Hi All,
I'm looking for a better way to pack in my cooking oil for fish. I'd like to bring a smaller container than what you would find at the grocery store, but I always find that oil leaks past the cap and makes a mess once the packaged seal has been broken.
Does anyone have a good way to pack and travel with cooking oil?

If I'm bringing a bottle, I put it in a ziploc because of exactly what you've experienced. Same goes for pancake syrup. You could try stretching a piece of plastic under the cap & in the threads when you close the bottle. That might help to seal it.

I usually bring Crisco bricks nowadays.

Nalgene

I also use the small Nalgene bottles. Haven't had one leak yet. I have about a dozen of them in different sizes since we usually go in one or two larger groups and I end up packing food for both. Syrup, Oil, Bailey's, etc. all go in them.

Crisco bricks here also

I use a Platypus

Skarc75: "Hi All,
I'm looking for a better way to pack in my cooking oil for fish. I'd like to bring a smaller container than what you would find at the grocery store, but I always find that oil leaks past the cap and makes a mess once the packaged seal has been broken.
Does anyone have a good way to pack and travel with cooking oil?"

The bottle I use for oil is a repurposed prescription solutions bottle. The lid stays more secure than off the shelf cooking oil bottle. This travels inside a Ziplock Freezer bag.

Of note: I have used this for Scotch, Bourbon, Canadian and Irish whisky as well. Strictly medicinal use of course.

Crisco blocks or Olive oil in a small Nalgene - zip lock either just in case!

The cheap in me is going to show with this one-- small Listerine bottles, I think they are 10.5ozs. They are heavier plastic than most, and have a locking liquid proof cap. I use butter flavored pan/grill oil much like restaurants use. I use them for alcohol fuel as well and never had a leak.
Rinse well unless you like minty fresh fish.

I also use the 4oz Nalgene that MidwestFirecraft linked above. They've never leaked on me but I do put them in a ziploc just to be safe.

I have had good luck storing the peanut oil I use for frying walleye in a Nalgene Transparent Square Storage Bottle.

It has a narrow mouth for easy pouring and is guaranteed leak proof. I use the 16 oz. size but it comes in a larger 32 oz. size and smaller 8 oz. and 4 oz. sizes.

I like the square shape for easy storage.






Nalgene Transparent Square Storage Bottle

Step 1: Determine how much oil to bring. (we reuse some of our oil).
Step 2: If you need 20 ounces or less, then just use an empty 20 oz coke bottle or similar. Never had one leak before. You can bring 2 if you need more oil.

I buy one of the small bottles of cooking oil they sell at the store, and don't open it until it is time to use it the first time. Then, after frying the fish, I use a small funnel and filter a good portion of the oil back into the bottle. 1 small bottle last about 5-7 cookings (the key is not to burn anything). But we are only cooking for 2 people.

moustachesteve: "I also use the 4oz Nalgene that MidwestFirecraft linked above. They've never leaked on me but I do put them in a ziploc just to be safe."

Me too.

16 oz Nalgene water bottle. The square shaped Nalgenes work well also and take up less room.

Why not use the bottle it comes in? Buy bottles that fit in a zip lock and you’re good to go. No need to over think it.

Peanut oil (frying) in a small plastic bottle if you can find it. As Jackfish states, no transfers from glass to plastic.
I use an 8 oz Nalgene packed in a quart freezer ziplock. Freezer ziplocks are heftier than storage type. Those Nalgene brand bottles have good tight lids. Never has leaked a drop. A funnel/makeshift one to transfer oil from fry pan back to bottle if you repurpose oil.

Look into packing butter flavored Crisco for frying fish. You just need a bit of it not swimming in an inch of oil.

I'll bring either the oil or the crisco bricks. I just use the bottle the oil comes in and keep it in a ziplock freezer bag. When I pack up the food pack I just ensure that the oil is stored upright...I've had perfect success with the Nalgene bottles as well of other liquids (like buffalo wing sauce).

Thanks for the suggestions! I'm going to give the nalgene bottles a shot.

Jackfish: "Why not use the bottle it comes in? Buy bottles that fit in a zip locks don’t you’re good to go. No need to over think it. "

This is what I've done for years, and it works okay.
I just want to travel with a smaller quantity than what I see at the grocery store. And I hate the oily mess it makes in the ziplock bags after the factory seal is broken.

When we first started tripping we used a 1# block of lard. It does better than Crisco in the heat. Then we went to Nalgene bottles for the oil, health concerns! I don’t think a week of lard would do much damage so I am think of going back to it.

