Can cooking oil be reused after frying out the delicious food? Deep frying requires a lot of oil which results in a lot of oil left at the end of the cooking session. How do we make lesser wastage?
Can cooking oil be reused after frying? Yes, After using the oil to fry bread and battered foods, it is okay to reuse the oil for up to 3 to 4 times. If the oil is used to fry cleaner items such as potato chips, it’s okay to reuse the oil for at least 8 times and probably more, especially if you replenish it with some fresh oil.
To be able to reuse the oil we need to be careful that we aren’t risking our health. To avoid any risks we need to select a good quality of the oil. We also need to be careful about how we store the oil. Step one is to clean it of any preexisting food particles. We also have to keep it in a clean, air-sealed container for prevention from contamination. We also need to store it in the fridge after it cools down to room temperature. These steps will help us keep our oil fresh and healthy.
Table of Contents
Type Of Oils And Their Smoking Points
Smoking point is basically the temperature at which oils start breaking down, the higher the smoking point the better and safer it is to reuse the oil
| Type Of Oil | Approximate Smoking Point |
| Peanut Oil | 232°C |
| Safflower Oil | 266°C |
| Olive Oil | 242°C |
| Sunflower Oil | 227°C |
| Vegetable Oil | 205°C |
| Soybean Oil | 257°C |
| Corn Oil | 232°C |
| Sesame Seed Oil | 177°C |
Here Are Some Tricks To Help You Re-use Cooking Oil
Type Of Oil Recommend
All oils have a specific temperature known as the smoke point, at the smoke point the oil begins to break down and can have a foul taste or odor. The higher the smoking point the more it is safe to use for deep frying.
Following are some oils that have a higher smoking point
- Peanut
- Corn
- Canola
- Grapeseed
- Sunflower
- Safflower
- Vegetable
Each kind of oil has a unique taste and nutrient makeup but all are safe to use for deep-frying.
After Deep Frying
Once you finish cooking all of your food, turn off the fryer and unplug it, this will allow the oil to cool down. (If you’re using a skillet, take it off the heat.) When you are ready to clean out the fryer, make sure that the fryer is completely cooled down (wait for it to cool down for approximately 2 hours). If you have plans to reuse the oil, strain it through a cheesecloth or sieve to eliminate baby food particles. You can store the oil in a sealed and light-proof container for up to 3 months. To store the oil in its top quality and to keep it fresh, refrigerate the used frying oil that you want to use again.
If the oil appears to be cloudy or if the oil starts to foam or has a foul odor, taste, or smell, discard it immediately. The safest way to dispose of oil is by pouring it into a sealable metal container like a coffee can, or gallon milk jug, and then throw the oil-filled container into the trash.
Used cooking oil can also be recycled in some other areas. If there happens to be a recycling drop-off point in your area, check with them if they accept oil, so it could be used to make biodiesel fuel or soap. DO NOT pour oil down the sink. This will result in the oil cooling down with water in the drain and the congeal causing backups in the sink, septic system, or public sewer system.
Oil can also be quite damaging to the environment. It can spread very thinly across the water over a vast area changing the chemistry and health of the ecosystem. Hence, do not dispose of the oil near lakes, streams, or watersheds at any cost.
Cleaning And Storage
After every fry, you have to drain the oil and filter it, because any impurities and unwanted extras are going to wreck the oil’s goodness, and it will burn the next time you heat the oil.
You can fold a cheesecloth 3-4 times and place it in a metal strainer to filter out the smallest crumbs and any fine food particles or impurities. Make sure to bring the oil to room temperature, and then keep it refrigerated in an airtight container
Dangers Of Deep-Frying
Deep frying oil can reach temperatures of over 400°F. While cooking at this high temperature, you should take extreme safety measures to prevent burning yourself or starting a fire. Like any other oil, cooking oil is a highly flammable substance. To prevent flare-ups and house fires, avoid letting the oil come in direct contact with flames. There are still risks of flames contacting the oil, sue to which it is advisable to have a kitchen fire extinguisher available at an arm’s distance while deep-frying.
Water is a very dangerous liquid when you are deep frying. When water comes in contact with very hot oil (about 350 °F) water vaporizes instantaneously turning into superheated steam. It expands quickly, which can cause the oil to splatter and resulting in first or second-degree burns. It can also splatter and land on your eyes causing permanent damage to your eyes and vision. Do not let the water come in contact with the hot fat and don’t use water to cool or clean the
appliance while food is deep-frying.
Oil Temperatures And Time For Certain Foods
| Food | Cooking Time | Oil Temperature |
| Doughnuts | 2 to 4 minutes | 375 °F |
| Onion Rings | 2 to 4 minutes | 375 °F |
| Potato chips | 8 to 10 minutes | 375 °F |
| Mozzarella sticks | 2 to 3 minutes | 350 °F |
| Egg rolls | 4 to 6 minutes | 350 °F |
Some Aspects To Keep In Mind While Understanding The Topic “Can Cooking Oil Be Reused After Frying.”
Preparing The Fryer
If you have a deep fryer, make sure to read the directions in the manual before using the appliance to be safe and to be sure of what you are supposed to do. If you do not own a fryer, you can use a deep, heavy skillet to fry. It is advisable to avoid using a cast iron for it breaks down the oil faster than other metals. Purchase and prepare all of the ingredients you plan to deep fry well in advance.
Make sure you have a kitchen fire extinguisher nearby to avoid burning down the house. Before you fill the deep fat fryer with oil, take notice that the fryer is turned off and is away from all water sources, and is wiped dry.
Handling Leftover Fried Foods
Refrigerate any leftovers within 2 hours of frying, If you live at a place where the temperature exceeds 32°C you will need to refrigerate within 1 hour of frying. If you leave cooked food leftover 2 hours at room temperature it can cause rapid bacteria growth and make the food unsafe to eat.
Caution
If there’s a grease fire, never use water on it to put out the fire, Because using water can cause flaming oil to splatter and spread as oil and water don’t go well together. Use a kitchen fire extinguisher, If you don’t have a kitchen fire extinguisher covering the fryer with a metal lid is the best way to put out a grease fire.
