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What do you do with used cooking oil?

(51 Posts)
kittylester Tue 17-Nov-15 13:44:31

I know we are not meant to put fat down the drain which is quite easy with fat that sets if left to go cold but what about the olive oil I use to cook rosemary and garlic wedges? Or roasting new potatoes, etc etc? There isn't much of it but what to do with it?

I've looked at those thingies that Lakeland sell and the thought is really revolting and some of the reviews say it smells when you change the absorbent bit.

SeattleFoodie Fri 04-Dec-15 13:50:11

I honestly try to use cooking oil as little as possible. When I do have left over oil in the pan, I will add it to a glass jar that I fill up and then put underneath the kitchen sink.

rosequartz Mon 23-Nov-15 20:14:55

I am worried now that if I pour the little we have usually into the food waste on top of other food it's going to clog up the worms' insides.
I'm going to google it.

Apparently 'Oily Food' is OK in moderation
So I'll carry on and keep larger amounts to make bird cakes.

harrigran Mon 23-Nov-15 16:48:00

I save the plastic re-seal bags from dishwasher tablets and pour any oils or left over sauces from dishes and dispose of it in the bin.

Magrithea Sun 22-Nov-15 18:07:41

I use as little oil as possible so there's usually just a film of oil, not much actual liquid oil.

If it's fat from the roast it goes in my dripping dish in the fridge for the next time - my mum always had one and it makes for yummy roast potatoes!

busybee6969 Wed 18-Nov-15 19:14:40

we grill everything, so I pour any fat into an old cup when full pour into an empty jar , and put in bin.

kittylester Wed 18-Nov-15 18:31:33

I use goose fat or dripping for roast potatoes which I heat in the roasting run inthe oven. I then tip that on top of the parboiled and shaken potatoes in their pan. I use less that way I think.

My issue is with olive oil (mostly) when used in the oven or for frying potatoes etc.

ninathenana Wed 18-Nov-15 18:08:09

I par boil mine too whilst heating oil in a roasting tin I drain and shake them tip them into the very hot oil. I then roast them in the oil. They don't soak all the oil up though and I still have to pour the left over oil into a plastic bottle as it's too much to wipe away. So even though I do very little frying and use the minimum amount of oil. I still have oil to despose of.

grandMattie Wed 18-Nov-15 17:58:19

I put the oil/fat in a bowl to cool down - not that i have much. If solid, i just put it in the "green" composting bin; if liquid, into an old plastic milk bottle - i save all my glass for jam/pickles.

Elegran Wed 18-Nov-15 17:24:22

I take the oil out of the oven before dipping the spuds in!!

Elegran Wed 18-Nov-15 17:23:31

I parboil my potatoes, meanwhile heating about a couple of tablespoons of oil in a pyrex bowl in the hot/heating oven, drain potatoes and shake them about in the pan. Then I dip them into the hot oil with a slotted spoon and spread them on a tray and roast them. There is usually only just enough oil for them (if that) as the oil soaks into the bruised surfaces of the potatoes and roasts crisp, while the insides are soft. The tray gets scraped to get all the scraps off, and there is no loose grease left.

If the spuds are slightly more parboiled than intended, there are a lot of disintegrating scraps (yummy)

The dipping performance produces loud sizzles and is watched with awed fascination by the family.

ninathenana Wed 18-Nov-15 16:36:47

Those that say they only use a very small amount of oil and mop it with kitchen paper. Can I ask, what do you cook your roast potatoes in? I use more than a teaspoon of oil for those. That's why I need to dispose of mine as per my earlier post.

thatbags Wed 18-Nov-15 14:35:44

I might continue to let the birds have it in winter.

thatbags Wed 18-Nov-15 14:35:08

The bread tasted fine, btw. More than fine! My bread is fantastic, always! But I,m glad this thread gave me the idea to use up reset fats in bread [virtuous glow emoji] wink

narrowboatnan Wed 18-Nov-15 14:12:44

I'm not sure but I think the oil that you take to the recycling centre gets re used as fuel - instead of diesel

Katek Wed 18-Nov-15 13:52:59

Hmm-we don't seem to have any!! Don't fry anything apart from omelette and just use quick spray. DH's v very occasional steak goes on George Foreman grill and olive oil in roasted veg just gets eaten. No chips either. I'm not a paragon just a veggie with a DH with cardiac issues!

MaizieD Wed 18-Nov-15 13:36:17

If you pour it into your garden, nothing will grow in that patch for years

The weeds don't seem to mind it grin

rosequartz Wed 18-Nov-15 12:01:35

We don't use much but what there is I put on top of the food waste - I hope it doesn't clog up the worms' insides. hmm
The fat that solidifies I save in a bowl in the fridge and then makes cakes from seed, cereal etc for the birds.

We knew someone who collected used fat from the local chip shops and turned it into bio fuel for his tractor.

mazza2108 Wed 18-Nov-15 11:53:19

Whatever you do with it, never put it down the drains. It causes "fat icebergs" in the sewers which have to be removed - a costly exercise and one I wouldn't want to undertake!

geeljay Wed 18-Nov-15 11:45:49

Most hotels and guest houses collect used cooking oil into 5 gallon drums. Many towns have an oil recycler, who pay a small sum for the oil collected on a regular basis. It is usually recycled for fuel. If you pour it into your garden, nothing will grow in that patch for years. If you put it down you drains, you could well create a difficult blockage of congealed fat in you drainage.

LuckyFour Wed 18-Nov-15 11:10:27

Small amounts mopped up with kitchen paper and put into the bin. Larger amounts, which I have only occasionally, I pour onto a remote part of the garden. It disappears into the soil and causes no problems.

MaizieD Wed 18-Nov-15 10:36:30

Chuck out the chip pan?

We have a little bio-digester unit as (for reasons too complex to explain here) our waste can't go into the main sewage. We were advised to keep fats to a minimum so as to not create a fatberg in it. No chip pan, so we don't have too much oil to dispose of. Small amounts of fat or oil get mopped up with kitchen towel and put in the bin, same with solidified fats. Oil I put on the garden.

This is what happens when everyone puts fat and oil down their drains: tinyurl.com/odwx8ln

Elegran Wed 18-Nov-15 10:34:11

Or cut down on the chips? But I only use oven chips . . .

kittylester Wed 18-Nov-15 10:24:45

Up the bread eating Elegran. grin

Elegran Wed 18-Nov-15 09:17:02

I put vegetable or olive oil in my bread instead of fat or butter, so I imagine you could. It might taste of whatever was fried in it, but that could be a bonus.

Problem is, it only takes a couple of tablespoons, and a chip pan contains a lot more than that.

thatbags Wed 18-Nov-15 09:03:52

Making bread this morning. I've put some saved fat in it instead of the usual lard and butter. I doubt one could do that with used vegetable oil. Has anyone tried?