Soooooo...eons ago, my first real job after a paper route, I was asst mgr at a Fish n' chips place, owned by KFC. I prepared & deep fried mushrooms, clams, oysters, cod, shrimp & fries. We used peanut oil. Every night I'd drain the oil into a pail, scrub the cooking vats, then put the "old" oil back into the vat overnight, room temperature. Then during the day I'd add more oil as needed. I never used the old oil more than 3 days in a row. At home.....I put the old oil, once it's cooled, into the container it came in...and dispose of it in the trash. I "never" reuse old oil, it's got a "taste" to it.

I used to deep fry and would let the oil cool and then dispose of it in a plastic container. Now 99% of the time I use my air fryer; almost no oil, less mess, or my wok that also uses very little oil.

I love fried foods. I use minimal amount of oil and flip halfway through to get an even fry. Dispose of in a zip lock or container.

I tend to air fry and pan fry. Mostly because deep fry takes up so much oil. But when I have leftover oil from pan frying, I let it cool a bit and save it in a glass jar. I use it to make fatwood or firestarters. I don't tend to have a lot of oil, but it's a handy use for it. I use them in outdoor fires sometimes. If it's clean of debris, it can be used alone or mixed with other stuff for killing plant sprays instead of using other oils. I rarely do this, but sometimes an oil is handy for weeds. It can be used in a sand bucket to keep your garden tools clean.

I too use my air fryer 95% of the time rather than deep fry. About the only time I use a deep fryer is at the lake house when we have a big fish fry for a couple dozen people. We toss the used oil in the woods the next day after it has cooled.

In some cities, the trash/recycling service will take used cooking out for recycling.

I don't deep fry, but I do drain excess oil and rendered fat from cooking onto paper towels then into the trash. If the raccoons have been particularly active though, I will drain it into some type of going-to-be-trashed-anyway container (like one that mushrooms come in) and set it out for them. If I didn't, they would get into the trash can and eat the oil soaked paper towels after making a mess with the spilled trash.

Normally the oil that is left in the skillet can be wiped with a paper towel and tossed. On the rare occasions that we have more than that I pour it into an empty can and leave it in the frig or freezer. Before putting it in the trash I place it in a plastic bag with a twist tie.

Air or shallow frying leave none to minimal oil behind so I don’t think they’re relevant here.

I’ve wondered about this, too. I’ve read that you can strain oil with paper towels and reuse it a couple times if it wasn’t used with something smellier like seafood. But any time I’ve tried it, it takes FOREVER to strain, and switching to something courser like cheesecloth doesn’t filter it well. The couple times I’ve cleaned and saved a jug, I didn’t reuse it within a time I felt comfortable with so I’ve ended up tossing it after all.

If I hear of a faster and easier way, I’d be more tempted to deep fry occasionally. My health doesn’t need it but I’d enjoy it!

I see that I wasn't clear in my post. I apologize.

Yes, I have an air fryer and love it. But I still am experimenting with frying. Deep frying, not pan frying where there is minimal oil. Of course I just put that oil into a cat food can or I fashion a tinfoil cup or something or wipe it out with a paper towel; that's not rocket science.

That's not what I'm talking about. Not pan frying, not air frying. Deep(ish) frying where there are a few cups of oil remaining. That's probably not rocket science, either, but I'm new to this - haha.

Thanks, all, for taking the time to respond!

I remember years ago deep frying a turkey. That was a lot of oil. I used a plastic funnel to help get the oil back into the plastic container.

I see quite a bit of use of deep fat fryers on the cooking programs, everything from crisping kale chips to completely finishing entrees. However, I've never had one in my kitchen.

They did not have Ore-Ida oven fries when I was a kid, and DH actually kind of likes those to accompany fish or scallops. (my lazy cooking tip that I probably shouldn't admit)

When I was growing up, my mother had a deep fryer, often used. Many nights of french fried potatoes. One of my earlier kitchen chores was peel the potatoes and slice them with the french fry gadget, rinse, dry and put into the basket that was lowered into the heated oil.

When the appliance had cooled, she would put the lid on it and put it back in a lower cupboard, using the oil many times over. If we'd cooked fish or shellfish in it, the oil was changed. I don't know if that was recommended application then or not - none of us got sick or had off tasting french fries. Not that my mother was the best in the world in the kitchen, she wasn't really that interested in food.

I'm one who runs plastic jars with their lids through the dishwasher and keep them for all kinds of things. A couple of weeks worth of laundry soap from the mega Costco containers. Bird seed. Rice. Even a serving of soup to send next door to a neighbor.

If I did deep fry, I'd have something spillproof in which to put used oil.

We did deep fry a turkey one Thanksgiving but at my brothers. I wasn't in charge of disposing of all that used oil, not my kitchen ;) The way I remember it, he'd bought the turkey cooker, ordered an organic turkey, had his seasonings and brining down to a science (he's an engineer) and had forgotten to buy oil. He went to every open convenience store on the holiday and bought every small bottle they'd had on their shelves. And had a whole lot of bottles to fill with the used oil. I didn't help him, I wasn't lifting and pouring from that pot.

" We toss the used oil in the woods the next day after it has cooled. "

That's convenient. Do you do the same with dead batteries, motor oil, etc.?

I deep fry fairly often - mainly tempura - and I use a Dutch oven for this, which is the only time I ever use my Dutch oven. I keep a frying thermometer attached to the side of the pan so that I can keep track of the temperature. I had an electric deep fryer before, and when I checked the temperature with a thermometer, I found that it was never as hot as it was supposed to be, and so I got rid of it.

