One gallon of gas passed $4 a gallon here in Champaign, IL today.  And it seems that these skyrocketing gas prices have inspired theft—of used cooking oil.  I’ve seen reports of this kind of thievery before, but it seems that at-home biofuel distilleries are increasingly digging into stores of used restaurant grease to fuel their biofuel-burning vehicles.

The problem with making another man’s “trash” your personal “treasure?”  Well, odds are that man already has the used grease contracted out to a company that pays for the privilege of hauling it away and refining it.  Many restaurant owners may remember the days when they had to pay someone to take the used grease, but those days are no longer.  Now, refining used cooking grease is a big business.  And despite the inevitable increase in theft, the business of refining used grease is probably a good thing all around.  It’s a way for restaurant owners to recoup at least a small portion of their losses on increased food costs, while getting into “recycling,” so to speak.

If you haven’t already, now is a good time to find a buyer for your used cooking oil.  But be sure you get the most cooking life you can from it, first.  Ways to do that include frequent filtering, the use of diatomaceous earth, avoiding contamination of the oil (water being a key offender), and cooking at temperatures that are appropriate for the type of oil you use.  Allowing the oil to get overly hot and reach its smoking point can taint the flavor.

If you're looking for cooking oil filtration and disposal units, please call or chat online for ideas that fit your budget.