We have all found ourselves in situations where we could recycle used oil. But one question that arises is does used cooking oil needs to be refrigerated. Storing used oil can be tricky and requires knowledge about the process, the good, the bad, etc.
So does used cooking oil need to be refrigerated? To answer in one simple word – Yes. Used cooking oil, if stored in an airtight container in a dark cupboard, develops a fishy smell within 1 month due to quicker oxidization. Whereas if the used oil is stored in the refrigerator, it stays fresh and usable for 2 to 3 months. If you want it to last even longer, then you can go ahead and freeze it. This may make it look cloudy but reheating will bring it back to normal. Freezing used cooking oil keeps it fresh for up to 6 months.
Storing used cooking oil may seem like a breeze but what most people don’t realize is that if done wrong then all the efforts go down the drain, literally and figuratively. Making sure that the oil is in the right condition to be stored. Meaning, making sure that the oil isn’t broken or doesn’t have any pre-existing food crumbs. Reusing cooking oil can come with a lot of benefits, but we should also be aware of all the risks it brings along. Doing so will help you make conscious dietary choices depending on your body’s needs.
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Health Risk Involved With Reusing Cooking Oil
Other health risks involved with eating food prepared in reused cooking oil are:
- Obesity
- Weight gain
- Diabetes
- Heart disease
- Acidity
Learn How To Reuse Cooking Oil
Things To Learn Before Reusing Cooking Oil
Can Frying Oil Be Reused
We often don’t use up all of the oil which was used for frying. Throwing it away after just one use seems quite wasteful and the best way to save some money while being thoughtful is recycling the oil. Although to be able to reuse oil one needs to take some measures to keep the oil from getting spoiled or stale. Here are some things that we can do to keep our recycled oil safe for consumption.
Choose Your Oil Sensibly
Choosing the right kind of oil and knowing frying manners are important to be able to store used oil for reuse. If we don’t use proper frying procedures the oil which is left behind remains next to useless for reuse. All kinds of oils have a particular smoking point – the temperature at which it breaks down and starts to smoke.
Frying is a procedure that needs to be done at a higher temperature than other cooking procedures. It is wise to use oils that have a higher smoking point for they won’t smoke easily resulting in the reusability of the oil increasing. Some examples of oils that have a high smoking point are peanut oil, vegetable oils, or canola oil.
Fry The Right Way
Maintaining the temperature while frying is a tricky part and is often the cause of various frying disasters. We need to make sure that the oil is not too cold when we start frying otherwise the food will get too soggy. On the other hand, if the oil is too hot then it may get scorched on the outside while the inside is still raw and uncooked. Maintaining an appropriate temperature not only improves the quality of the food that you consume but also maintains the quality of the oil.
If the temperature of the oil gets out of hand and it gets too hot, there are chances of it breaking. Once the oil is broken, there is no good use for it. If you try to salvage it, your food will be turned into a greasy mess. You can easily manage the temperature by getting a cooking thermometer that is capable of handling high heat. You will have to manage the temperature after every fry batch.
Always Filter The Fat
It is important for your oil to have no leftover crumbs in it. To make sure that the oil is clean and free of all crumbs make sure to filter the oil after every batch of frying. Failing to do so will negatively affect the quality of the oil. You can filter your used oil very easily by just draping a few layers of cheesecloth and by pouring the oil into it. This will result in all the impurities getting filtered by the cloth. Make sure to store the oil in an airtight container, in the refrigerator.
Separate Your Used Oils
The oil which is used for frying catches onto some of the flavours from the food itself. Hence oil that is used to fry fish will work well for other fishes or shrimp, but won’t be good to be used for frying churros or tater tots. It is best if we keep oils separate based on the flavours of what was used for the first time.
Don’t Reuse Oil Too Many Times
The more you reuse oil the more and more it destabilizes, eventually starting to decompose. The oil itself shows signs after it starts decomposing, the characteristics are distinct and different. Hot oil starts to polymerize, the molecules join together to form a much bigger molecule which gives the oil a sticky, thick consistency and a dark colour. If the oil you recycled looks foamy or cloudy it’s time to throw it away. Bad frying oil can be tricky for your eye to judge, but it gives off a very subtle smell, it’s a heavy, bad scent.
