Making oil part of food storage

[littletea]

I'm working on my one year supply and I'm curious what others are doing about oils.  At the beginning of the year I stored some canola oil and it went rancid on me before I got half way through.  Since then I've done a little research and have decided I'd like to use mainly olive oil, butter and coconut oil.  I have a can of Crisco as a LAST RESORT but I don't feel it's a healthy choice ultimately.  The LDS food storage calculator says I should store 7 gallons but that sure sounds like a lot and I'm worried about dumping a ton of money only to have it go bad.  So I figured under  normal use I go through two containers of the olive oil at Sams in a year.  The expiration date on the container says 7/2012 so I should be safe buying my year's worth...right?

I've been experimenting with coconut oil in my baked goods and I like that it's more shelf stable.  I've read/heard 2 years maybe more.  Can anyone confirm?  Anyone else considering its use.  I'm kinda stuck on what/how much to buy, how to store. 

[Morning Sunshine]

long old thread on that here: http://thesurvivalpodcast.com/forum/index.php?topic=1063.msg40816#msg40816
and another
http://thesurvivalpodcast.com/forum/index.php?topic=12589.0

[Heavy G]

Morning beat me to it.  Some really good resources here. 

[Prag]

Thanks for the links and interesting info on the previous threads Morning Sunshine & Heavy G.


littletea;

It's a challenge to be sure.

I've never tried ghee, but after reading the other threads, it is something I definitely have to look into.


I'm a bit concerned about canning my own butter or making ghee myself, but that is more out of a lack of knowledge on the subject than anything else.


We do keep and use a good bit of various olive oils, keep some vegetable oil, Crisco, Coconut oil, and even some lard on hand...and rotate it out.

We also have and use Red Feather canned butter and the family seems to like it...I certainly do.


The olive oil can be used for lamps. Other suggestions for "expired" oils were mentioned in the other threads, IIRC.

I've read that keeping your olive oil in the freezer (while the grid is up) can extend it's life...but I have no firsthand experience with it.



Essential fats are an incredibly important part of our nutritional intake...but a real challenge for LTS.



I searched Safecastle first, but didn't locate any ghee...But I did find some here and the price seems OK for what you get.

[LvsChant]

I'm very amazed that you had oil go rancid on you within 6 months' time. I'd have expected a much longer life than that (unopened, with good storage methods, not too hot, etc.). I've never had oil go bad on me. I currently have a good stock of shortening, olive oil and vegetable oil (although not more than a year's worth of anything except the shortening, probably).

[liftsboxes]

Even after it goes bad, you can still use it as an accelerant or fuel.

[Sweethearts Mom]

rancid oil has other uses. It can be sprayed instead of roundup for killing grass.

Can it be used for an outside lubricant? Like wd 40?

Also can it be used for water proofing stuff? like leather, shoes, wood?

[Heavy G]

I think rancid oil would mess up metal parts.  I doubt it's able to handle heat like petroleum-based oils.  But I'm no expert.

Rancid oil on boots might stink.  Animal fats like mink oil (I think it's an animal fat) seem to work but I wonder if vegetable oils would do the same.  Your boots might stink.

Dunno.  I bet there are some other uses for rancid cooking oil.

[Sweethearts Mom]

Oil does kill weeds and grass well. I have used it several times; True on the stinking; I would only use it on boots if I had no choice.

[littletea]

LVS -

I stored my oil in a kitchen cabinet.  I've heard that the name brand oils (better quality) store better.  This was a generic brand I picked up on sale.  I guess I don't go through vegetable oil quick enough.  I tend to use it for occasional frying and some baking.  After I accidentally ate the rancid oil in some popcorn I swore off all vegetable oils (canola, corn etc).  It tasted and smelled just awful and I felt I was adding poison to my body...sorry for the dramatic tone but it was terrible.  I've done some research and I'm just going to dive in and buy a mixture of slightly refined and extra virgin coconut oil.  I found some interesting interviews with Bruce Fife on Youtube that made me decide to "just do it".  I figure I'll go through the coconut oil pretty quickly as I use it as hair conditioner and face moisturizer.  In a pinch you can also rub some on your underarms and pat with baking soda- presto all natural deodorant.  I tested it out one summer day and no odor!  Fife said good quality extra virgin has an extremely LONG shelf life so I'm going to test this out.

