Uses for used fat/grease

Third3ye

Just wanted to start a bit of a brainstorming session regarding food fat.

Iv had a George Foreman food grill for for a few years now but recently Iv started taking notice about the amount of fat that can be drained from the likes of sausages and burgers. I said to myself that there must be a ton of uses for the stuff. So I started collecting it. Iv got the equivalent of 500ml over the past 2 months.

But Im not sure what to do with it. Any neat ideas?

pueblo

Third3ye wrote: »

Just wanted to start a bit of a brainstorming session regarding food fat.

Iv had a George Foreman food grill for for a few years now but recently Iv started taking notice about the amount of fat that can be drained from the likes of sausages and burgers. I said to myself that there must be a ton of uses for the stuff. So I started collecting it. Iv got the equivalent of 500ml over the past 2 months.

But Im not sure what to do with it. Any neat ideas?

Roast your spuds in it

djflawless

First things that spring to mind
Fuel for fire
Bait for animal traps
Google providing anything??

my3cents

In our house it goes on the dogs food.

Graces7

Great for lighting reluctant fires...

madmaxi

Fat lamps.

stooge

use it to power a back to the future style time machine.....


on a serious note... can be used as a cheap lubricant for shears/old door hinges etc

mountainy man

I use it to make fat balls/cake for the birds for the winter, its good to help the birds who keep the pests down throughout the year, good karma!

Khannie

It's a small amount, but if you're considering reclaimed fat, biodiesel is worth looking at. Fat from meat wouldn't be any use unfortunately, but it's just worth bearing in mind.

To answer your question: Soak some cardboard in that stuff and just watch how long it burns either in your fire or you could make a type of candle out of it.

chopper6

Melt the fat and pour it into a tray of peanuts etc..it makes excellent winter bird food.

Third3ye

Some real good ideas here. I fancy the peanut idea for the birds. God knows I go through enough birdseed every week.

Also soaking in cardboard sounds good. I wonder if i put said soaked cardboard in an old Dax wax can would it make a handy little stove for boiling coffee when im out and about? I know its a petty little subject but I hate having to waste anything.

chopper6

Third3ye wrote: »

I wonder if i put said soaked cardboard in an old Dax wax can would it make a handy little stove for boiling coffee when im out and about? I know its a petty little subject but I hate having to waste anything.

You *could* use it but burning grease gives off a horrible stench that catches in the lungs as well as the clothes...its also messy to transport,especially if your container leaks or bursts.

You'd be better off using meths or something similar.

BreadnBuddha

In the spirit of survivalism and self sufficiency I think it's important to avoid waste, in all its forms, but only when it gives a real benefit.

That includes skipping doing random things that waste your time and give no gain or pleasure. Decanting used animal fat and grease left over from cooking into a bottle and trying to think of a use is wasteful in my opinion.

There has to be something you can do instead to yield a better return for your efforts and time.

Top marks for giving it consideration but maybe look at something else instead.

sheesh

you could make soap

Mech1

This is for the birds

BreadnBuddha

Mech1 wrote: »

This is for the birds

Soap?

Birds?

Bird-washing?

Do you have a lissssp?

chopper6

sheesh wrote: »

you could make soap

Not out of used grease you couldnt.

sheesh

chopper6 wrote: »

Not out of used grease you couldnt.

no? oops!

mawk

Add it to some shredded newspaper when making compressed logs?

chopper6

mawk wrote: »

Add it to some shredded newspaper when making compressed logs?

Jesus..just dont..it 'll be a disgusting mess

my3cents

chopper6 wrote: »

Jesus..just dont..it 'll be a disgusting mess

Sometimes you just have to learn the hard way

I can imagine our dogs fighting over a smoldering compressed log because it was stinky with a rancid fat smell.

Or rats sneaking in to have a feast in the log basket.

mfergus

mountainy man wrote: »

I use it to make fat balls/cake for the birds for the winter, its good to help the birds who keep the pests down throughout the year, good karma!

Ya and watch the birds suffer with angina

djflawless

You COULD try making your own line of make up?that's where most take away fats are sold isn't it??

obsidianclock

I have used animal fat to make soap before but it's not very good quality ... might be a good alternative to washing up liquid for your pots and pans if push comes to shove.

chopper6

obsidianclock wrote: »

I have used animal fat to make soap before but it's not very good quality ... might be a good alternative to washing up liquid for your pots and pans if push comes to shove.

You cannot make soap from the grease from a george foreman grill...and you absolutely cannot use it to wash pots and pans.

sheesh

chopper6 wrote: »

You cannot make soap from the grease from a george foreman grill...and you absolutely cannot use it to wash pots and pans.

can you tell us why?

I'm just interested as we nade soap from vegetable fat in school and it was fairly straightforward just add a base and some water I'm not talking about something that you could use on you skinn but as a crude cleaning agent.

obsidianclock

chopper6 wrote: »

You cannot make soap from the grease from a george foreman grill...and you absolutely cannot use it to wash pots and pans.

On the contrary, this is actually a survival staple, I just wouldn't want to wash in it. It's crude but it's soap all the same.

Update : Have found a lovely page on this on Earth 911 too:

http://www.earth911.com/home-garden/animal-fat-soap/2/

chopper6

obsidianclock wrote: »

On the contrary, this is actually a survival staple, I just wouldn't want to wash in it. It's crude but it's soap all the same.

Thats raw animal fat..it is not the grease drained off from a george forman as the OP is asking.



I challange anybody to make usable soap from leftover grease.

chopper6

sheesh wrote: »

can you tell us why?

Why you cant make soap out of used grease?

Try it!

obsidianclock

chopper6 wrote: »

Thats raw animal fat..it is not the grease drained off from a george forman as the OP is asking.



I challange anybody to make usable soap from leftover grease.

Erm.. I've already shown you links to people who have done it chopper... :-D

BreadnBuddha

obsidianclock wrote: »

Erm.. I've already shown you links to people who have done it chopper... :-D

I could show you links to guys varnishing dog turds and calling it art.

Doesn't mean that it's a good use of time and energy.

obsidianclock

BreadnBuddha wrote: »

I could show you links to guys varnishing dog turds and calling it art.

Doesn't mean that it's a good use of time and energy.

Also doesn't mean it can't be done.

Value Hunter

I see Mr Positivity has been banned

obsidianclock

Value Hunter wrote: »

I see Mr Positivity has been banned

An excellent case in point for googling before you post!