Lesson learned -Cooking fat expands as it cools

[Lowell]

We made a delicious Carnitas recipe using a pork butt.  It was cooked in a mixture of Orange juice, coke and milk.  After cooking there as a lot of liquid left and I decided to put it in a gallon plastic milk jug before discarding it in the trash container.  the liquid was still a little warm when I put it in the jug and I left about an inch short of being full.  The pork fat was still liquid but you could see it floating on top.  I put the lid on the jug and sat it on the counter.  Later that evening we heard  some sort of pssst noise and couldn't figure it out.  We went to check the sound and found the jug spraying a greasy stream all across out kitchen, refrigerator, microwave and floor.  What a mess!!.  I think that as the fat cooled, it expanded and created pressure in the milk jug.  I know you see that white fat sitting on top of broth and things but I was surprise it created that much pressure.  Not a mistake I will make again.

Not sure what category this fits so I place it in the general discussion board.  Move it or discard as you see fit.

 

[RVMommaTo6]

Oh no! Some things you only do once lol, thanks for sharing!

 

[LarsMac]

Yup. Never seal a container of hot liquid and fat. It is actually the gasses in the grease and liquid that expand and increase the pressure.
Learned that back in Chef school.
Leave it vented until it cools.

 

[John From Detroit]

I do not think fat has a negative coefficient of expansion  But I'm not sure.

I think the jug has a positive coefficent and may have "Shrunk" not to mention some plastics shrink when heated.

 

[LarsMac]

I do not think fat has a negative coefficient of expansion  But I'm not sure.

I think the jug has a positive coefficent and may have "Shrunk" not to mention some plastics shrink when heated.

The fat in the cooked juices can be hotter than water's evaporation point. So water continues to "evaporate" into steam, which expands, causing an increase in the volume of the liquid. If you seal that container it increases pressure even as the mass is cooling.

Cooking 101.

Among my many other talents, I have been a professional Cook/Chef.

 

[X-Roughneck]

We made a delicious Carnitas recipe using a pork butt.  It was cooked in a mixture of Orange juice, coke and milk.  After cooking there as a lot of liquid left and I decided to put it in a gallon plastic milk jug before discarding it in the trash container.  the liquid was still a little warm when I put it in the jug and I left about an inch short of being full.  The pork fat was still liquid but you could see it floating on top.  I put the lid on the jug and sat it on the counter.  Later that evening we heard  some sort of pssst noise and couldn't figure it out.  We went to check the sound and found the jug spraying a greasy stream all across out kitchen, refrigerator, microwave and floor.  What a mess!!.  I think that as the fat cooled, it expanded and created pressure in the milk jug.  I know you see that white fat sitting on top of broth and things but I was surprise it created that much pressure.  Not a mistake I will make again.

Not sure what category this fits so I place it in the general discussion board.  Move it or discard as you see fit.

Note to Self.  Don't do what Lowell did.  Thanks Lowell, Sharing is Caring.

Lars.....when are you whipping up some designer BBQ?  We can be there.  Colorado is not that far away.

JD

 

[Boat Addict]

The fat in the cooked juices can be hotter than water's evaporation point. So water continues to "evaporate" into steam, which expands, causing an increase in the volume of the liquid. If you seal that container it increases pressure even as the mass is cooling.

Cooking 101.

Among my many other talents, I have been a professional Cook/Chef.

Since I have you here and you wear the professional hat of a chief cook and bottle washer, why is it that when you acquire the title of chef all your heads become so much larger and require a much larger head topping than the average  Joe, the backyard blazing BBQ guy? ;D

As folks like to tell us, you should learn something new each and every day. I too have now learned something new today. )