Frozen Vegetable Oil

[Netpackrat]

Quick question. Last time I was out at the cabin, I left a thing of vegetable oil that we had taken out there for cooking. By now, it has been below freezing for at least a couple of weeks, and I may not get out there again until sometime next month. Will it still be safe to use, or should I plan on not leaving any out there in the future? Generally we just leave dry and non-freezable stuff out there, but I'd like to leave enough cooking stuff in case I shoot a grouse or something and want to cook it up out there.

[Lokidude]

I'd hope it's safe. I fry turkeys and chickens in oil that we freeze between usages, some of the oil one of my friends has, I swear to God, saw the Reagan Administration.

We defrost ours and get it hot, and it looks horrible and cloudy. So, throw in a couple large potatoes, about 1" cubes, and it'll clear right up and look brand new. As a bonus, you now have fried potatoes, add salt and enjoy.

[mekender]

you could always use shortening instead... that stuff wont freeze until it gets way below 0

[arctictom]

We have had our olive oil freeze a couple times , some of the fat in the oil forms lumps , but it seems to be ok.

[Netpackrat]

Thanks for the info. FWIW, I checked the local temp at the closest public airport (about 3-4 miles away) back in January, and it was -49F at one point. I found a source that sells freeze dried tomato sauce/paste, butter, etc. so I can keep some basic cooking staples out there without worry about frozen/burst cans.

[Aglifter]

Mmm... Beef shortening...

[Ben S]

I'd hope it's safe. I fry turkeys and chickens in oil that we freeze between usages, some of the oil one of my friends has, I swear to God, saw the Reagan Administration.

We defrost ours and get it hot, and it looks horrible and cloudy. So, throw in a couple large potatoes, about 1" cubes, and it'll clear right up and look brand new. As a bonus, you now have fried potatoes, add salt and enjoy.

I seem to recall reading somewhere at some time in the past that using oil to fry food and then storing the oil and reusing it causes it to for carcinogens.

Not very credible given my lack of specifics and sources, but I'll try and find somethign and get back to you.

[HTRN]

1)Veg Oil doesn't "Freeze" per se, but rather acts like glass - it becomes a super viscous liquid, that from our perspective, appears solid.
2)The issue with reheating oil is that it forms a toxin, known as 4-hydroxy-trans-2-nonenal (HNE). It forms in especially high amounts in polyunsaturated oils that have linoleic acid, which include canola, corn, soybean and sunflower. The compound does not arise in saturated oils sourced from animal fat


HTRN

[Ben S]

The compound does not arise in saturated oils sourced from animal fat


HTRN

Well that's a relief. You wouldn't want to get poisoned by the toxins and miss an opportunity to die of a heart attack at 40 years old.

[HTRN]

So you're saying I shouldn't buy a Carolina deep fryer?


HTRN