Preserving cooking oil by canning

[belties]

Been buying oil in five gallon jugs at a wholesale box store. Canola, etc. I know it has a shelf life of at least a year, in the cool basement, stored in its original plastic container.

I'd like to go longer term if possible and wondered if anyone has canned oils. I've successfully canned solid oils (butter and lard) that has kept 1 and a half years( we've never kept it longer than that so can't verify if it keeps longer) but never canned the liquid oils.

I don't want to freeze it, I don't want to vacuum seal it. I know that canning it is not recommended by the "experts". I consider you here experts, like to know what experience you all have.

Times, method, lifespan?
TIA

[TnAndy]

As I understand it, the whole purpose of pressure canning is to raise the internal temperature of the jar to the point it will kill off any pathogens, then the jar seals as it cools. Since I don't think there IS anything in oil to kill off, I can't really see where bringing it up to 240 degrees (or so) would do anything for it.

Seems like just leaving it in the original container and storing in the coolest place possible would be the ticket. I know we've stored it in our root cellar for 3-4 years and I can't tell any difference from new.

In the 'for what it's worth' column, having an ONGOING source of oils/fats would be a fairly important deal in a world without grocery stores, should things come to that. This year, we're raising a small patch of black oil sunflowers (12'x125'...1500sqft), and I intend to try making our own sunflower oil using a small press. I've read that a family of four can raise all their oil needs on 2500sqft of sunflowers, so we'll see how it turns out.

The first one bloomed yesterday, to be followed soon by a whole sea of yellow ! Also growing in front of the sunflowers is a patch of hulless oats. Trying them to see if we can raise our own oatmeal, and chicken feed.

[Marilyn]

I buy in bulk and vacuum seal in qt jars - pretty cool to watch the air bubbles rise as the vacuum is being created

You said that you were not interested in vacuum sealing, but I cannot answer to canning as I have not tried that. I am curious though, knowing how a bit of grease that works its way up to the sealing compound can keep a canned jar from sealing. How do you manage that issue when you can butter and lard?

[belties]

Originally Posted by TnAndy

As I understand it, the whole purpose of pressure canning is to raise the internal temperature of the jar to the point it will kill off any pathogens, then the jar seals as it cools. Since I don't think there IS anything in oil to kill off, I can't really see where bringing it up to 240 degrees (or so) would do anything for it.

Seems like just leaving it in the original container and storing in the coolest place possible would be the ticket. I know we've stored it in our root cellar for 3-4 years and I can't tell any difference from new.

In the 'for what it's worth' column, having an ONGOING source of oils/fats would be a fairly important deal in a world without grocery stores, should things come to that. This year, we're raising a small patch of black oil sunflowers (12'x125'...1500sqft), and I intend to try making our own sunflower oil using a small press. I've read that a family of four can raise all their oil needs on 2500sqft of sunflowers, so we'll see how it turns out.

The first one bloomed yesterday, to be followed soon by a whole sea of yellow ! Also growing in front of the sunflowers is a patch of hulless oats. Trying them to see if we can raise our own oatmeal, and chicken feed.

I'm with you about producing an ongoing supply. That's why I have pigs for lard and cows for butter. And I'm aware of the home press for oils as well. But I asked about canning, not growing. I'm interested in an answer about canning.

The reason I can oil? Because oxygen is perhaps the biggest enemy of oil, it contributes the it going rancid, and if I can it, it might keep longer because it will be void of oxygen. Thus my question. Thanks for your input anyway.

[belties]

Originally Posted by Marilyn

I buy in bulk and vacuum seal in qt jars - pretty cool to watch the air bubbles rise as the vacuum is being created

You said that you were not interested in vacuum sealing, but I cannot answer to canning as I have not tried that. I am curious though, knowing how a bit of grease that works its way up to the sealing compound can keep a canned jar from sealing. How do you manage that issue when you can butter and lard?

It's not been a problem! I know what you mean, but I haven't had an issue. As long as the jar and the lid is clean when I tighten, I don't have a problem sealing. I fill hot jars with hot oil, waterbath. Lard and butter both keeps well this way

[sss3]

Just to verify; Olive Oil can be WB canned? How long for pints?

[Ozarks Tom]

We've stored peanut oil in the original 5 gal containers for up to 2+ years, and it was still good. We stored them in the old barn, with no heat in winter and no cooling in summer.

I contacted Crisco to see if their product is freeze/thaw stable, as we were running out of room and the cans take up so much space. They said it is freeze/thaw stable, but loses its texture after freezing. It still melts fine, and can be used in baking, etc., just a little chunky. Ours is out in the barn now also.

[suitcase_sally]

If it was up to me, I would put the oil in quarts (or pints) leaving 1/4" headspace, set the jars in a canning pot making sure you use the rack, fill the pot up to the neck of the jars with water and turn on the heat. Bring the water temperature up to 190 deg. and stick a thermometer in the oil and make sure that it gets to 190 degrees, then hold for 20 minutes. Keep the water at a simmer. Do not let water get into the oil. As you lift out a jar, place a sterile lid on and tighten it. The temperature of the oil will be enough to drive out the air, creating a seal.

It would be a lot easier to vacuum seal the jars.

[TnAndy]

Originally Posted by belties

I'm with you about producing an ongoing supply. That's why I have pigs for lard and cows for butter. And I'm aware of the home press for oils as well. But I asked about canning, not growing. I'm interested in an answer about canning.