I strain the oil after using it and store it in a glass jar in a dark place. I taste the oil first to make sure that it is okay - I use grape seed oil - I do not like the flavor of peanut oil. I don't care what anyone says, peanut oil has a flavor, and I don't like it. Grape seed and avocado oil are more neutral, but avocado oil tends to be expensive. I reuse the oil at least three times, unless it has developed a flavor. I find that when fish has enough of a coating, the oil does not pick up that much flavor. My mother would fry potatoes in oil to remove flavors, but I'm not sure how effective that was. If oil has a slight fish flavor, I use it again to cook fish.

After the oil can no longer be used, I put it in a glass or plastic container and put that in the trash. I don't like doing this, but I don't do it that often.

I strain it with a metal strainer, let things settle a day and then strain with cheesecloth. Store in a glass jar in the fridge. Then either use a couple times for deep frying and  strain in-between or just use it a tablespoon at a time for normal cooking.

I throw out after frying seafood or after too many uses. For oil waste, we keep plastic containers and fill them up, and throw them in the garbage.

As for what oil to use that depends on what you are frying. Are you eating it hot? Use Veg oil (I never use canola since it tastes rancid to me). Eating it cold or cooking something like fried chicken? Shortening is the only way to go. It's all about mouth feel. If you cook something in oil and you eat it when hot its great but if it gets cold and then you eat it - it has an oily mouth feel. When shortening cools it solidifies again (is that the right word?) and does not.

I have a small commercial type countertop fryer and my extended family loves when I get it out for dinners. Since I fry lots of different stuff in it I buy a big 'ol jug of Liquid Shortening at our Costco Business Center. But since you probably don't want that much use half veg oil and half Crisco or there abouts.

I keep one of the previous jugs and pour the old oil in them and then go to the land fill to dump. Here it's free, and easy, to pop in and dump the oil.

I do reuse my oil. I don't have a set amount of times but I'd say 3-4. I bought filters off of Amazon and strain it after use and store it in the pantry. Straining is very important. The oil is also good to use until it gets too dark. If I haven't fried in a fairly long time, I'll usually dump and start over.

Twice Fried Potatoes!! This is the the hands-down the best way to fry french fries or cubed potatoes. They are even good cold. Fry them once @ 225 for about 5 minutes and then fry them again @250 for about 2 minutes. When I make them, I'll usually fry twice as many as I need @ 225 and then put half in the freezer. When I get them out, I just fry them once @ 250. The fries a darker than a lot of places but they are crispy with a very soft and fluffy interior.

Edited to add - use russet potatoes!

And sInce I do a lot of fries I did buy a slicer. Choice French Fry & Potato Cutter (3/8") - WebstaurantStore . I went with 3/8' since 1/4" seemed too small and 1/2" too big.

I also got into making corndogs. They can go in the freezer after being fried and reheated in the oven. I found that using Batter Bind Batter Bind S - Modernist Pantry, LLC helped a lot in keeping the batter on the dog. They also have stuff for keeping the coating crispy but I haven't found a real need for those yet since I don't make fried onion rings by hand.

America's Test Kitchen also has a really good Beignet recipe. You just dump, mix, rise, and then I throw it in the fridge to use the next day. The fridge time gives it a better flavor and the dough is easier to work with when it is cold. I'll fry these up for the family for dessert after we're done with the savory stuff.

I don't really fry anything but Turkeys at Thanksgiving. That takes a TON of oil but I don't ever use all of the full containers, so there is used oil and unused oil left. I use peanut oil and it's $$$ but it makes the very best turkeys. Our recycle center at the landfill here takes used cooking oil that gets recycled into biofuel, so I just save up a couple of year's worth of oil in the garage and drive it to be recycled.

For smaller amounts, like from pan frying fish or breaded chicken tenders, I strain the oil thru a coffee filter. I have a small strainer that a Mr Coffee style coffee filter fits nicely in and perch it over a 1 quart measuring cup of a small stainless steel mixing bowl that has high sides. One of those small bowls that probably originally came with a stand mixer. It does take time so I leave it overnight. The coffee filter does a good job of removing the fine sediment from the oil. Then the oil gets transferred to a pasta sauce jar the next morning. One jar labeled for fish & one for chicken.

For deep fryer amounts of oil, I would buy cooking oil/ maple syrup filters. Restaurant supply store or from the jungle store. Or possibly large coffee filters like those used in urn coffee makers.

There’s a powder, can find it online, that you mix with your oil and it turns gelatinous for easy disposal.

I reuse it until it's too dark, sometimes I strain it then add new oil to it. Its good for a while. What do you think restaurants do, they reuse it.

I'm following this, since I have been wanting to deep fry occasionally but have not yet done so - it looks so fun but, yes, newbie here also. When out for lunch I sometimes end up going for the fish&chips and other fried foods because I do love it from time to time ... A friend made beignets here for a NOLA dinner and he made it look so easy and fun, and they were wonderful. We shared the leftover oil , used and unused, among the 10 of us. Maybe a party is the way to deep-fry and share the oil!

Off topic: Dumping cooking oil in a rural area once a year after a fish fry is not comparable to petroleum or battery acid - cooking oil is a non toxic edible food product; to compare it to dumping petroleum, lead and hydrochloric acid is just dumb.

On topic - I believe vegetable oil can be poisonous for cats. Direct ingestion isn't necessary, since we all know cats clean themselves, including their feet.

That's beside the point. I was offended by the callous "I dump it in the woods" attitude. The attitude is poisonous and damaging, without regard to what's involved.

In many parts of coastal California, the message "Flows to the ocean" or "Flows to the bay" is stenciled on curbs above street drains. It's not done for info purposes for people who study storm drains, it's to point out the need to properly dispose of potentially dangerous items.