Grease and oil are inescapable products of cooking, frying, and even baking. Pouring the liquid oils or scraping remnants of shortening into the kitchen sink may seem like the best and easiest way to deal with the smelly, slippery oils but this should be avoided. Drains plagued with oils and grease will clog over time, even if you only pour a few drops into the sink. Fortunately, there are safe and simple ways you can learn how to dispose of cooking grease without causing an expensive plumbing disaster.
The holiday season means lots of delicious home-cooked meals, but it also means lots of leftover fat and grease from roasting turkeys and other meats. If you’re wondering what to do with turkey grease after Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner, you’ve got options beyond just throwing it out.
Turkey grease is loaded with flavor and can be reused in a variety of ways. Here are 10 creative ways to use up leftover turkey fat and make the most of this tasty byproduct
1. Make Gravy or Sauce
One of the most obvious uses for turkey grease is to make gravy. Simply spoon off any fat that rises to the top of your turkey pan drippings and use it to make a roux. Whisk in the leftover pan juices for an ultra-rich, turkey-flavored gravy. You can also use the grease to sauté aromatics as the base of any sauce or gravy.
2. Sauté Veggies
Turkey grease adds tons of flavor when sautéing vegetables. Use it in place of oil or butter to cook veggies like green beans, Brussels sprouts, zucchini, and more. The turkey fat adds a subtle meaty flavor.
3. Roast Potatoes
Roast potatoes take on an unbelievable flavor when cooked in turkey grease. Toss potato wedges or cubes with turkey fat before roasting for crispy addictive spuds.
4. Make Refried Beans
Adding a spoonful of turkey grease to refried beans imparts a subtle turkey flavor. Sauté onion and other aromatics in the fat before adding cooked beans and mashing.
5. Enhance Soups
Use turkey grease to cook aromatics or sauté veggies as the start of any soup recipe. The fat will add rich flavor and texture to soups like chicken noodle, minestrone, or potato.
6. Bake Cornbread
Replace some or all of the butter or oil in cornbread recipes with turkey grease for ultra-moist cornbread with a hint of turkey. The fat keeps the bread tender and adds flavor.
7. Fry Eggs
For next-level fried eggs, heat up some turkey grease in a cast iron skillet and fry eggs in the rendered fat. You’ll get crispy edges and incredible flavor.
8. Make Hash Browns
Shredded potatoes fried up in turkey grease become the most crave-worthy hash browns. The fat keeps them crispy while adding meaty flavor.
9. Flavor Rice
Stir a spoonful of turkey grease into the pot when making rice. As the rice cooks, it will absorb some of that savory turkey flavor.
10. Use for Cooking Oil
You can use small amounts of turkey grease in place of oil or butter when cooking most anything. Try using it to coat a pan before searing meats, sautéing veggies, frying eggs, or roasting potatoes. It adds a subtle turkey essence.
A few tips when reusing turkey grease:
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Make sure to strain it through a fine mesh strainer to remove any food particles.
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Keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 4 days. For longer storage, freeze turkey fat in ice cube trays, then store the cubes in a freezer bag.
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Avoid adding it to very delicate dishes where you don’t want an overt turkey flavor. A little goes a long way!
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Don’t use turkey fat more than 2-3 times, as it can go rancid after repeatedly reheating. Discard if it smells or tastes off.
With a little creativity, you can put leftover turkey grease to delicious use in all sorts of dishes! No more wasting this flavorful fat after the holidays.
Throw it in the trash
The overarching rule of thumb when it comes to grease and oil disposal is don’t pour it down a drain. Toilets, sinks, and floor drains are all off-limits as gluey oils and animal fats will destroy your plumbing. Instead, turn to your garbage can.
Cooled, solidified oil can be thrown in the trash once it is placed into a sealed container. You can use glass jars, waxy containers like milk cartons, and styrofoam boxes to contain any potential leaks.
A rather easy way to accomplish this is by lining a bowl with parchment paper before pouring in used grease. Once it cools, lift it out by the parchment and seal it into a bag. This option allows for fewer sacrificed containers and greater convenience, depending on what your preference is.
Use absorbent waste to soak it up
Mixing oil and grease with absorbent waste is another safe disposal option. Doing this turns the fatty grease into a piece of solid waste, able to be thrown away like other solid household trash. These are some materials you can use to absorb grease and oil:
Ask Arlington: What to Do with Turkey Fryer Grease
FAQ
What can I use turkey drippings for?
you can use it to make gravy, or stock for soup. or save it and use it to flavor rice water, or just add flavor to things that call for added water.
How to dispose of leftover turkey grease?
Throw it in the trash – The overarching rule of thumb when it comes to grease and oil disposal is don’t pour it down a drain.Feb 25, 2022
What to do with fat from turkey drippings?
Key Ingredients in Turkey Gravy
The combination of fat, juices, and flavor is liquid gold! Fat: Spoon off the fat that rises to the surface of the drippings and use that to make the roux. If you don’t have enough turkey fat, add some vegetable oil or melted butter. All-purpose flour: This will help thicken the gravy.
What to do with oil after cooking turkey?
After the turkey has finished frying, the oil is usually spent. Let the oil cool, and then carefully pour it into an old milk jug or the container it was brought in. Use a funnel to avoid spillage. This way, you can carefully dispose of the oil without the worry of it leaking everywhere or an animal getting into it.
Can You pour Turkey grease down the drain?
YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio (WKBN) – Whether you are frying or roasting, cooking a turkey comes with a lot of grease and drippings. But what are you supposed to do with it? Never pour it down the drain, or you could end up with clogged pipes or worse. That’s advice from Aqua Water.
What to do with turkey fat drippings?
I have also used the turkey fat drippings to roast potatoes and carrots inthey come out nice and brown and seasoned with a wonderful flavor. Last Step: Don’t forget to share! Make all your friends drool by posting a picture of your finished recipe on your favorite social network.
Do you rub turkey fat drippings on a Turkey?
The next time I make turkey, I rub the turkey dripping fat on the turkey instead of using butter or oil. Then I lightly season the turkey, because the turkey fat drippings already have seasonings in it. You’ll be amazed at the flavor it imparts to your turkey and how rich in flavor the gravy will be.
How do you store Turkey drippings?
When I roast a turkey I do it on a rack. Then I drain off the fat from the drippings and save the dripping fat in a container in the freezer. The next time I make turkey, I
What can I do with leftover turkey carcass?
Don’t throw out your leftover turkey carcass! Repurpose those bones by enriching store-bought chicken broth for this Thanksgiving-flavored soup. If you haven’t already used the giblets and neck for a giblet gravy, throw them in with the bones for additional, mineral-rich flavor and to thicken the broth.
How do you cook a Turkey dripping?
When I roast a turkey I do it on a rack. Then I drain off the fat from the drippings and save the dripping fat in a container in the freezer. The next time I make turkey, I rub the turkey dripping fat on the turkey instead of using butter or oil. Then I lightly season the turkey, because the turkey fat drippings already have seasonings in it.