Topic: How do i reclaim oil

[JerryM]

have had a go at reclaiming oil and found it to involve a fair amount of effort and time.

i would appreciate all thoughts on how to do it better.

this is what i did:

a) quick simmer of the finished base stirring now and again
b) removed any scum that appeared in the 1st 1/2 hr (this seemed important as the scum otherwise gets in the way later during the oil reclaim)
c) when oil started to separate i pushed into the middle of the pan and scooped it off with a soup spoon. this was repeated many times as the oil progressively separated over a 2 hr period
d) left base to cool overnight
e) reheated next day reheating to quick simmer and continued with step c for 1 1/2 hrs (at which no further oil was separating)
f) added water progressively back to the base to counter that lost due to the quick simmer

observations/thoughts:

1) the separation of the oil was much faster on the next day
2) i'm not sure what effect stirring has on the separation
3) maybe i should have left all the oil in place until the simmer period was complete and then scooped off
4) maybe i should have only done the oil reclaim simmering the next day (ie 3.5 hrs the day after the original cooking)

[matt3333]

Hi
I haven't tried this yet, is it a BIR thing, its just all of the vids I've seen seem to use veg or sunflower oil.
Matt

[SnS]

Hi
I haven't tried this yet, is it a BIR thing, its just all of the vids I've seen seem to use veg or sunflower oil.
Matt

Hi Matt.

A few members here use the spiced oil recovered from the surface of the base gravy. This may improve the taste of the final curry. You may want to try it, but personally I don't think it's worth the hassle.

Others just stir it back into the base so that each portion has its own equal share of the spiced oil.

I'm not aware of BIR's using reclaimed oil, probably for some of the reasons Jerry has mentioned (effort and time). And yes, you're right, they do use fresh veg oil.

SnS

[SnS]

i would appreciate all thoughts on how to do it better.

Jerry,

I have found that the thicker the base, the less the oil separates. Combined with your extended cooking time (more evaporation), this would make it harder for you to reclaim the oil ... unless you added lots of water to maintain the original 'thin soup-like' consistency.

Regards
SnS

[JerryM]

SNS,

appreciate your input. i did aim to maintain the thin soup like consistency but being a little nervous would guess i did not do it enough - banked for future.

Matt,

SNS is quite right on the hassle point - hence the post - there must be an easier way - i'm sold 100% on the taste improvement though. these are the posts which got me to try it.

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,602.0.html 
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,735.0.html
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,782.20.html
http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php?topic=190.msg1069#msg1069

[matt3333]

Hi SnS
Thanks for that there's certainly more to this curry cooking than I imagined.
I'm trying to decide which base to try think I will have a go at the saffron as it seems the most popular at the mo.
Matt

[SnS]

Hi Matt

If you're making the Saffron base first then consider using this Madras to go with it (it is a good introduction to using the base cooking method).

This does not use reclaimed oil.

http://www.curry-recipes.co.uk/curry/index.php/topic,2603.0.html

Regards
SnS 

[matt3333]

Thanks for that, Madras is  about the top of my heat limit.
Matt

[Davy]

I have to say I have found the process fairly simple. I think this depends on the base you make though. I always cook until the oil separates from the base then just skim it into a pot after cooling when most of the oil rises to the top. Bases with any sort of cream added such as creamed cocoanut seem to be reluctant to give up the oil. I made UB's base but still manged to get the oil out. When I cook a curry I add plenty of oil to the pan and once done  skim the excess and add to the reclaimed oil pot again. This builds up the flavour of the oil I believe. I believe it makes a difference but it's not the be all and end all. You have to be careful adding oil to currys as I think too much tends to mask the finished flavour if you don't get the majority back out.

[malacara]

From my experience (I barely got any reclaimed oil in the past but now  I get a lot easily without any special procedure) I think the key is to blend very thoroughly the base, add water until getting a thinish soup consistency and do not stir after that, let simmer for about 45-60 minutes and let stand a few more minutes and thats it. It works for me. Btw is the reclaimed oil  a healthy thing? I use it all but the appareance is appalling 

Regards