Photo by:Max Aván
One of the staples of a well-stocked kitchen pantry is cooking oil. And this is not surprising, because frying and stewing are two of the most common and delicious cooking methods. Although some people avoid frying for health reasons, it is still the most convenient way to prepare food. Not to mention, the fried dishes have some of the best, if not the most appetizing flavors.
But cooking oil can be expensive, so we should think twice before throwing it away. It is so valuable that we strive to preserve or reuse it as much as possible before throwing it away. And solidifying oil can be an effective way to get the most out of cooking oil.
You may be wondering if it is worth going through this process. As we discuss the various ways to solidify oil, feel free to experiment and find what works best for you.
5 ways to solidify cooking oil
Some methods for hardening oil are easy to do in your kitchen. Others are more complicated and should only be done by experts because they require specialized tools and other components.
For those who are not chemically inclined or interested in science, please avoid trying these more complicated procedures.
let's dive!
1. Freezing
Freezing is the fastest and most convenient way to harden cooking oil. It requires no special equipment or ingredients. All you have to do is place the liquid cooking oil in a freezer-safe container and allow it to freeze.
If you are worried about this process, don't be. Freezing cooking oil will not affect its usability or consistency. While it may look strange when it freezes, it returns to its normal state and works normally when it gets warm. But you must thaw it at room temperature before cooking it.
2. Cooling
Placing the oil in an ice bath is another easy way to solidify it. All you need to do is fill a large bowl halfway with ice cubes and halfway with cold water. Next, place the container of liquid cooking oil over the container of ice water so that the bottom is touching but not submerged in the water. If that sounds boring, an easier way is to refrigerate your cooking oil in an airtight container.
This technique can also be used to remove fat from soup.
A word of caution about freezing
Not all cooking oils can be refrigerated or frozen. Lard, coconut and palm oil should not be stored in the refrigerator due to their high saturated fat content. On the other hand, safflower, sunflower, canola, and olive oil should be stored in the refrigerator. These oils are much more delicate because they are rich in polyunsaturated or monounsaturated fats.
If you choose not to refrigerate your oils, store them in a cool, dark, and dry place. While there's no single solution for storing cooking oils, it's best to keep them off the stove or anywhere they're not constantly exposed to heat.
Above all, keep track of the expiration date.
3. The jelly method
Gelatin (or gelatin) is a clear, colorless, and tasteless dietary ingredient derived from collagen found in body parts of animals such as cows or pigs. In addition to thickening cooking oil, gelatin removes impurities from used oil.
Gelatin oil is heated and cooked in the same way as fresh oil. There may still be some small pockets of water in the oil, but the water bubbles should disappear with a little movement of the pan. You can cook everything like new oil.
However, it is not suitable for vegetarians as powdered gelatin is made from animal protein. Those who do not strictly follow kosher or halal meals during Passover or Yom Kippur can use it.
How to thicken cooking oil with gelatin
After dissolving the powdered gelatin in hot water, mix it with the used oil. Then transfer the mixture to a jar and refrigerate. The remaining particles are easily removed when the gelatin solidifies. It's so simple you'll never have to remove the charred parts of your filter again.
As the gelatin solidifies in the oil, it traps the thick material left in the used frying oil. Just remove the jelly and the oil can be reused. You only need a teaspoon of powdered gelatin and half a cup of water for every liter of dirty oil you want to clean.
4. Hydrogenation
We are now entering the more complicated process of solidifying the oil. Hydrogenation is the process of adding hydrogen to a substance to solidify its unsaturated lipids or fatty acids.
Food manufacturers use this procedure to improve the flavor, stability, and shelf life of oil. Rancidity is a risk with non-hydrogenated oils. When exposed, their unsaturated carbon atoms form bonds with oxygen atoms. As a result, it creates peroxide, which gives it an unpleasant taste.
Unfortunately, hydrogenation produces trans fats, which have negative health consequences, such as raising bad cholesterol and increasing the risk of coronary heart disease. On the contrary, it is a great method to get rid of leftover cooking oil.
5. Polymerization
It is a process in which small molecules called monomers are chemically combined to form a polymer. However, polymer powder requires several ingredients, including cellulose and xanthan gum. This final product absorbs hydrocarbons such as oil, gas, etc.
This oil solidifying powder reduces oil waste by thickening it into a solid mass. Furthermore, it has no harmful effects on aquatic flora or animal life. It even produces a byproduct that is 100% recyclable in most landfills. As a result, it is often used to clean up oil spills.
This procedure is difficult to perform without prior knowledge of chemical principles. It would be better to leave it in the hands of the oil recycling professionals.
Why should you solidify cooking oil?
After learning about the various methods of hardening oil, you may be wondering why you should even bother.
Well, you might want to solidify the oil for two very different reasons.
- Solidified oil lasts longer. Once opened, a bottle of cooking oil only lasts 6-12 months. Frozen cooking oil, on the other hand, keeps it fresh longer, especially if you buy it in bulk. It can be stored for up to two years.
- Solidified cooking oil is easy to dispose of. You can take it off and throw it away. Easy, right? Not all solidified oils are good for the environment. You will learn more about this shortly.
A look at solidified cooking oil
Solidifying cooking oil has its advantages. But, cooking with hardened oil or not, there will always be leftovers that will have to be discarded after use. Also, you can only reuse the oil for frying a few times. After that, you should throw it away or risk compromising your health.
Frozen oils make it easy to properly dispose of the remaining oil. Still, these recycled oils will return to their liquid state when left in hot environments, resulting in an oily mess in the trash.
Therefore, consumers are strongly advised not to flush used oil (whether hardened or not) down the drain or dispose of it in the trash.
Contamination caused by discarded frying oils is widespread. They contribute significantly to environmental damage, particularly in urban areas. [ThisBlogmay help you better understand the situation.]
With all the natural disasters and floods that occur around the world, we must be extremely cautious to protect our environment.
An ecological way to dispose of used oil
Comfort is key. In fact, throwing the leftover oil in the trash or flushing it down the drain is the easiest option. That is, until your drains clog up and create a nasty back up!Can you imagine scraping that disgusting strainer off the bottom of the sink?
Here's a better alternative:FryAway, a 100% vegetable oil solidifying powder that turns used cooking oil into solid organic waste🇧🇷 It's just like a DIY cooking oil hardener, but a lot less work and no chemistry required!
After frying or sautéing, simply drizzle and stir the powder into the residual hot oil until dissolved. Let the mixture sit until it solidifies, then throw it away or better yet, compost it!
magic dust formula
FryAwayis a non-toxic, plant-based powder that solidifies leftover frying oil to dispose of kitchen waste in an eco-friendly and efficient way.
Being completely plant-derived, FryAway Solid Waste Oil lends itself exceptionally well to being reused in many different ways. It can be used to make candles and soap or recycled as a biofuel.
If we could turn all our trash into usable things, our planet would be better off for it.
FryAway has three variants:Potato chips,fry, misuper frito🇧🇷 So whether you use a little or a lot of oil, there is one for you. Plus, our packages offer savings.
Fry better.