Picture this: You’ve just shallow fried a batch of golden, perfectly crispy schnitzel. With every last breadcrumb devoured, you’re left to contend with a greasy mess. But what should you do with all that cooking oil?
If your first thought is to pour it down the drain, take a pause. There’s a safe and easy way to get rid of the remaining oil, and you only need one kitchen essential to do it: aluminum foil.
Oil and Plumbing Don’t Mix
While there are plenty of ways to dispose of cooking oil properly, whatever you do, don’t pour it down the sink or toilet. Although leftover cooking oil may be liquid when it’s hot or warm, it solidifies as it cools, which can wreak havoc on your plumbing system. Over time, it can build up and cause blockages in your pipes. Not only can pouring oil down the drain harm your home, but it also can affect the local sewer system.
Ditch Cooking Oil the Right Way
Once you’re done cooking, let the oil cool and tear off a piece of aluminum foil about the size of a sheet of paper. You can eyeball it and make the piece smaller or larger depending on how much cooking oil you’re looking to dispose of.
Then, clean out your kitchen sink and mold the aluminum foil into the shape of the drain. You can use your fist, a drinking glass, or a spoon to create a cuplike shape, being careful not to puncture the foil. Leave a few inches of excess foil on all sides to prevent drips and make disposal easier.
Pour the cooking oil from the pan into the foil pocket, allowing it to cool off even more until it hardens. Note that oils high in saturated fats solidify at room temperature, while oils high in unsaturated fats remain liquid. Carefully remove the foil from the sink, bunching the open ends tightly to secure the oil. Now you can simply toss the sealed foil packet into the trash.
