When I look up virgin coconut oil it's always in solid form wherever it's sold. The goal is to gently warm the oil to around 76°F / 24°C without overheating it. Pour your strained coconut oil into an airtight container and store in a … It really doesn’t have to be a hot Tampa summer to get coconut oil to melt. Find a jar that seals tightly shut to try to avoid your oil going bad prematurely. Tagged: coconut oil; Comments. Cover the pot to sauna coconut oil for 10 minutes. When it says 3 tbsp of coconut oil, is that solid or liquid? Refrigerate the oil to firm it up. If you want your coconut oil to be liquid, fill a bowl or the sink with hot water (hot tap water is fine) and then just set your jar of coconut oil in the water until it melts. There are several health benefits that have been attributed to coconut oil, although more research is needed to confirm the efficacy of this tropical substance. Thank you. We take your words seriously. © 2021 PUBLIC GOODS - All Rights Reserved. One thing that often rises confusion is that coconut oil sometimes changes its state from solid to liquid, vice versa. When the oil is completely separated from the solid, remove the solids and get rid of them. Then, place it in a darker place of the pantry or kitchen to completely avoid sunlight exposure. While the properties of the oil will not change and it is equally beneficial no matter how it is consumed or applied, the fact is that such fluctuations in its state can render the coconut oil unsuitable for use. Also, do not store coconut oil where it will be exposed to direct sunlight, for it can have similar adverse effects. Coconut oil above 75 degrees is liquid and hardens at temperatures below that. Replace cooking oils or butter in your favorite recipes with coconut oil. Coconut oil has a melting point of 75 to 76ºF (around 24ºC). We only suggest putting the Kelapo Pre-Measured Baking Sticks in the fridge to keep them a solid so you can cut them easier. You can purchase coconut oil either refined or unrefined. How To Store Coconut Oil. Refined coconut oil has a smoking point of 440°F which makes it a lot more ideal for cooking. I like to take a couple of tablespoons of coconut oil everyday. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. It's hard to get down in a solid state. There are 10 references cited in this article, which can be found at the bottom of the page. However, be sure to store your coconut oil in an airtight container to help it stay fresh for as long as possible. You may also come across extra virgin or virgin coconut oil, but unlike olive oil, there are no regulatory standards that distinguish between these two labels. Storing your coconut oil in metal containers can be dangerous. Coconut oil can be stored in any dark, dry place in your home. Unrefined or virgin coconut oil uses fresh coconut meat, or copra, which is then cold-pressed. wikiHow's Content Management Team carefully monitors the work from our editorial staff to ensure that each article is backed by trusted research and meets our high quality standards. References. You can store the coconut oil in the refrigerator all the time, but it will become completely solid. Make sure to store the coconut oil in a warmer space – perhaps near the stove or an appliance that is frequently switched on. My thermostat is set at 76 degrees and coconut oil begins to get solid at that temperature. Please help us continue to provide you with our trusted how-to guides and videos for free by whitelisting wikiHow on your ad blocker. Would really like to keep it all natural and organic if possible. For example, avoid storing the oil in the bathroom even if you'll be using the coconut oil for beauty products. Similarly, storing it in the refrigerator may also be a good idea because refrigerators are designed to maintain a certain temperature. If your home is cooler, you might need to heat the coconut oil … However, the benefits of coconut oil stay the same no matter what form the oil is in. And that light or heat can speed up the process. Depending on the temperature of the stored coconut oil, it may be in the liquid, semi-liquid or solid. However, many of us might not know the proper ways to store coconut oil. Meat from fresh coconuts is also used to produce coconut milk, which is commonly used as a dairy substitute and contains fat, protein, and other nutrients. Purchasing your coconut oil in a glass bottle or jar will help to ensure no chemicals from plastic have leached into the product. Remember to move the coconut oil container away from the skillet of hot oil or it may melt the rest of your coconut oil. Coconut oil does not need to be refrigerated, but it certainly can be. Common signs to look out for when determining whether your oil has gone bad or not include: If you experience any of the above signs, your oil may have expired. Just remember to make sure the container can be sealed. Wherever you store