# Compost question; pan fats



## Dune (Feb 14, 2012)

Any reason I shouldn't add pan drippings to my garden compost?

I don't have animal issues.


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## Highbeam (Feb 14, 2012)

It won't hurt anything with the compost but may not smell as "nice" as the rest of the compost. Like a septic tank, anything that you would eat can go into compost. The fats are slower to digest but will digest eventually.


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## maple1 (Feb 14, 2012)

They burn real good - all of our kitchen gease stuff goes into leftover paper coffee cups then into the wood boiler, year round.

Actually, in the winter when the compost bin is frozen, all our compost goes into the boiler. Likely not the best place to put it, but it gets rid of it.


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## JustWood (Feb 14, 2012)

Agreed . I don't think it will hurt.
I've mixed in bird seed before , chill (coagulation) in the fridge, slam it between 2 slices of  bread (may have to do a pie crust manuver here) and freeze it in an onion bag within in a zip lock to prevent drippage just in case.  WALA,, instant woodpecker pita/burritto. Hang at will in cold weather months. 
CAUTION: this can easily turn into a bear sandwich if there are any in your country! This equates to disfigured shepard hooks. Guess how I know.


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## begreen (Feb 14, 2012)

I don't think it's a good idea to put grease in compost. Meat and meat by products don't compost, they rot. It will stink, attract lots of vermin, and insects. I like the idea of making suet cakes for the birds much better.


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## Dune (Feb 14, 2012)

Mod help, thanks.


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## Dune (Feb 14, 2012)

BeGreen said:
			
		

> I don't think it's a good idea to put grease in compost. Meat and meat by products don't compost, they rot. It will stink, attract lots of vermin, and insects.



I compost a lot of fish racks. I bury enough that my own dog doesn't find them.  I guess I will bury the meat products too. Thanks.


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## stoveguy2esw (Feb 14, 2012)

im with BG on this one, adding to compost pile may result in animal problems that you dont currently have , plus the aroma is not pleasing. the fat would be better put to use as above i think making a food source for birds/animals in a controlled fashion


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## Dune (Feb 14, 2012)

stoveguy2esw said:
			
		

> im with BG on this one, adding to compost pile may result in animal problems that you dont currently have , plus the aroma is not pleasing. the fat would be better put to use as above i think making a food source for birds/animals in a controlled fashion



Maybe I should go really green and make soap.


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## timfromohio (Feb 14, 2012)

My compost reference book, "Let It Rot", advises against grease, meat, etc.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Feb 15, 2012)

Dump it in and cover it, it will compost it is organic.

It may not smell great and it may attract critters, some of those critters are edible.

'nuff said.


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## billb3 (Feb 15, 2012)

I put it in. Have for years. Not a lot.

I also save some pan drippings and make suet with beef and pork grease. Save in coffee can in the fridge. Doesn't smell that way.
Could also put a full can in the garbage I suppose.

Bread and squash / seeds attract far more critters in the compost.
Feet prints are cat, squirrel and raccoon.


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## madrone (Feb 15, 2012)

It stinks, but if the compost pile isn't too close to the house, I say go for it. I put everything in mine. No issues so far. When the soldier flies move in, nothing lasts more than a day.


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## firefighterjake (Feb 15, 2012)

Dune said:
			
		

> stoveguy2esw said:
> 
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I was thinking along the same line . . . figured I could mix the fat with my ash and make those fancy schmancy soaps in various shapes -- maybe make one of Backwoods Savage splitting wood vertically, Battenkiller microwaving some wood and running some moisture tests and Flatbedford driving a fully loaded Ford . . . heck I could go with a whole line up of novelty soaps this way . . . don't know if anyone would buy them . . . probably some folks might feel a bit funny showering naked with a soap bust of Brother Bart . . . but who knows?


