Instant Pot Cooking Liquids Disposal

[CBF1955]

I know we can not put grease down our drain. And for small amounts of grease, I know the best way to dispose of it is to pour it into a container, let it solidify and then throw in the trash.
How about disposing of larger amounts of liquid? So, when using an Instant Pot, it can generate a lot of liquid waste, e.g., water, oil from meats, and sauces?
We've watched several YouTubers on cooking with an Instant Pot. What they don't tell you is how to dispose of relatively large amounts of liquid waste (water, oil, sauces) that should not go down your drain.

 

[NB Canada]

I dump my slow cooker and any pans with grease into my fire pit

 

[NB Canada]

You could also put them into your black tank. I wouldn’t but possible

 

[WhittleBurner]

I put left over juices from the pressure cooker (or any other excess) into a zip loc bag then double bag it with potato grocery bags and take it to the campground trash

 

[Hoopy Frood]

I dump my slow cooker and any pans with grease into my fire pit

Oh don't kid around, people will not know better and do it.

 

[NB Canada]

Oh don't kid around, people will not know better and do it.

Umm wasn’t kidding
I dump it on the cold coals from the previous burn and that evening start another fire
What is the issue

 

[FT4NOW]

Umm wasn’t kidding
I dump it on the cold coals from the previous burn and that evening start another fire
What is the issue

I've done this plenty as well. I'll only do it if planning another fire shortly after.

 

[Hoopy Frood]

Umm wasn’t kidding
I dump it on the cold coals from the previous burn and that evening start another fire
What is the issue

It's nasty. And if you don't have a fire, it's even nastier.

 

[sande005]

I'm not even that sure that stuff like that can't just go down the kitchen drain. Ran (and designed) commercial kitchens for decades so pretty familiar with what causes problems in plumbing. Grease that can solidify - bacon fat, lard, Crisco from a fryer, etc. - not good at all. And lots of liquid oils (corn, canola) from frying would be sketchy, especially for the campground septic system. But from a pressure cooker or InstaPot? Especially since it is mixing with hot soapy water from doing the dishes.....Smallest pipe is the trap under the sink. The tank generally drains pretty well, and the output pipes are really big (comparatively). And it all gets flushed fairly often when the tank is emptied. Larger food chunks - chopped onions, pieces of meat, etc. should not go down, but small bits from dinnerware/cooking warewashing would be fine. So I pour off the liquid portion, and put the largish solids in the trash....

But bag and trash is a great alternative. A campfire ring? That's dumping gray water on the ground...never a good idea, and subject to fines in some places.

 

[FT4NOW]

But bag and trash is a great alternative. A campfire ring? That's dumping gray water on the ground...never a good idea, and subject to fines in some places.

Would Instant Pot water really be gray water? I can see if you've filled the pot with soap and water. For me personally, I will cook a pork shoulder in it and then dump the liquid over the fire coals, no soap or extra water included. I dont want that sitting in the gray tank for the reasons you mentioned above. It's not like there are chemicals being poured on the ground. Once I get the food and liquid out of the pot, I will wash it in the camper sink like any other dish. I dont see it any different than cooking something over the fire where the juices are dripping down into the fire pit.

 

[NB Canada]

Would Instant Pot water really be gray water? I can see if you've filled the pot with soap and water. For me personally, I will cook a pork shoulder in it and then dump the liquid over the fire coals, no soap or extra water included. I dont want that sitting in the gray tank for the reasons you mentioned above. It's not like there are chemicals being poured on the ground. Once I get the food and liquid out of the pot, I will wash it in the camper sink like any other dish. I dont see it any different than cooking something over the fire where the juices are dripping down into the fire pit.

Exactly. It definitely wouldn’t be classified as “gray water” and isn’t nasty either
I do it every morning with bacon grease

 

[sande005]

Would Instant Pot water really be gray water? I can see if you've filled the pot with soap and water. For me personally, I will cook a pork shoulder in it and then dump the liquid over the fire coals, no soap or extra water included. I dont want that sitting in the gray tank for the reasons you mentioned above. It's not like there are chemicals being poured on the ground. Once I get the food and liquid out of the pot, I will wash it in the camper sink like any other dish. I dont see it any different than cooking something over the fire where the juices are dripping down into the fire pit.

Anything not from the toilet is gray water, unless it is pure drinking water. It does not need chemicals to be "gray", just not directly drinkable. Fats, oils, food remnants, etc. are not fully incinerated in a campfire, especially if they have a high water component. Easy for them to soak into the ash/ground at the bottom of the fire pit where they are actually insulated by the layers above. A bazillion variables as to how much is left after a fire, but it can be an issue with rotting food smells, bugs, animals, even bears (!) in bad cases. Pity the poor campground owner who has to dig out the firepit. For cooking over the fire, the juices are actually dripping on to the burning wood, not much into the layers below. And the amount is a LOT less - most recipes may result in cups or pints of liquid left over. Quantity over time is also important - once in a while in your campfire ring in your yard - no issue. Up to 7 times a week all summer in a "rented" campsite.....

