The Unusual Item I Use to Degrease a Pan Before Washing It
Keep oil out of the kitchen sink with this nifty trick.
The author's mother stored rendered fat or used oil from various meats in a large jar under the sink, which represented the "geologic eras" of family dinners. This practice predated widespread recycling and awareness of food waste's impact on greenhouse gas emissions. While modern disposal methods have improved, excess cooking grease remains a challenge.
It's difficult to pour grease down the sink, even with hot water running, as it solidifies and can cause clogs. Eventually, the solidified grease can block pipes and require expensive hydrojetter machines for removal. Instead, the author discovered a simple solution: using bread to absorb excess oil. A small slice of bread can soak up 4-6 ounces of grease from a pan, making disposal much easier.
This method can also be used for oily proteins like pork shoulder before serving. Once the bread has absorbed the oil and needs to be discarded, it can be safely added to the compost bin or countertop composter. Small amounts of oil are safe for composting, but large amounts should be avoided as they can slow down the decomposition process.
While discarding the bread, remember that it's better for the environment than throwing away glass containers.
Written by urgent.news from CNET's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
