Deep-fried turkey may be a Thanksgiving favorite, but once dinner is over, there’s one more job to handle safely: disposing of the used cooking oil.
A turkey fryer can leave behind several gallons of oil, and it should never be poured down a sink, toilet or storm drain. It also shouldn’t be poured directly into a trash or recycling container. Cooking oil can clog pipes, contaminate waterways, leak from containers and create a messy—and potentially hazardous—situation for waste collection crews.
Handle leftover fryer oil the right way:
- Let it cool completely. Never attempt to move, pour or dispose of hot cooking oil.
- Pour cooled oil into a sturdy, leak-proof container with a secure lid. The original oil container can work well.
- Check for local cooking-oil recycling options. Some communities and recycling facilities accept used cooking oil.
- If it must go in the trash, check your local disposal rules first and make sure the container is tightly sealed.
- Never place cooking oil in curbside recycling unless your local recycling program specifically instructs you to do so.
And remember: never put hot oil—or any hot material—into your trash container. Hot materials can ignite other waste and create a serious fire hazard in a collection truck.
Should you spill a small amount of cooking oil, cat litter can be used to absorb the oil if left overnight.
Let’s review basic turkey frying safety as well.
- Always fry outdoors in a well-ventilated, open area.
- Keep the fryer at least 10 feet away from your home, garage, deck, shed or other structures.
- Never use a turkey fryer inside a garage, under a covered porch or beneath an overhang.
- Place the fryer on a level, stable, noncombustible surface such as concrete—not on a wooden deck or grass.
- Keep children and pets well away from the cooking area.
- Never leave a hot fryer unattended.
- Make sure the turkey is completely thawed and dry before lowering it into hot oil. Water and hot oil are a dangerous combination.
- Keep an appropriate fire extinguisher nearby. Never use water on a grease fire.
Enjoy the turkey, enjoy the leftovers, and when the celebration is over, make sure your fryer oil gets a safe send-off, too.
Have a safe and delicious Thanksgiving!
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