Cast Iron Storage/Deep Frying/oil...

Bacchus

Took my first foray into deep frying recently. I'm pleased with the results. My 5 year old girl rated the fries better than Burger King but not as good as McDonalds.
I used an older off brand CI DO with peanut oil. After cooling, I removed the oil and strained it back into the DO with a coffee filter rig.
Is it ok to store the oil in the DO long term? I will probably dedicate this DO to frying since I have a couple others anyway, but I dont want to ruin it either.

Thanks!

fishlessman

not sure, but i think it will soften the seasoning on the pan

Bacchus

thanks Fish, Im not to concerned about that as I recently stripped this one down anyway. The seasoning is minimal. My concern would be the iron becoming saturated or something and causing a problem during cooking...if that is possible.

civil eggineer

I doubt it would hurt the CI but the oil will turn rancid if not refridgerated.

reelgem

If you're going to refrigerate it, that's fine. Not many people have the room in their refrigerator to store a DO.

RRP

just a point of clarification for safety sake - you're not cooking them in your BGE are you?

Carolina Q

Hey, where's your sense of adventure?! :evil:

Bacchus

Nope, not frying on the egg. Stovetop only. I have done a few stupid things in my life, but not on the egg as of yet. Canoeing down class 2 rapids, rope around my neck, one end tied to canoe, other end to an anchor tops my list. Only after sobering up did I realize just how stupid it was. A submerged rock or log could have ended Bacchus. :unsure:
I wasnt planning on refrigerating the used oil, but if I do it definately wont be IN the DO. I guess as long as winter is here, I will just leave it in the DO in the garage. It stays really cool in there anyway this time of year.

Blue Ridge Smoke

My culinary idol, Alton Brown, discourages storing oil in CI -- turns it rancid faster than other vessels. I'm still upset about it as I use CI for 100% of my stove top skillet work, and a lot of my Egg cooking as well.

fishlessman

the seasoning will probably break down and turn the oil black/grey. i think with peanut oil especially it needs airtight and refridgeration, maybe tupperware, cold garage wouldnt bother me. dont know what quantities you have but those bacon strainer pots that look like a small perculator might work if you found one large enough, they are pretty cheap around here but ive only seeen them in the spanish supermarket

2Fategghead

Ron, This may not be a solution for you but, if you had a funnel and an empty gallon milk jug then store in the garage. If you had leftover oil you could either save it or dispose of it and top off with fresh when you do your cook again. Tim

Bacchus

ok, so it seems storing in the DO is not a good idea.
And from what Ive read online unused oil is better off in the fridge if the container has been opened. Jeeeze Louize. Do people really store large container of cooking oil in their fridge?
Im inclined to just disgard it and start fresh each time since I wont be frying often, but then again peanut oil aint cheap. :unsure:

fishlessman

my grandmother used to keep it a week, chicken, fries early in the week, fish later on then dump, kept in the kitchen cabinet. i think she even reused crisco oil, and kept the bacon grease in a jar on the counter. :laugh: a cold garage would be fine for me

Bacchus

I remember vividly my mothers little black container of bacon grease kept next to the stove. It had one of those lever type spring/clamp things to fasten the lid.
I can not imagine saving bacon grease and using to cook something else.

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

i didn't read any of the other replies so maybe someone said this...

if the oil is unsaturated, it can easily pick up off flavors from being stored in anything that's not inert. seems to me cast iron would readily oxidize. you probably can't get all the moisture out of the oil, or out of your seasoned cast iron. seems the iron would oxidize and give the oil an off flavor.

vaguely remembering my lesson from alton brown about different oils, and their storage....

if you bought a plastic jug of oil, pour it back into that, no?

2Fategghead

Ron, I did google peanut oil and got this site discussing used peanut oil. Although, nothing is said about oil and a CI DO.
http://www.ochef.com/1008.htm

I'm not looking for any brownie points or anything I just don't have anything else to do cept help you. Tim

Humphrey Chimpden Earwicker

nah. you can store cooking oil and solid shortening (crisco) at room temp, even after using it to fry. just run it thru cheesecloth to filter it. most home fryers come with a plastic lid. just snap it on and store it in a cool dark place. no refrigeration needed

Bacchus

I bought the largest container at my local grocer, maybe 1.5gal ..at any rate there is some left in there and would prefer to keep it separate.

Now Im starting to remember why I dont fry. Someone gave me one of the Fry Baby things about 15 years ago. I made one batch of onion rings, then ended up tossing the unit, oil and everything into the dumpster of my apt complex.

Dealing with the used oil is a pain!

Carolina Q

I have a deep fryer. Mostly used for the occasional batch of french fries, but fried shrimp are to die for! I just save a couple of the oil containers and when it's time to trash the oil, I pour it into the jug and leave it for my trash pickup guys. They recycle that stuff. No muss, no fuss.