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## Zoidberg (Feb 15, 2012)

Everything out of the kitchen goes into our compost heap: meat, fish, fats, oils, dairy products, vegetables, even bones though these have barely composted at all when it's time to spread it in the garden.

The trick for us is to cover everything with a thick layer of grass so it doesn't smell or attracts countryside beasties. It seems to work so far. I believe the advice about not trying to compost those things is meant for people who cannot afford a big enough pile with lots of green stuff, but I'm just speculating here.

Fortunately for us, in our neck of the woods grass grows like crazy except in the coldest weeks of winter so we always have cover material in abundance.


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## Adios Pantalones (Feb 15, 2012)

I disagree with advice against composting meat, fats, cheeses, with a couple caveats: you need a hot compost pile, and you should bury it deep enough that critters don't smell it. I'll add: rotting IS composting. You just have to mix/balance it correctly. Keeping it aerobic and understanding the composting process are key. It will NOT smell bad if you throw in enough "browns" (low nitrogen ingredients) to balance it out.

I have composted the remains of a deer that I butchered, as well as whole woodchucks and squirrels, turkey carcasses after Thanksgiving, etc. Chucks/squirrels and turkeys are almost gone after a week in a serious hot pile. A few bones remained after the deer- I threw them back in the pile and eventually they composted as well. In each case I throw in extra shredded brown leaves or other low nitrogen materials to balance the high nitrogen critters.

In fact, there are guidelines about composting diseased animals as a way to destroy disease. If it once lived- I'll compost it.


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## Adios Pantalones (Feb 15, 2012)

Zoidberg said:
			
		

> Everything out of the kitchen goes into our compost heap: meat, fish, fats, oils, dairy products, vegetables, even bones though these have barely composted at all when it's time to spread it in the garden.
> 
> The trick for us is to cover everything with a thick layer of grass so it doesn't smell or attracts countryside beasties. It seems to work so far. I believe the advice about not trying to compost those things is meant for people who cannot afford a big enough pile with lots of green stuff, but I'm just speculating here.
> 
> Fortunately for us, in our neck of the woods grass grows like crazy except in the coldest weeks of winter so we always have cover material in abundance.



LOL at the screen name!

I think that you are right. The general guideline is that you need a cubic yard (or meter) of material to get good heating, though I have had heating in a 5 gallon bucket and we've all seen fairly small clumps of grass heat up. Also- a good amount of grease, fat, cheese, or a large chunk of meat will limit the aerobic bacteria activity if it's not mixed in/broken up, and balanced out a bit.


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## firebroad (Feb 15, 2012)

Adios Pantalones said:
			
		

> I disagree with advice against composting meat, fats, cheeses, with a couple caveats: you need a hot compost pile, and you should bury it deep enough that critters don't smell it. I'll add: rotting IS composting. You just have to mix/balance it correctly. Keeping it aerobic and understanding the composting process are key. It will NOT smell bad if you throw in enough "browns" (low nitrogen ingredients) to balance it out.
> 
> I have composted the remains of a deer that I butchered, as well as whole woodchucks and squirrels, turkey carcasses after Thanksgiving, etc. Chucks/squirrels and turkeys are almost gone after a week in a serious hot pile. A few bones remained after the deer- I threw them back in the pile and eventually they composted as well. In each case I throw in extra shredded brown leaves or other low nitrogen materials to balance the high nitrogen critters.
> 
> In fact, there are guidelines about composting diseased animals as a way to destroy disease. If it once lived- I'll compost it.


Rendered fat from a frying pan is organically different than a carcass.  Meat drippings do not break down quickly. 
If you want quicker compost, don't add fats, meat or bones.  If it is going to sit a couple of years,  Everything breaks down eventually.


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## Zoidberg (Feb 15, 2012)

Adios Pantalones said:
			
		

> LOL at the screen name!



... said the guy who uses "Adios Pantalones" as screen name    Being a native Spanish speaker, I find it hilarious. Where would you get it ?



