The food lab better home cooking through science ( PDFDrive ) 1073

to an organization that collects spent oil to be used as fuel for specially adapted cars (in Boston, we used to call them McNugget mobiles, because the exhaust smells like a fast food kitchen) Unfortunately, these aren’t that easy to come by The easiest way for the home cook to discard used oil is to save its original container, funnel the cooled used oil back into it, screw on the cap, and dispose of it with the solid garbage KEYS TO MAXIMIZING OIL USE H ere’s a quick-and-dirty guide to maximizing the lifespan of your oil • Watch the temperature Don’t let oil get past its smoke point, where rapid breakdown will occur • Remove excess batter and breading meticulously during and after frying Small particles of batter, bread crumbs, and, especially, flour can collect in the bottom of your cooking vessel, causing the oil to break down • Carefully remove debris after frying Use a finemesh strainer to fish out any debris from your oil while it is still hot For maximum effectiveness, strain the oil through a fine-mesh strainer lined with cheesecloth or a paper towel between each use to completely clean it • Store the oil in a cool, dark, dry place For shortterm storage (up to a few days), a pot with a metal lid in a cool corner of the kitchen is fine For longterm storage, return it to its original container, seal tightly, and store it in a cool, dark cabinet THE SMOKE POINTS OF COMMON OILS E very oil has a smoke point, the temperature at which wisps of smoke will appear on its surface, and a flash point, the temperature at which actual flames will start dancing across the top Oils used for deep-frying should never be heated to either of these temperatures, for both safety and flavor reasons Here are the smoke points of most common oils, along with the percentage of saturated fat they contain There are many reasons to pick various oils for frying jobs Some folks choose oils with lower saturated fat contents (like olive, canola, or rapeseed oil) for health reasons But who are we kidding? We don’t eat fried foods for their health benefits Others pick oils high in saturated fats with relatively high smoke points for their superior frying ... will start dancing across the top Oils used for deep-frying should never be heated to either of these temperatures, for both safety and flavor reasons Here are the smoke points of most common oils, along with the percentage of saturated... use to completely clean it • Store the oil in a cool, dark, dry place For shortterm storage (up to a few days), a pot with a metal lid in a cool corner of the kitchen is fine For longterm storage,... common oils, along with the percentage of saturated fat they contain There are many reasons to pick various oils for frying jobs Some folks choose oils with lower saturated fat contents (like olive, canola, or rapeseed oil) for health reasons