# Recycle Frying Oil



## benrias (May 2, 2003)

OK...So I have never heard this before, but apparently it is common to recycle your frying oil??? Is that right? How many times can you use the fry oil after you used it for fried chicken for example? Just strain it through a coffee filter, right?

There's gotta be a limit to how many times you can strain and reuse and/or how long you can keep it after its initial use? What is the limit? What about care once its filtered? Just keep it in a cool place like your other oils? 

Anyone know anything about this?


----------



## boar_d_laze (Feb 13, 2008)

There is a limit on how often you can reuse cooking oil. Like most things in this racket, what that is "all depends." It depends mostly on the type of oil, how high it was heated, and for how long. The purpose of filtering is to get rid of any leftover bits of whatever you cooked, so they don't affect the next batch of food, or burn when reheated. Filtering has it's limits though. It won't make oil not taste like fish. After cooking something with a strong taste or aroma, it's useful to fry-off a couple of pieces of white bread before reusing to purify taste and aroma before cooking anything else. Potato also works, but not as well. 

When oil is overused, the water and the fats begin to separate. The color darkens, it develops a stale odor and taste which attach to the product. Product stays greasy even when well drained. If you notice any of these things, discard the oil immediately. Immediately as in right now, not as in just one more batch. Next, the smoke point drops radically, and the oil produces some very unhealthy compounds at normal cooking temperatures that attach to the food and enter the air. 

BDL


----------



## phatch (Mar 29, 2002)

There are other ways to re-use the oil too depending what you fried in it. Last week I fried a LOT of sliced shallots in about 1 1/2 cups of peanut oil. The shallots cooked up well browned and crispy for some South East Asian dishes I was cooking.

I then used the shallot flavored oil again for the stir frying. And then again throughout this past week for some other cooking: potatoes, eggs, a steak, some fried rice from left overs and so on.

Phil


----------



## foodnfoto (Jan 1, 2001)

Could the originator be thinking of how some people are using spent frying oil as a bio-fuel?
There is a fellow here in town who has modified his truck engine to burn filtered frying oil. He says he hasn't bought gas in three years. All he does is go around to the local restos and picks up the dirty oil. He must have some kind of cleaning contraption at his house. Then he pumps the stuff into his truck. 
It's funny, because his exhaust smells like french fries. I've found myself following him before and I always get a strong whiff of fries or fried chicken.


----------



## ras1187 (Oct 3, 2006)

Even after you filter the stuff out of it (every place I've worked at filters every night), the oil itself is going to still get darker as you use it. We do not fry alot of dirty stuff, so we average about 1-2 oil rotations per week (this is going to vary on the place as well as what you cook in the fryer). If you fry stuff that has alot of flour, bread crumbs, or other "stuff" that will fall off the fried item and clump or float around the fryer, your oil is going to get darker faster. 

Ex. If I had two fryers, one for french fries, and the other for fried chicken, I would be changing the fried chicken fryer more frequently then the french fry one.


----------



## bazza (Apr 2, 2007)

I used to pay to have my spent oil collected but about a year ago discovered a company who recycle and will collect for free provided I have at least 200 litres to make it worthwhile. Sooo I store it out the back of the restaurant and it keeps going missing, I don't mind, it saves me getting rid of it. Anyhow I arrive early one morning to find a young lad pouring it into his car through a funnel....no filter. It seems that it will only work in diesel engines though LOL :lol:


----------



## dc sunshine (Feb 26, 2007)

Oh good grief LOL it needs to be treated first! And yeah its for diesel only. Guess the lad won't be back, or maybe he will, but on a push bike :crazy:

BTW, I like using used oil. Fresh first use oil doesn't seem to get that nice golden brown look on the product - why is this so?


----------



## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

I use Bertolli extra light olive oil to fry french friends and I keep it around for a while. It never seems to go bad. I find that some other oils like canola or vegetable tend to get bitter after a few uses.


----------



## oldarpanet (Jan 15, 2012)

I'm a home cook and I have never seen an answer to this question re frying oil: What do I do with the oil that has been exhausted and needs to be replaced?  I'll never collect 200 litres to give to a recycler, I won't pour it down the drain, I don't want to bury it in the back yard...  What to do?

thx,

Oldarpanet


----------



## oldarpanet (Jan 15, 2012)

Thanks for your reply, but I'm asking about when the oil is used up and needs to be replaced.  What do I do with the old oil?

oldarpanet


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

I found this to be a great refresher and a good primer for frying oils.

http://blog.etundra.com/in-the-restaurant/lesson-cooking-oil/


----------



## mtullius (Feb 20, 2014)

oldarpanet said:


> I'm a home cook and I have never seen an answer to this question re frying oil: What do I do with the oil that has been exhausted and needs to be replaced? I'll never collect 200 litres to give to a recycler, I won't pour it down the drain, I don't want to bury it in the back yard... What to do?
> 
> thx,
> 
> Oldarpanet


Save the oil jug it came in or an old coffee can. Pour it in then put it in the trash. Or make soap?


----------



## kaneohegirlinaz (Apr 24, 2011)

I agree with mtullius, I save covered coffee cans (now a days they're firm plastic containers with tight fitting lids) under my kitchen sink;  all cooking grease and frying oil go in them (NOT down the drain), once full, it's out to the trash bin.  That's from a home cook mind you, I know that a professional kitchen operated on a different level.


----------



## maryb (Mar 21, 2008)

Every gas station that does oil changes is required by law in Minnesota(might be national) to accept used oils. Fryer oil can get dumped right in with the used engine oil. Or put an ad on craigs list and I bet someone will pick it up once in awhile, might even supply you a 5 gallon jug.


----------



## ordo (Mar 19, 2009)

Koukouvagia said:


> *I use Bertolli extra light olive oil to fry french friends* and I keep it around for a while. It never seems to go bad. I find that some other oils like canola or vegetable tend to get bitter after a few uses.


Wow... you're a mean person KK. You shouldn't be there frying your french friends. Bad, bad manners.


----------



## mike9 (Jul 13, 2012)

Really - a Greek using Italian oil to put it to her French friends - it's like the axis of Devils Food all over again. /img/vbsmilies/smilies/smoking.gif


----------



## oldarpanet (Jan 15, 2012)

Thanks (and to all the others) for the great suggestions.

I like the "make soap" suggestion.

I can just see it...what is that scent you are wearing?

Oh, that's my own fish & chips in beer batter soap!

thanks again, all!

Oldarpanet


----------



## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

ordo said:


> Wow... you're a mean person KK. You shouldn't be there frying your french friends. Bad, bad manners.


Wow this is an old thread, I haven't used Bertoli in many years since my family ships me big canisters of our own brand of olive oil now  I have no need to buy the stuff.

Sadly I don't have too many french friends around these days lol.


----------



## flipflopgirl (Jun 27, 2012)

Koukouvagia said:


> ordo said:
> 
> 
> > Wow... you're a mean person KK. You shouldn't be there frying your french friends. Bad, bad manners.
> ...


I can understand the lack of French friends.... either they have been boiled in oil or have left the country two steps ahead of the crazy Greek ;-)

mimi

OBTW jealous of your private label olive oil.

m.


----------



## koukouvagia (Apr 3, 2008)

Hahaha!!!


----------