[LvsChant]

I use oil pretty consistently in my cooking, so that could be the thing. I use oil every time I make bread and regularly for homemade granola. In addition to that, it is a common ingredient in many of my baking recipes. I don't fry very often, though. As for particular brands, I haven't been very picky. I've usually just bought the least expensive when I am buying more. I may only have three of the average size bottles in stock right now, though, which is about normal for me. I often find that price-wise, the smaller bottles are less expensive (ounce by ounce) than the gallon jugs, and a lot more convenient to use.

From what I have read, though, shortening is a very good long-term storage item for fats. But, as with all this long term storage stuff, if it isn't something you can use and rotate through your pantry on a normal basis, it is a lot less useful if times don't get rough!

Good idea on the other oil choices.

[2mommas]

    cooking oil can also be used to make biodiesel fuel and homemade soap.

[LvsChant]

Yes... there are so many uses for cooking oil. Soaping is one thing I've not tried yet... there are many threads on making soap here... I wonder if oil that is past its prime would ruin a batch of soap...

[2mommas]

My mom has a restaurant.  There is a local doctor who collects the used cooking oil, adds ingredients to it and makes biodiesel.  You add a high grade ethyl alcohol, mix and let it set.  One by product is glycerine. I saw a guy on the weather channel make a gallon and pour it in his car and drive off.  He was traveling the U.S. showing that used cooking oil was easily made into biodiesel.   It has a high detergent effect , I am told that it cleans diesel engines.  The only negative I have heard is that you have to change the fuel filter several times when you first start using it. It cleans all the gunk out of your engine.

I think the homemade lye soap began with homemade lard and woodash water.  Maybe the lye component clarifies the  animal fat?

I do know someone who positioned a container  above  his wood heater , ran a small metal tube  to the top of the heater and fixed it so that used oil dripped onto the wood fire.  It increases your heat output and decreases the wood comsumption.  Just a thought...

[dodgetruckmom]

It has a high detergent effect , I am told that it cleans diesel engines.  The only negative I have heard is that you have to change the fuel filter several times when you first start using it. It cleans all the gunk out of your engine.

We had a couple of stations selling biodiesel here a few years ago. I used it a lot in my truck. The truck loved it--I got better mileage and it ran better. The only downside was that the exhaust often smelled like french fries.

When diesel went down to $2.50  gallon, demand for bio dropped off and now no one sells it anymore. 

[bsutter]

For cooking applications I selected coconut oil available here: http://www.bulknaturaloils.com/

It has a (3) year shelf life in the original container (nitrogen packed).

I have extended the storage life by repackaging into quart size Mason jars, vacuum sealing, and putting in the refrigerator.

Should be good for at least (5) years.

Benefits of Coconut oil can be reviewed here: http://www.coconutoil.com/

[archer]

My mom has a restaurant.  There is a local doctor who collects the used cooking oil, adds ingredients to it and makes biodiesel.  You add a high grade ethyl alcohol, mix and let it set.  One by product is glycerine. I saw a guy on the weather channel make a gallon and pour it in his car and drive off.  He was traveling the U.S. showing that used cooking oil was easily made into biodiesel.   It has a high detergent effect , I am told that it cleans diesel engines.  The only negative I have heard is that you have to change the fuel filter several times when you first start using it. It cleans all the gunk out of your engine.

It will also degrade older rubber hoses/gaskets so if you plan to use biodiesel watch for this. Been there, had that happen.

[2mommas]

You can also use ,  used cooking oil to add to dry dog food.  It gives it a better taste and helps their coat shine.