Content

• To step
• Part 1 of 3: Taking the right precautions
• Part 2 of 3: Store the oil for reuse
• Part 3 of 3: Reusing the oil

Reusing cooking oil can be a great way to save on your grocery budget and reduce food waste in your home. If you want to reuse your cooking oil, you should choose a high quality oil with a high smoke point and strain it through a cheesecloth between uses. Store the used cooking oil in a cool, dry place in a sealed container.

To step

Part 1 of 3: Taking the right precautions

1. Choose a cooking oil with a high smoking point. If you want to be able to reuse your cooking oil, it is important that you start with an oil that is worth reusing. Opt for a cooking oil with a high smoke point - this is the temperature at which the oil will begin to break down. A higher smoke point means that your cooking oil will last longer at higher temperatures, and will be easier to recycle.
   • Try using canola, vegetable, or peanut tobacco oil.
   • Avoid using olive oil as it has a low smoke point and is not good to reuse.
   EXPERT TIP

   "You can reuse cooking oil as long as it hasn't gone bad or has reached its smoke point."

   
   

   Let the oil cool down. Don't try to store your used cooking oil until it is completely cool. Once you are done using the oil, turn off the heat and let the oil sit (overnight if necessary) before trying to put it in a container for storage.

   • If you let the oil sit overnight, make sure to cover it with something to avoid accidentally contaminating it.
2. Filter away unwanted food scraps with a cheesecloth. When you use cooking oil, there will always be something in it that you do not want to leave in it. This can be breadcrumbs, loose batter, or extra fat, for example.
   • To remove these residues, you can strain the oil through a cheesecloth.
3. Place the cheesecloth over a clean, open container. Make sure to put the cheesecloth on top of a clean container that can hold the filtered oil. Pour the oil onto the cheesecloth and let the clean oil run into the new container. This will help avoid creating a mess.
   • Remember never to pour cooking oil down the sink. Over time, this can cause blockages and other damage to your plumbing.

Part 2 of 3: Store the oil for reuse

1. Keep the oil in a sealed container. If you want to reuse your cooking oil, you must prevent it from becoming contaminated. The best choice in this case is to keep the oil in a sealed container. You don't want particles of food or dust (or worse, bugs!) Getting into the oil you plan to reuse.
   • The best containers for oil storage are glass jars, or the bottle the oil originally came in (if empty).
2. Store the oil away from heat sources. Many people keep their old cooking oil close to the stove. This is one of the worst things you can do, as exposure to heat will make your oil break down much faster. Keep your oil in a cool place away from potential contact with heat - such as the stove, oven, microwave, air heater, or even direct sunlight through a window.
   • Consider keeping your used cooking oil in the back of a pantry or cupboard, or even in the garage (if it's not too hot there).
3. Store used oil in the refrigerator. You may even want to think about keeping your leftover oil in the fridge if you think you'll keep it for more than a week. This will help slow down possible bacteria growth and allow you to reuse the cooking oil for longer.
   • Remember to keep the oil in a tightly closed container, including in the refrigerator.
4. Keep the oil in a dark place. Bright lights and direct sunlight can make your oil break down faster. It is best to keep your used cooking oil in a dark place, out of direct sunlight to prevent this.
   • A pantry, closet, or cool garage are ideal places for your used oil.

Part 3 of 3: Reusing the oil

1. Reuse the oil with similar foods. Remember that your oil will taste with the food you cook in it. This means that you should only reuse cooking oil with other foods that have a similar (or at least compatible) taste.
   • For example, if you used the oil to make fried chicken, you can reuse it to fry some potatoes. But you may not want to reuse it to make donuts.
2. Use it for different things. Don't feel like the only thing you can use cooking oil for is frying. If you have cooking oil that you want to reuse, feel free to pick up little bits here and there from your stash.
   • You can use the oil for stir-fry noodles or a pasta salad.
   • Just think about using the oil with a new food that has a similar flavor.
3. Discard the oil if it shows signs of spoilage. Recycling cooking oil can be a great way to save money and cut down on garbage. However, cooking oil can only be reused so many times before it starts to break down. So it is important to know when your oil has reached that point.
   • If your oil starts to look thick, sticky, cloudy, or darker in color, or if it has foam on the surface or starts to smell like it, then it is time to discard the oil.
   • Regardless of what precautions you take, you should always throw away cooking oil that is more than six weeks old.