your coconut oil, make sure you keep the lid on the container so it stays fresh. "The tip to store the oil jar in a dark place helped a lot. By now, the hard solid coconut oil should have melted and softened a bit. I think the emulsifier would help keep everything in suspension so it would be less prone to melting. Nonetheless, refrigerating coconut oil in the fridge instead of placing it in your pantry can be helpful for different purposes. Oxygen can also make your coconut oil spoil faster. Don't worry if you got home from the store to find that the jar of coconut oil melted on the way. If you plan to apply your coconut oil as a moisturizer, hair mask or other beauty applications, it’s often better stored at room temperature where the oil will stay liquified or semi-liquified and easier to spread. By using our site, you agree to our. The white coconut-based substance is then gently refined by using steam to neutralize the oil, stripping away the tropical coconut scent and flavor. Send us your idea for a post and if we publish it, you’ll get $100 cash. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published, This article was co-authored by our trained team of editors and researchers who validated it for accuracy and comprehensiveness. Bathroom temperature can fluctuate and introduce moisture into the oil. Melting it is necessary before using. Personally, I like to keep the coconut oil I use solid. This property will allow for your coconut oil to stay fresh for as long as possible. In fact, where you keep your oil can be a matter of preference. If you want your coconut oil to be solid, you can store it in the fridge until you're ready to use it. Thank you for sharing these wonderful tips!". The coconut oil will give a mild, tropical flavor to your meals. In winters, it can become very solid like a rock. Your coconut oil may be sold in different packaging depending on the intended use by the manufacturer. This prevents the oil from oxidizing at high temperatures, making it a favorable cooking substitute for other oils like vegetable oil. These spots can include a kitchen pantry, kitchen cupboard, with your beauty supplies and more. To melt the oil, start by pouring hot water into the large glass bowl. wikiHow's. I keep my organic, unrefined and cold pressed coconut oil on the pantry shelf. But heat isn't necessarily a bad thing for coconut oil storage, and if your coconut oil turns into a liquid, that doesn't mean it's gone bad. Under certain circumstances, the oil can react with the metal, causing it to have an unpleasant smell and be potentially harmful to use. Finally, remember to use only very clean utensils when scooping coconut oil out … Keep it in dry places where it won’t see much constant change in temperature or light. If you have a strong blender you can make this yourself by blending up dried (unsweetened) coconut until it forms a paste (like a nut butter). Avoid leaving the coconut oil out next to the stove while you cook. This is entirely normal. Coconut oil tends to come in a solid form. Look for this in the refrigerator section of the grocery store. You’ve taken all the right steps, but the time might have come to take a look at your oil and decide if it’s still safe to use. The heat from the stove could melt the oil. Tired of feeling trapped by your finances? Evidence suggests that it can be used to lower obesity levels, reduce blood pressure, prevent heart disease prevention and aid digestion. Here are a few simple steps you can take to get the … When the refrigerated coconut oil is in a solidified form, it can be harder to use. low melting point of 76 degrees Fahrenheit, Purchasing your coconut oil in a glass bottle, Fair Trade: Understanding the Organizations and Labels, 7 Natural Cold and Flu Remedies That Actually Work. This method is useful if you want to melt a whole jar at … Winter is right around the corner! You should also avoid storing the oil in the attic or garage. It can be stored unrefrigerated with other pantry products or refrigerated if you prefer it chilled. Can I store coconut oil in a plastic container? So, when the temperature is higher than this, coconut oil liquefies, and at a few degrees lower, it solidifies. Studies show that the type of saturated fat found in coconut oil makes it a healthier choice than other cooking oils. % of people told us that this article helped them. y coconut has been opened and is now in liquid form…is it safe for me to refridgerate after it has been opened about maybe a month? You can store the smaller container in the bathroom if you know you'll be using the oil quickly (within a week). To store coconut oil, put it in a cool, dry place like a cupboard or pantry. In fact, most will probably seem like common sense once you understand that exposure to oxygen, water and contaminants creates oxidation. Required fields are marked *, By clicking 'Sign Up' you agree to receive marketing emails