Open your oil container and smell it yourself periodically, because the smell says it all. If there is even a hint of rancidity or a foul smell toss the oil out no matter how good you took care of it or how well you filtered and stored it. Also, don’t use oil that is 1-2 months old it is spoiled no matter what
Trash
So you have reused oil like a boss, with No foul smell or decomposing of your oil. Now, what will you do when it’s time for your oil to be discarded, down your drain with some hot water right? Wrong oil can get stuck in pipes and cause plumbing problems after a while. So what is the solution to it, pack your oil in a sealable bag and throw it with your trash or if you wanna go one step ahead you can find a local disposal centre or recycle plant to properly thrown it and help the environment with a small step
Storing Used Cooking Oil
You can store used oil in an airtight container and in a dark cupboard, but it goes stale within a month and starts to taste fishy. When the oil is exposed to air, it oxidises and becomes putrid. Hence keeping it in a dark cupboard, shut in an airtight container can work for a short amount of time. The cooler the temperature of the oil that is being stored, the better condition it will remain in.
When oil that is stored in a cool, dark cupboard is compared with oil stored in the freezer, you will see that the oil stored in the cupboard develops a fishy odour whereas the oil stored in the freezer is far fresher to taste and smell. It is crucial to store the oil in a dark environment, but maintaining a cool temperature is also very important. Very cool temperatures help to slow down the process of oxidation and formation of peroxides – the things that make the oil smell and taste bad. Hence storing oil in very cool and dark places are found to be quite effective in keeping the oil fresh for longer.
Note: Make sure to strain and take other measures to keep the used oil fresh for longer. You can refer to ” Can Cooking Oil Be Reused After Frying “
How Long Can You Safely Keep Used Vegetable Oil?
Some dishes or functions need large amounts of vegetable oil for things like deep-frying. So if the oil is only used for one dish, it may seem like a waste to discard it after just one use as vegetable oil is safe to reuse and can be used numerous times, if it is handled, cleaned and stored properly.
How Many Times Can You Safely Reuse Frying Oil
You may shy away to reuse oil after deep frying but it’s fine to reuse frying oil multiple times after properly strained and stored. You can use vegetable oil for up to 3-5 times or till it turns dark or sticky, remember every oil have their reuse limits so research before reusing.
Basic Oil Care
After you are done deep-frying your favourite food, let the oil cool back to room temperature. Line a mesh strainer with layers of paper towel or some layers of a coffee filter, strain the used oil using this strainer to remove any food particles, impurities or crumbs. You can use this process safely to use the cooking oil up to 3-4 times or until you see the oil deteriorating.
Unwanted Flavour Removal
If you have fried something with a strong flavour it may affect the taste of oil and may leave its flavour behind. To help with removing these flavours you can fry some pieces of raw potato or use some citrus fruit in prior to filtering the oil, this may eliminate the presence of any left flavours.
Storing Used Cooking Oil
After you have strained and eliminated any flavour from your oil the most important thing is to store your oil in a dark and cool place, it can be stored for up to a month. If you refrigerate the used oil or freeze it, you can add several months to its life. All this can turn the oil cloudy but it is still safe to be reused without any harm, also the oil will become clear as it was after heating it up.
Knowing How Reusing Oil Can Be Dangerous For Your Health
Know Why Reusing Oil Is Dangerous For Your Health
Oil is one of the most essential ingredients in any cooking style, everything from deep frying to baking. Oil helps in enhancing the flavour of a certain food or give them a texture or appearance. A lot of people use the same oil, again and again, to minimise wastage or save some money, you should also know that this practice if not done correctly can be very dangerous and can lead to severe health problems.
What Happens When You Use The Same Oil For Deep Frying Over And Over Again
When you reuse the oil, again and again, it can create free radicals which may lead to health risks and inflammation. It works like this, free radicals attach themselves to healthy cells in your body which may lead to certain health problems. Sometimes these free radicals can be carcinogenic which may eventually lead to the affected cells turning into cancer. Reusing oils can cause blockage in arteries by increasing bad cholesterol intake.
Other Problems That Reusing Cooking Oil Can Cause
Reusing the same oil can lead to a lot of problems like
- Heart disease
- Acidity
- Irritable throat
- Alzheimer’s disease
- Parkinson’s disease
Keep In Mind
All oils are different and need to be treated differently. Some Oils have a higher smoking point which means they are good for deep frying. Oils like sunflower, rice bran, sesame, mustard have a higher smoking point which means they start breaking down at a high temperature. Avoid using oils like Olive oil because it has a low smoking point and thus it is not suitable for deep frying.
Other Aspects To Know Before Answering The Question – Does Used Cooking Oil Need To Be Refrigerated?
