# Used cooking oil
**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-cooking-oil/487932
**Category:** Cafe Society
**Created:** [March 1, 2009, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-cooking-oil/487932 "2009-03-01T23:25:42Z")
**Posts on this page:** 5
**Page:** 1
### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2009, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-cooking-oil/487932/1 "2009-03-01T23:25:42Z")
Okaaaaay… I’ve just made hush puppies in the ol’ cast-iron skillet. Now what do I do with the used oil? I don’t feel like frying chicken or fish, even if I had any. It seems a shame to throw it out, as having had things cooked in it it must have developed ‘soap’ and it would be good to cook something else in.
I don’t deep-fry very often. When I do, it’s not all that deep. I just toss the oil. But now I want to know: can this used oil be kept? Let it cool and put it in a jar? Keep it in the fridge? The freezer?
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### Author:  [@Taenia\_spp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Taenia_spp)
#### Post date: [March 1, 2009, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-cooking-oil/487932/2 "2009-03-01T23:41:39Z")
Filter it using a tea strainer or cheesecloth to get rid of most of the burned bits and just keep it in a bowl near the stove at room temperature. You can use the oil for normal pan-frying or stir-frying as long as the dish doesn’t have too delicate of a flavor (otherwise the flavor would impart into the food). Kept this way, it should last at least a couple weeks.
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### Author:  [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2009, 4:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-cooking-oil/487932/3 "2009-03-02T04:55:25Z")
> [@Taenia\_spp](#):
>
> Filter it using a tea strainer or cheesecloth to get rid of most of the burned bits and just keep it in a bowl near the stove at room temperature. You can use the oil for normal pan-frying or stir-frying as long as the dish doesn’t have too delicate of a flavor (otherwise the flavor would impart into the food). Kept this way, it should last at least a couple weeks.
I agree with the method of filtering, but the oil will last a bit longer refrigerated.
**Johnny** , look for an excuse to fry again, soon. Check out this month’s issue of Saveur for some ideas about catfish.
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### Author:  [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2009, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-cooking-oil/487932/4 "2009-03-02T05:01:24Z")
While the oil was still warm I poured it into a handy spaghetti sauce jar, put on the lid, and stuck it in the fridge. I won’t be able to take any time cooking until Saturday. Maybe I’ll fry some chicken. (Catfish I like baked.)
Thanks for the tips.
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### Author:  [@Labrador\_Deceiver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Labrador_Deceiver)
#### Post date: [March 2, 2009, 2:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/used-cooking-oil/487932/5 "2009-03-02T14:23:18Z")
> [@Johnny\_L.A](#):
>
> Maybe I’ll fry some chicken. .
Even better.