from PUBLIC GOODS. At room temperature (under about 76 degrees), coconut oil starts to solidify. Both versions of coconut oil are effective for different purposes. You could stick it in the fridge until it firms up a little and then store it in the pantry. Learn more... Coconut oil is enjoying popularity as a widely used cooking and beauty oil. You might easily end up with a mixture consisting of more than 50% of beeswax. If your raw coconut oil is in a solid state, there are many quick and easy ways to liquefy. You can cool and reuse the coconut oil for frying. Extending the shelf life of your coconut oil is not difficult as long as you take care when storing it. You can purchase coconut oil either refined or unrefined. Unrefined coconut oil is often good for skincare, while refined is typically used for cooking. Thankfully, it has a low melting point of 76 degrees Fahrenheit, making it easy to liquify around room temperature. If you’ve had your oil for a long period of time, it’s important to check it periodically to ensure it hasn’t gone rancid. Usually, the oil comes in bottles or clear glass jars. This factor is why storing it in a kitchen pantry may be the best location for your coconut oil. All saturated fats (butter, lard, coconut oil) should be solid at room temperature. It is best to keep coconut oil in a dark or opaque storage container. Consider mixing coconut oil in with essential oils to create lip balms or salves. Virgin coconut oil retains its natural coconut scent and flavor. Should I keep unrefined fresh pressed in the refrigerator? Even so there are more than a few unsaturated fats in the fatty acid mix. Despite being derived from a plant source, coconut oil is seen as a solid fat because it contains a high concentration of saturated fatty acids. How to store coconut oil is really a matter of preference: how do you like your coconut oil? I know they sell refined liquid coconut oil which is used for cooking but that would be used as a good heat protectant. If you want it soft or liquid you can keep it in your kitchen cabinet. Kitchn readers, how do you deal with liquid coconut oil? Despite being derived from a plant source, coconut oil is seen as a solid fat because it contains a high concentration of saturated fatty acids. This method leaves only the oil with its pure coconut taste. Melt the coconut oil into a liquid state . When I pour liquid oil, it often drips down the side of the bottle, making a mess. Pour the oil into the small jars and close them tightly. So if you keep your house at that temperature or warmer, it will melt. It can also be used to heal wounds, slow the aging process, or even promote hair growth. If you want to learn how to use coconut oil after it's been stored, continue reading the article! Refined coconut oil, however, uses dried coconut meat. I keep my whipped coconut oil in a dark cabinet (and our house is always around 70 degrees F) and it will stay whipped. Using Hot Water Fill up a sink with hot water. In addition, keeping the ingredient in a dark glass container will help to keep it fresh for longer because the temperature will be less impacted by light. This prevents the oil from oxidizing at high temperatures, making it a favorable cooking substitute for other oils like vegetable oil. For solid consistency, keep your coconut oil in the refrigerator. You can store the coconut oil in the refrigerator all the time, but it will become completely solid. I go through it pretty quickly, one of my favorite must-haves! This will reduce the amount of oxygen that comes into contact with the oil. There are quite a few glass containers with a pour spout or dip in the rim, made for olive oil, that could work well. Is it OK if my coconut oil goes from a solid to a liquid? Coconut oil is somewhat unique in the oil world in that it is very high in saturated fats. Since the oil has a low melting point, you'll need to store it in a cool space away from light. None of our tips are complicated. After that, take off the pot cover. We know ads can be annoying, but they’re what allow us to make all of wikiHow available for free. Here's your escape plan. And allow the oil to cool down then pass through a sieve or cheesecloth to remove any leftover solids or particles. You can keep it in the refrigerator if you like. To help it last longer, transfer the oil to a dark container so it's not exposed to light. Editor: If you opt to store the oil in an alternative container, I recommend sticking with something made of glass. Some of the coconut oils are liquid, therefore, try to keep them in an easy to pour bottle. If you use coconut oil every day for beauty products, you may want to transfer some oil into a small container. If it takes you a long time to finish a bottle or tub of coconut oil, consider transferring the oil to a smaller container once you've used about half of it. 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