Yes.....and my first two paragraphs gave you my opinion on canning oil.

Sorry to have thrown in the extra information that followed....I'll try to refrain from adding anything not 100% related to the question in the future.

[puddlejumper007]

Andy beautiful picture, gives me something else to think about with my preps...

[1948CaseVAI]

Originally Posted by TnAndy

Yes.....and my first two paragraphs gave you my opinion on canning oil.

Sorry to have thrown in the extra information that followed....I'll try to refrain from adding anything not 100% related to the question in the future.

FWIW I appreciated the extra information and I suspect others did too.

[Harry Chickpea]

In commercial application, oil is sometimes sold as a bag in the box as a convenience. (Gold Medal does this for popcorn oils) If you are concerned about oxidation, transferring the oil to a bag in a box wine box might work - as long as the oil wasn't acid like butterfat.

Delicate oils, such as cold pressed flax oil contain high levels of alpha linolenic acid (omega 3). The high number of double bonds cause this oil to oxidize easily leading to rancidity. Cool or even freezing temperatures slow the oxidation process and prolong shelf life.

Home canning oil that has been hot pressed may not do more harm than has already been done, but canning oil that touts omega 3 would ruin any positive properties. I would also be concerned that the canning was by the book. I suspect botulism could have fun in improperly canned oil.

What I generally do is just squeeze oil bottles until there is no air cap in them and then screw on the lid.

[belties]

I specifically made a point to emphasize that I wanted answers to canning only, hence my impatience about the added FWIW info. I'm usually not this impatient, but I needed an answer specific to this. I enjoy extra info at times, but also get annoyed when someone gives FWIW info just to glorify themselves and use it as a "brag fest" . Save it for Facebook. I'm not saying that this was done here, I'm simply explaining my impatience. I almost never post here, lurk from time to time, and am too busy homesteading to wade thru everyone's FWIW posts. So I specified that I wanted canning answers. I don't have a vacuum sealer. I don't want to raise sunflowers. I want to know if anyone has canned oils, successfully, and how.

Sigh.

I'll go back to lurking.....

[lemonthyme7]

FWIW, I really enjoyed TnAndy's post.

[Rustaholic]

Originally Posted by Marilyn

I buy in bulk and vacuum seal in qt jars - pretty cool to watch the air bubbles rise as the vacuum is being created

You said that you were not interested in vacuum sealing, but I cannot answer to canning as I have not tried that. I am curious though, knowing how a bit of grease that works its way up to the sealing compound can keep a canned jar from sealing. How do you manage that issue when you can butter and lard?

Mom filled her lard quarts up to just at the neck and putting it in the clean jars hot she simply screwed on the top and it was done.
As it cooled it sealed.
Makes no sense to water bath can it.
Liquid oil I am betting she would just heat it up and do it the same way if she was going to can it.

[BlackFeather]

From my research on butter, the biggest enemy for storage is it turning rancid. Mostly caused by air, although their are a few bacteria that can break down oils. I haven't tried vacuum sealing but I think that might work, but my wife has canned butter. The only problem I noticed is that if you put the opened butter jar in the cupboard it seems to go rancid quicker than regular butter. I suspect because the butter is heated before canning and the heat probably starts breaking down the oils then if exposed to air or bacteria it goes rancid quicker. With butter they recommend canning in smaller jars to prevent waste, you might want to consider canning oil in smaller jars in case it acts like butter, or refrigerate the oil after opening as we have found we need to do with butter unless it's used up.

[CajunSunshine]

A suggestion for Belties: if you are in that much of a hurry for a fast, direct answer, you may want to go directly to professionals who are paid to answer questions such as yours. A one minute Google search uncovered this link to a professional canning site (Ball/Kerr) that will give you an answer at no charge:

http://www.freshpreserving.com/contact-us


If anyone posts a question on a forum such as HomesteadingToday.com, they should be prepared to get a wide variety of responses...There are over 47,522 members here! Naturally it is folly to expect a thread to stay in a straight line and “behave”, lol. Unlike a one-on-one exchange, it is the general nature of a conversation involving a large group of people to meander. This diversity is part of the attraction of a public forum for most people, and is what has made this site so successful all these years.

Best wishes to you, Belties!



.

[Harry Chickpea]

belties, thread drift happens. You can deal with it or not. Answers are often given for the lurkers and members who do not ask.

Re: butter. You can can butter (in France ) but ghee or anhydrous butterfat are fantastically stable at room temp without canning.

[copperkid3]

Originally Posted by belties

I specifically made a point to emphasize that I wanted answers to canning only, hence my impatience about the added FWIW info. I'm usually not this impatient, but I needed an answer specific to this. I enjoy extra info at times, but also get annoyed when someone gives FWIW info just to glorify themselves and use it as a "brag fest" . Save it for Facebook. I'm not saying that this was done here, I'm simply explaining my impatience. I almost never post here, lurk from time to time, and am too busy homesteading to wade thru everyone's FWIW posts. So I specified that I wanted canning answers. I don't have a vacuum sealer. I don't want to raise sunflowers. I want to know if anyone has canned oils, successfully, and how.

Sigh.

I'll go back to lurking.....

+ + + + + + + + + +
at the annual office Christmas parties . . .

[Rita]

Andy, I am happy that you posted the beautiful photo. I was interested in hulless oats at one time and this has re-ignited my interest. Sunflowers are such pretty flowers even if you don't make oil with them. Good to raise for the birds too. Thanks!!