which can be made from oils like vegetable oil or animal fat combined with an alcohol like methanol. It is a desirable substitute for petroleum because it is supposedly less damaging to the environment and emits less harmful greenhouse gases when turned into fuel for tractors, motorcycles, and more.

While you personally may not have enough cooking oil to do this, contacting your local restaurants to see if they participate in this awesome method of recycling is a great way to get rid of your unwanted grease and save the world at the same time.

5. Get someone else to recycle it

6. Compost it or use it to kill weeds

crabtree on unsplash

Vegetable oils, such as canola or olive oil, are compostable in small quantities. Oil can also be used to kill weeds; just place it in a spray bottle and spray those unruly nuisances away. It's like killing two birds with one stone.

7. Mix it

If you really just want to throw your oil away, mix it with an absorbent material, like sawdust, cat litter, or flour, until the consistency is thick enough to easily throw away. Now you won't have to worry about oil leaking through garbage bags or spilling all over the place.

8. Try the Fat Trapper System

The Fat Trapper System is a plastic container holding an aluminum foil bag created just for the oil dilemma so many of us face. It effectively holds grease and oil in an odor-free, entirely sanitary contraption. You just fold the bag and throw it away once it's full. Get your fat trapper system here for mess-free oil disposal every single time.

While it may be easy to pour your used oil down the drain, it is definitely not the safest. So long as you take precautions when re-using, recycling, or throwing away your oil, you should never have to face the consequences any careless actions can create. Don't let your efforts in preserving the environment go down the drain.

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