Definitely don't pour it down the drain - that's one of the worst things to do with it. I don't usually save oil that I've used for frying fish, however, but I fry mine in a wok, and I've found that it requires less oil than a skillet does. If you have to throw it away, seal it in something else your are throwing away. It won't damage a landfill and can actually be put into a compost pile, if you have one of those.

There might be a way of recycling your cooking oil locally - I know that it can be done in Denver. There are some companies that use it to make biofuel, but oftentimes restaurants have to pay the companies to take their used oil off their hands.

I make catfish with a similar recipe, and I use the leftover flour and cornmeal to make hush puppies. I always add minced onion and celery (and generally some egg) to my hush puppy batter, as well as some baking powder.

Lars

I am so careful not to put any oil/grease/butter down my drain. It might not help you today but for future consideration--For a number of years I have used a "Fat Trapper". So leftovers are bagged then once the bag is full, it's closed up and thrown in the trash. I think they are sold at Walmart.

Here is a link that might be useful: Fat Trapper

I generally use some container (like a milk carton) that's going to be thrown away anyway, seal it, and put it in the trash. I have also buried it on occasion, when I had no container, or was camping. It's vegetable oil, it's biodegradable.

Here it's customary to save the cooking oils in two separate crockery containers, one labeled "aceite" (oil) and the other "pescado" (fish), the letters painted on the crocks as part of the design. When I first saw these in the hardware shops I couldn't understand why fish would be kept in a crockery pot. Then I was told that it was the oil from cooking the fish that was first strained and then kept covered on the kitchen counter, but separate from other oil used for cooking chips or other vegetables.

I would strain and keep it in any large pot covered until I could buy a large glass lidded storage jar. At any rate, if I wanted to toss out some oil I'd pour it into an unused corner of the garden and cover it with soil.

SharonCb

Thanks everyone.

Sharon, I really can't justify keeping it in a crock, I only deep fry once (at most twice) a year. Thanks for the suggestion though, I bet that is great for someone who does deep fry more often.

It hadn't even occurred to me that it is biodegradable. I can't bury it on my property, I have enough trouble with marauding critters, I don't need to attract more of them, BUT it does make me feel better about putting it in an empty cardboard OJ container and then in the trash.

Thank everyone for the ideas! BTW - that Fat Trapper is neat, I will have to take a look around for one.

Alexa

I use very little oil for frying. I don't deep fry anything. Pan fry, yes.

What oil I have left normally goes on the dog's food.

He loves it.

I put ours in old cans (vegetables, tomato sauce/paste, fruits) and then FREEZE it. Just before trash day, I put the cans in a plastic bag and wrap tight (so when they thaw out, they won't spill all over my trash cans), then toss in the trash can outside. Only once has a bag decided to leak all over the trash can.

These days, though, I've used very little oil for frying. What we use can be wiped out of the fry pan with a few good paper towels after it's cooled down - then tossed in the trash.

I have a deep fryer, but so rarely use it, especially these days.

DonnaR/CA

My neighbor buries hers by her rose bush. She swears it helps it grow. I can't imagine why. But it doesn't seem to especially attract animals. We have so many around here I can't imagine anyone noticing anyway.

BTW, I soak mine up with lots of newspaper and then put in the trash, or put in some type of non-recyclable container for the trash. It is not recommended for the compost bin but I'm not sure why. Probably the animal thing again.

In some communities, they are starting to recycle used cooking oil. Here in North Carolina, some restaurants have had to lock up their used cooking oil because it would otherwise get stolen. Not too long ago, before the new interest in recycling the stuff, they couldn't give it away.

I did end up using an empty cardboard OJ container to dispose of it and my conscience is reasonably clear LOL! I figure even the waxy plastic cardboard will SOMEDAY break down and the oil is veg based (canola) so that shouldn't hurt anything either.

I can't imagine pouring it on a rose bush though.... I would think that would really throw the natural organisms off balance in the soil, not to mention changing the ability of the soil to drain/retain moisture. However, if someone had told me 10 years ago to feed my plants alfalfa, I would have thought they were nuts too, so maybe this is a live and learn thing.

Anyway, thanks for all the creative solutions. I will certainly put them to use next Fathers Day when we ahve the next big catfish fry! LOL!

Alexa

I use a bunch of papertowels to soak it up and throw it in the garbage. But I think I like the idea of pouring it out in the yard somewhere. We have a big fire pit that we use to burn debris out in the yard, guess that would be a good place.

I always poured it on the burn/brush pile up at the lake. I think it helped catching it on fire. Now that I live in the city I just pour it in whatever container, the original, and toss it in the trash. I'd pass on putting it out in the yard....just my take on that option.

David

Yeah, that was just a kind of laugh for what my neighbor says she does. She swears by it, but I don't think it is a good idea. I would not do it. She said she initially poured hot oil on the plant to kill it, but it actually thrived. I think it is just a coincidence, that must be one tough rose bush.