			
				Adios Pantalones said:
			
		

> I think that you are right. The general guideline is that you need a cubic yard (or meter) of material to get good heating, though I have had heating in a 5 gallon bucket and we've all seen fairly small clumps of grass heat up. Also- a good amount of grease, fat, cheese, or a large chunk of meat will limit the aerobic bacteria activity if it's not mixed in/broken up, and balanced out a bit.



Along with fair amounts of humidity, which we are never short of, either.


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## Adios Pantalones (Feb 15, 2012)

firebroad said:
			
		

> Rendered fat from a frying pan is organically different than a carcass.  Meat drippings do not break down quickly.
> If you want quicker compost, don't at fats meat or bones.  If it is going to sit a couple of years,  Everything breaks down eventually.



I respectfully disagree, again- with the caveats that I specified previously. If you want quick compost- start off with as large a pile as you can muster, with proper moisture content and nitrogen/carbon ratio. Bones sit a LONG time in a cold pile, but a couple of hot cycles will eat bones. Small bones- chickens etc- usually don't make it through one hot cycle (less than a month) for me. 

Google "composting deer"- most operations are large scale, such as state crews with roadkill for whole animals, but hunting clubs etc have gotten in on the act as well.

Rendered fat will be consumed by composting bacteria as well, with the conditions that I stated. They are not so fundamentally different. I do this all the time- less so in the winter, as my pile is less active, but will dump about anything in there in any month that doesn't have an R and some that do.


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## Delta-T (Feb 15, 2012)

just put all your greasey pan drippings into a metal coffee can with a wick. In the summer you'll have an awesome meat scented candle/lantern to use out on the patio.


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## firebroad (Feb 15, 2012)

Delta-T said:
			
		

> just put all your greasey pan drippings into a metal coffee can with a wick. In the summer you'll have an awesome meat scented candle/lantern to use out on the patio.



Mmmmmm....Bacon.


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## Adios Pantalones (Feb 15, 2012)

In the winter I keep it heated on a wood fire to throw down on my enemies from my castle walls.

Always keep wood ash handy for traction on a post-battle greased driveway.


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## Delta-T (Feb 15, 2012)

Adios Pantalones said:
			
		

> In the winter I keep it heated on a wood fire to throw down on my enemies from my castle walls.
> 
> Always keep wood ash handy for traction on a post-battle greased driveway.



battles look so glorious on the tele...they never tell you about the "clean-up" aspect...not so glorious...removing oil from the driveway takes lots of elbow...er,um..grease.

also, make note that the meat candle is also know to attract animals and neighbors..."what is that, bacon ribs I smell?"


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## Nixon (Feb 15, 2012)

I use old cooking oil ,and grease to help light brush piles . I store it in old plastic coffee cans with sealable lids. 
It costs nothing ,and is cheaper,and safer than gas,or diesel .


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## begreen (Feb 15, 2012)

Delta-T said:
			
		

> Adios Pantalones said:
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Wood ash + hot animal fat = soap. It's a self-cleaning process. No lye.


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## SmokeyTheBear (Feb 15, 2012)

Here read this for grease and fat http://www.jgpress.com/archives/_free/001050.html


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## paulm81 (Feb 16, 2012)

Our township sells these "digesters" : https://www.greencone.ca/

We dump everything in from the kitchen and the cat's litter box.  It's fully enclosed so there's no smell, except when opening the lid of course.  It's highly recommended to hold your breath and stand up wind!!  It slows down in winter so ours is right full now; we might put a second one in or use a traditional composter for vegetable scraps to keep them out of the green cone.


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## begreen (Feb 17, 2012)

That is a nice design, but not a composter, thus it can accept meat by-products.


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## firebroad (Feb 17, 2012)

SmokeyTheBear said:
			
		

> Here read this for grease and fat http://www.jgpress.com/archives/_free/001050.html



Wow, that's a tough one to get through.  Good to read when you can't sleep.


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