How To Store & Reuse Fats

How to store and reuse cooking fats

In many kitchens, fat was never something to throw away. It was something to keep.

Once it had cooked one meal, it was ready to help with the next. That simple habit — saving instead of discarding — is one of the easiest ways people used to make food go further and waste far less.

Here’s how to do it.

Let it cool

After you’ve roasted or fried, leave the fat in the pan to cool naturally.
Once it’s no longer hot, it will start to turn cloudy and firm.

Strain if needed

If there are little bits of food in it, simply pour the fat through a fine sieve or a piece of muslin into a clean jar. This keeps it fresh for longer.

Store it simply

Pop a lid on and keep it in the fridge for everyday use or in the freezer if you won’t use it for a while.

Most animal fats keep happily for weeks in the fridge and many months in the freezer.

If it smells clean and neutral when you open the jar, it’s good to use.

Use it again and again

That saved fat is perfect for:

roast potatoes

frying eggs

starting a stew

sautéing vegetables

making gravy

Each time you reuse it, it gains a little more flavour.

A decent way of cooking

Saving fat isn’t just about being thrifty for the sake of it.
It’s about respecting what an animal has given, and making sure nothing is wasted.

In a small jar of saved fat, there’s care, memory, and the start of many more meals.