Kinda like when I take my dogs for a walk in a campground. I clean up everything right away. But there still may be traces left. And I wonder about all that is left by all the dogs over the course of the summer.....

 

[FT4NOW]

Anything not from the toilet is gray water, unless it is pure drinking water. It does not need chemicals to be "gray", just not directly drinkable. Fats, oils, food remnants, etc. are not fully incinerated in a campfire, especially if they have a high water component. Easy for them to soak into the ash/ground at the bottom of the fire pit where they are actually insulated by the layers above. A bazillion variables as to how much is left after a fire, but it can be an issue with rotting food smells, bugs, animals, even bears (!) in bad cases. Pity the poor campground owner who has to dig out the firepit. For cooking over the fire, the juices are actually dripping on to the burning wood, not much into the layers below. And the amount is a LOT less - most recipes may result in cups or pints of liquid left over. Quantity over time is also important - once in a while in your campfire ring in your yard - no issue. Up to 7 times a week all summer in a "rented" campsite.....

Kinda like when I take my dogs for a walk in a campground. I clean up everything right away. But there still may be traces left. And I wonder about all that is left by all the dogs over the course of the summer.....

I can see both sides to your point, guess it's really a case basis type thing on what and how much is being poured and if it's on a an active fire or just in the fire ring.

 

[WhittleBurner]

Exactly. It definitely wouldn’t be classified as “gray water” and isn’t nasty either
I do it every morning with bacon grease

Ok, a line has to be drawn somewhere...
Dumping out bacon grease is a crime! That goes into it's own little glass jar back into the fridge.. Nothing better than hash browns or other type of potatos cooked in bacon grease! Or for something different try popping some corn in it.

 

[tompotts]

Put it in a container and take it to the dump station

 

[Ynot4me2]

Put it in a container and take it to the dump station

That's what we do also and at home. But every now and then I cook with that bacon grease. I just don't mention it to our doctor. I also reuse duck grease when we cook duck.

 

[AZMike]

Anything not from the toilet is gray water, unless it is pure drinking water. It does not need chemicals to be "gray", just not directly drinkable. Fats, oils, food remnants, etc. are not fully incinerated in a campfire, especially if they have a high water component. Easy for them to soak into the ash/ground at the bottom of the fire pit where they are actually insulated by the layers above. A bazillion variables as to how much is left after a fire, but it can be an issue with rotting food smells, bugs, animals, even bears (!) in bad cases. Pity the poor campground owner who has to dig out the firepit. For cooking over the fire, the juices are actually dripping on to the burning wood, not much into the layers below. And the amount is a LOT less - most recipes may result in cups or pints of liquid left over. Quantity over time is also important - once in a while in your campfire ring in your yard - no issue. Up to 7 times a week all summer in a "rented" campsite.....

Kinda like when I take my dogs for a walk in a campground. I clean up everything right away. But there still may be traces left. And I wonder about all that is left by all the dogs over the course of the summer.....

I wholeheartedly agree. We are presently Campground Hosts for the summer, and it is just amazing what we find in the fire pits. NOTHING BELONGS IN THE FIRE PITS EXCEPT FIRE WOOD! did I emphasize that enough? Anything else just makes a mess, not to mention that these people just don't care because they know that someone else will clean it up. We wonder what some of these people's homes look like.

 

[traveldawg]

Consider this.... at tent sites there are usually signs all over the place that clearly state - no washing of dishes at the site or dumping of the cooking water or dish water on the ground.

So I think any dumping of any cooking water, cleaning water, cooking grease, etc. is a no-no.

Why would anyone think that because they are in an RV site and not a tent site that the same kind of rules don't apply?

 

[NB Canada]

Consider this.... at tent sites there are usually signs all over the place that clearly state - no washing of dishes at the site or dumping of the cooking water or dish water on the ground.

So I think any dumping of any cooking water, cleaning water, cooking grease, etc. is a no-no.

Why would anyone think that because they are in an RV site and not a tent site that the same kind of rules don't apply?

I have never seen these signs anywhere I camp
Bottom line I offered a solution
The op can decide if it is a solution for them
Isn’t that what this forum is for or is it for bashing peoples suggestions?

 

[triplethreat]

I have never seen these signs anywhere I camp
Bottom line I offered a solution
The op can decide if it is a solution for them
Isn’t that what this forum is for or is it for bashing peoples suggestions?

I don't think traveldawg "bashed" your suggestion, he simply offered another suggestion.....different than yours.