Almost everyone uses vegetable oil, if not, then almost everyone knows what it is. You use vegetable oil regularly as an ingredient in cooking most especially for fried foods. It is an essential commodity in almost every household and some people buy in bulk so that they can save money.
There is always a need to store vegetable oil because there are always leftovers, considering they cannot all be used at once depending on whether you purchase in small amounts or bulk. Because of this, we all need to know the ways we can store our vegetable oil so that they can last for a long time without going bad.
This will bring us to an important deliberation of whether or not we can freeze our vegetable oil. Vegetable oil can be frozen, this is why we have put together this post to get the necessary information on how you could freeze your vegetable oil to preserve and extend the shelf life for a very long time.
You might be worrying whether the usefulness and consistency of the vegetable oil would be altered if frozen, be rest assured that though the consistency may appear very different after storing in your freezer, it will be back to normal immediately it is heated and it will work exactly the similar way.
We have gathered information and guidelines that will help you freeze your vegetable oil and what will help you understand everything you are supposed to be familiar with concerning vegetable oil. We will cover the advantages and disadvantages of freezing your vegetable oil and the process you can follow to use the oil after you have frozen them.
A Vegetable Oil Guide – Freezing and More
There are several things the vegetable oil is used for, there are some of them that you might not even know. We also have many storage options for vegetable oil which would keep them for a long time.
The best way to store vegetable oil is through freezing if you do not use it often or you have a bulk of them that you will not use any time soon. There are several ways you can go about it, all you need to do is to select the best method of your choice.
Vegetable oil is commonly used for the following:
- Used to moisturize feet
- Used to remove stickers and labels from unwanted places
- Used to remove splinter that may be hard to remove.
- Used as deep conditioning treatments of hair
- Used to grease your key that may stick
- Used to season non-stick and cast iron cookware.
- Used to remove rust
- Used to boost fire or in old oil lamps.
- Used for popular cooking practices
- Used for frying foods
As seen above, vegetable oil is used for other purposes than cooking, you may want to have more around for future use. Several kinds of research in recent times have claimed that vegetable oil may be too unhealthy for cooking, so in case you do not wish to cook with it, it can be used for other functions as highlighted above.
What is in Vegetable Oil?
Combined in vegetable oil are a variety of seed oils and other vegetables and fruits parts. They are vegetable fats considered to be triglyceride mixtures, mixtures of fats that are liquid at room temperature. Other processes are completed by manufacturers that is more than the vegetable oils and natural fruit. Manufacturers add chemical additives into a typical vegetable oil bottle.
There are, however, other oil types that are purer than vegetable oil, check the list below:
- Peanut oil
- Canola oil
- Sunflower oil
- Grapeseed oil
- Olive oil
- Coconut oil
Various other types are available in the market, the above are just some examples of the varieties of oil that are most common.
You can use the storage methods we are about to share for all the types of oil with most of the oil varieties also considered as vegetable oil forms. Vegetable oil is just considered to be less pure than the other types.
Freezing Vegetable Oil & Other Storage Options
Your vegetable oil can be frozen in the freezing to make the most out of it. Due to its makeup and ingredients, the vegetable oil does not freeze in particular but gets preserved through the process of freezing. The temperature preserves the vegetable oil.
We should first check out the advantages and disadvantages associated with freezing your vegetable oil, see below:
Pros to Freezing Vegetable Oil
- Freezing will not affect the texture or integrity of the vegetable oil
- It is not complicated to use after freezing
- The steps required to freeze are not complicated
- It is very simple to freeze your vegetable oil
- The shelf life of your vegetable oil gets extended to two years.
Cons to Freezing Vegetable Oil
- It will be quite difficult to know if your vegetable oil is considered rancid or not after freezing.
- The shelf life of vegetable oil is extended when you refrigerate it, just like freezing.
- There will be a difference in the consistency after they are removed from your freezer. This is, however, fixable.
- The vegetable oil does not freeze but only preserved.
You are recommended not to freeze your vegetable oil as an option for storage even though it is still an option. You might not be certain of your result after freezing because they become quite scattered.
If you decide to freeze your vegetable oil, allow it to be at a temperature of approximately 12°F. It will be preserved greatly at that temperature. You could notice separation in compounds or cloudiness when inside the freezer, do not worry, your vegetable oil will not be affected after it is removed from the freezer as you wish.
Freezing Vegetable Oil
It is quite simple to freeze your vegetable oil, the process is not complicated at all. There is nothing special for you to do, but still, check the steps needed to proceed with the freezing process:
- It is better to freeze your oil in a container that is airtight or the original container.
- Be sure that it is airtight and well-sealed.
- Put inside the freezer.
- It can be preserved inside the freezer for two years.
Allow extra time so that you can prepare your vegetable oil when it is removed from your freezer before you use it. You have to warm your frozen vegetable oil before you can use it. In case your freezer didn’t get to the freezing temperature of vegetable oil, allow it to thaw before you proceed to use it.
One thing you should note is that in case the oil did not freeze to solid form, it is needed to be warmed before you use it. It can be warmed slowly in a microwave or pour in a pan and warm on a stove. The vegetable oil could appear separated or with cloudy drops when you remove from your freezer. Don’t bother to get worried because it is as a result of the cold. This would not affect your vegetable oil.
Additional Storage Options
There are several other methods you can use for the storage of vegetable oil in case you decide not to use the freezing method.
- Pantry: Vegetable oil can be stored in your pantry for about a year whether opened or perhaps, unopened.
- Refrigerator: Your vegetable oil can be stored in the fridge for about a year by sealing the container’s lid very tightly. You do not have to worry about it being rancid.
Please note that there is no storage better than another. It is, however, recommended to use the pantry or refrigerator method instead of the freezing method that will shelf the life of your vegetable oil.
Related Questions
Trust the guide has been very informative and helpful and has been up to your expectation? Check out some questions and answers that we complied to further provide you with more information. You are encouraged to check them out to see if they will help you.
Can I Use These Methods on Used Cooking Oil?
It is not recommended to freeze your used cooking oil. You could save and reuse it but you should note that it will not last long because you have exposed it to bacteria and air. After cooking, you can tightly seal your used cooking oil before storing it at room temperature. Used cooking oil should only be stored for four months so that it will not be rancid.
How Can I Tell if My Cooking Oil is Rancid?
If you are yet to open the bottle of vegetable oil, you do not have to be concerned about it getting spoilt. However, once the bottle is opened and the seal is broken, its shelf-life will be only about a year. It is quite difficult to determine whether or not your vegetable oil is bad just by observing it because it does not rot or grow mold like other foods. You could however detect whether or not it has gotten spoilt by smelling. You will perceive a bitter odor that is very strong, then you can know it is rancid.