Health Risks Involved
Reusing cooking oil might seem like a great alternative as opposed to throwing it away after just one use. But most people don’t know all the different kinds of health hazards it poses. It can cause cases of severe acidity as well as a hike in cholesterol levels. We should always be aware of how many times we use and reuse the same oil, reheating it again and again.
This seems like a good way of saving time and money. But it is the cause of a lot of the inflammation in your body. The need to reuse cooking oil usually arises from excessive meal prepping and making large batches of food. Below are some risks of reusing cooking oil.
Increased LDL Cholesterol
Reusing cooking oil can result in the levels of LDL cholesterol (bad cholesterol) being increased in the body. This exposes you to heart diseases, hypertension, strokes, etc. to avoid any sort of cholesterol-related health.
Makes Oil More Carcinogenic
Reusing cooking oil makes it carcinogenic, meaning it becomes capable of causing cancer. When the oil is reheated it generates aldehydes (toxic components) which contributes to it becoming toxic. Reusing oil to cook food escalates free radicals in the body, resulting in inflammation in the body which is the origin of various diseases like heart diseases, obesity and also affects our immune system, weakening it, making our bodies more susceptible to various infections.
More Acidic
If you have found yourself wondering the reason for the sudden problem with acidity, your convict is reused cooking oil. Eating roadside junk may also be a contributor to this very issue for they never use 100% fresh oil. They always recycle the leftover oil from the previous day. If by eliminating these you see your acidity fading away, then you know who the real felon is.
Ways To Reduce Usage Of Reused Cooking Oil
Switch To Home-cooked Food
Cooking your food at home is empowering in its way. It is your decision what ingredients to put into your body and in what quantities. It is completely up to you, starting from which kind of oil to use and how much of each nutrient you need and ends up consuming. This helps you regulate and maintain a balanced diet based on what your body requires. By making sure that you don’t reuse cooking oil, you will protect yourself from a lot of health hazards and ultimately have a healthier body.
Cook Food In Small Quantities
By cooking big batches of food we tend to use more oil which results in us having a big amount of leftover oil. By regulating the amount of food we cook in one batch, we can indirectly control how much oil we have leftover. If the quantity of oil remaining at the end of a frying session is less to none then the prospect of storing and reusing that cooking oil declines. This will also help you manage the amount of fried food that you consume.
Carry Home-cooked Food When Travelling Or Going Out
We have all been in situations where we cannot help but are obligated to eat out. Sometimes it becomes inevitable, but what we can control is the number of times we eat out. We can take the help of the meal prepping system to manage this. It can help you reduce the number of times you eat food that is probably cooked by reusing old stored oil.
Meal prepping gives you the liberty to choose how much of what ingredient you consume is required for your needs. If in case there comes a day where there is no other way but to eat out, then it is advised to eat foods that require a lesser quantity of oil like salads, food bowls, etc
Conditions like diabetes, high blood pressure, Alzheimer’s, heart diseases, etc are inflammatory. Reusing oil can cause inflammation which isn’t a good thing especially for someone who has diseases that are already inflammatory for it will worsen the conditions.
7 Creative Uses Of Used Cooking Oil You Never Knew About
Following are some creative ways you can use your used cooking oil for.
- Leather Preservative: Used cooking oil can be a great way to soften and preserve your leather furniture. It is a great way to moisturise your leather and keep it soft and crack free.
- Lamp Oil: If you happen to have an oil lamp at your home, you can use used oil to fuel the lamp.
- Utensil Protector: If you rub some used cooking oil on the surface of your new pans and pots, it can help protect them. Wash your new utensils and use some used cooking oil on them, use it before you start using your new pans and pots.
- Removing Paint From Your Hands: Paint being one of the hardest things to remove if it gets on your hand. You can remove paint from your hands easier with used oil. Use some used cooking oil on your hand and let it sit for a while, maybe 10-15 mins and then wash your hands and the paint comes off with it.
- Furniture Polish And Conditioner: If you have scratched or dull wooden furniture at your home, use some used cooking oil on it to polish and restore the wood to make it look new. Use a mixture which is one part vinegar and one part oil to polish your wood furniture.
- Non-stick Gardening Tools: Does soil or grass stick to your gardening tools. Coat these tools with used cooking oil and it can prevent dirt, grass or soil to stick to them.
- Animal Feed: You can use this oil in a number of ways as animal feed. Use this oil to drizzle over your cat or dog food to help with improving the taste and also make their fur shiny and healthy.
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.