Carl

Wally13: " I have had good luck storing the peanut oil I use for frying walleye in a Nalgene Transparent Square Storage Bottle.

It has a narrow mouth for easy pouring and is guaranteed leak proof. I use the 16 oz. size but it comes in a larger 32 oz. size and smaller 8 oz. and 4 oz. sizes.

I like the square shape for easy storage.

Nalgene Transparent Square Storage Bottle "

You definitely needed the larger bottle during our last trip.

dd

Small-ish nalgene here, complete with fresh sticker from a sponsor here. (last year) This had more than enough for 4 of us on a week trip.

I agree that most of the bottles that oil comes in leak a lot. I used the smaller Nalgene bottles (soft plastic, not the water bottles) for many years. The oil seemed to oxidize the plastic. Our last few trips, we used grapeseed oil (higher smoke point, neutral flavor) in repurposed soft drink bottles. Might not be as small as you want, but most of the bottles are robust with a tight sealing cap, especially if the precious beverage was carbonated. A good price too. I still put it in an insurance ziplock. I realize this approach could technically be against the no bottles/cans policy, but I feel like it is as much in the spirit of the rule as putting oil into a Nalgene, just more pragmatic.

fuel bottle!

I have been using an old nalgene fuel bottle, the red one, it has a little reverse able spout . never leaks and makes it easy to add just as much oil as you want. I would be willing to bet the trangia fuel bottle would work just as well, they don't make the nalgene one anymore.

Dammfast: "fuel bottle!


I have been using an old nalgene fuel bottle, the red one, it has a little reverse able spout . never leaks and makes it easy to add just as much oil as you want. I would be willing to bet the trangia fuel bottle would work just as well, they don't make the nalgene one anymore."

Ooooof...Can we offer up a moment of silence for that Red Nalgene Fuel Bottle. Love mine, wish I would've gotten a second one before the were discontinued. Great call on using it for cooking oil!

We have used several of the suggestions listed here.

Typically we just re-packaged oil from our pantry into either the 4oz Nalgene bottle or a small Platypus (16oz/0.5L). We still put inside a ziplock have never had any leaks.

We have also used the prepackaged bricks of Crisco. Need a zip lock bag for sure on those after you cut it open and use a portion of it.

I have Nalgene bottles in 2, 4, 6, and 8 ounces and bring whichever one I think is the right size for the trip. For me going on a solo trip I tend to bring the 4 oz and yes I also keep it in a ziplock even though I have yet to have one of the Nalgenes leak.

I use Gatorade bottles of various sizes. In over twenty years of use I have never had one to leak. Have carried tea, juices, milk, oil, even charcoal starter.

We used Coconut Oil last fall, because I didn't want to take chances with leaking oil.

Do you want to order soybean oil online at wholesale price? We have the best usage oil for the house, restaurant, and cafeteria fry operations, i.e. fried chicken, fried fish, and french fries. Our oil extended shelf-life from the time of production. Place Your Order Now with Worldwide Shipping Service!

https://eclipseoilsupply.com/soybean-oil/

henryjohn18: "Do you want to order soybean oil online at wholesale price? We have the best usage oil for the house, restaurant, and cafeteria fry operations, i.e. fried chicken, fried fish, and french fries. Our oil extended shelf-life from the time of production. Place Your Order Now with Worldwide Shipping Service!


https://eclipseoilsupply.com/soybean-oil/"

I’ll bet it works good for SPAM too. No commercial posting here allowed.

ghamer: "I use a Platypus "

Agreed. I have had much better luck with Platypus than with small Nalgene bottles, several of which have leaked. Or maybe I just got several bum Nalgene bottles. Anyway, never any leaks with Platypus.

I should have read the entire thread before posting - many good ideas noted.

Why not use something solid like lard, duck fat, or ghee?

Less mess, tastes better, and other than olive oil, way healthier.

Also, I'd avoid reusing any cooking oil or fat, even if they look clean or taste fine, you can be sure the oil has oxidized and broken down in other unhealthy ways.

Jackfish: "Why not use the bottle it comes in? Buy bottles that fit in a zip lock and you’re good to go. No need to over think it. "

Exactly what I do.

This…..

jewp: "I also use the small Nalgene bottles. Haven't had one leak yet. I have about a dozen of them in different sizes since we usually go in one or two larger groups and I end up packing food for both. Syrup, Oil, Bailey's, etc. all go in them."

Be careful when tightening the cap on Nalgene bottles containing oil. The oil lubricates the threads so well that there is little friction and you can literally break the cap without even tightening very hard, so be careful not to overtighten.