If you don't use paper towels.....

**Dancing Lotus** · 05-27-2011, 03:42 PM

Originally Posted by savvy_sniper

I don't buy coffee filters anymore! I use the cone type filters and bought a washable/reuseable/permanent filter. It paid for itself in no time. I bought it on sale with a coupon.

I saw on Dr Oz that paper filters were better for your health. So I googled and this is what I saw. Paper coffee filters have a property that binds to lipid-like compounds which allows it to remove most of the cafestol and kahweol found in coffee. Brew methods which do not use a paper filter, such as the use of a press pot, fail to remove any cafestol and kahweol from the final brewed product. In contrast, drip brewing with a paper filter removes most of the cafestol and kahweol from the coffee. Useing paper filter can help to lower your cholesterol.

**mndtrp** · 06-01-2011, 01:27 AM

Originally Posted by AnnK

I saw on Dr Oz that paper filters were better for your health. So I googled and this is what I saw. Paper coffee filters have a property that binds to lipid-like compounds which allows it to remove most of the cafestol and kahweol found in coffee. Brew methods which do not use a paper filter, such as the use of a press pot, fail to remove any cafestol and kahweol from the final brewed product. In contrast, drip brewing with a paper filter removes most of the cafestol and kahweol from the coffee. Useing paper filter can help to lower your cholesterol.

I've read the same thing, which is what prompted me to stop using the metal filters.

**Judi Dial** · 06-01-2011, 09:13 AM

On the other hand,

the paper can give you dioxins!

See here:
Health Effects Of Gold Coffee Filters | LIVESTRONG.COM

Judi

**acidcookie** · 06-01-2011, 11:15 AM

Though the oils left in the coffee is precisely what produces the "richer" coffee experience that people who use French presses prefer.

When I use my drip machine I use paper filters because, I don't know, I just do, but I buy the *unbleached* kind. They're brown instead of white. Heck, why do they bleach them in the first place? They turn brown anyway!

Anyway, regarding paper towels. I never deep fry, and at most I pan fry occasionally. Then I still use paper towels. I buy recycled paper towels -- I used to get Marcal's small steps 100% recycled, but haven't seen those here, so I buy Publix's "Greenwise" recycled brand. We always keep paper towels in the house for really oily or gross messes, but use alternatives for anything we can (cloth napkins, cloth dish rags, towels, etc). We're still working on the last 3-pack of paper towels we bought in December.

**2_at_the_farm** · 06-03-2011, 08:31 AM

If you've ever been in the back room of a grocery store, grocery warehouse or truck for a while, you wouldn't be so keen on using the grocery store paper bags for draining bacon or putting any of your food on it.

Paper towel was the first casualty here, I haven't bought a roll in probably two years. I use newspaper to clean up 'ewwwws', then follow with rag and cleaner.

I love the coffee filter idea! I read on here somewhere about using the inside of the flour (and why not sugar?) bags to drain bacon, etc.

**bkarger** · 06-17-2011, 10:59 AM

Scrap rags are easy to come by. Old clothing in giveaway boxes provide a major source. Also when getting take-out usually they give many extra napkins.

But bacon grease? That's never to be thrown away -- that's cooking grease! Instead of wiping with towel (therefore wasting both cooking oil and a towel) instead you let drip in a glass container, like a jelly jar. Use it next time for cooking. Good for stir fry, pan cakes etc.

**shoiji** · 07-12-2011, 09:44 AM

If there is cooking grease still left in a frying pan I will use a silicone spatula to scrape out any grease into the garbage can. Really works great even better than using paper towels. You can also scrape the grease into a plastic produce bag before placing in the garbage.

**kzhen8** · 09-08-2011, 01:14 PM

I put them on a metal rack to let the grease drip onto the cookie sheets. A good way to go green and save on paper towel money!

**zakity** · 09-08-2011, 02:12 PM

Oooo... Me too! I use the metal rack that you are supposed to let cookies or cakes cook on. I put it on a cookie sheet and let it drinp into that. Or, I use a mesh strainer in a pan to let things drain.

I save sausage grease also. I make biscuits and gravy with 1 lb of meat for the 5 of us. I save sausage grease from other times that I have cooked up sausage to use because that one pound of sausage doesn't have enough grease in it for the amount of gravy that I make.

Side note: To give you an idea of how much I make at a time, I use 12 cups of milk when I make a gravy or a white sauce. That way, we have enough for dinner (feeding three teen boys) and I have some leftover (hopefully). I put the leftover gravy or white sauce in the freezer and use it instead of "cream of" soups for casseroles.

**sinopa27** · 09-09-2011, 12:07 AM

good thread!! I am trying to get away from using paper towels. I am thankful for the ideas posted!

**Gladiola** · 02-15-2012, 07:15 AM

Draining bacon on newspaper with one paper towel on top is a winner in my book.

**Spirit Deer** · 02-15-2012, 08:39 AM

I just use a paper towel to sop up the grease right from the pan.

For us, I can't see much point in giving up paper towels. A roll lasts us probably a year, except for cleaning up cat messes. We do use paper towels for that because it's so hard to get the smell out. For most everything else, a rag does a much better job anyway.