Turn That Empty Sriracha Bottle Into A Cooking Oil Dispenser

Whoever designed the bottles that most cooking oils come in has some explaining to do. The wide openings on most of those bottles work just fine when you're pouring a significant amount of oil into a measuring cup to mix into a sauce or batter. But for those times when you just want to lightly oil a pan or drizzle a little bit of oil atop a salad or pasta dish, those big bottle openings make it far too easy to accidentally dump out way more oil than you meant to. Of course, you could always buy oil dispensers with smaller spouts, but those can be pricey. Why spend the money when there's another option that costs nothing and might already be in your kitchen?

The next time you finish a bottle of sriracha sauce, don't just rinse out the empty container and then throw it into your recycling bin. That sriracha bottle's twist-top spout makes it a perfect dispenser for cooking oils, condiments, and virtually any other liquid ingredient you want to be able to pour in controlled quantities. Be sure to store the repurposed container in a dark, cool place; sriracha bottles are usually clear, and exposure to light, heat, and oxygen can cause perishable goods like olive oil to spoil more quickly.

Those pour-spout bottles you often see pro chefs use may look like a more sophisticated vessel than a repurposed sriracha bottle, but they're not necessarily the best idea for home cooks. The spout top is perpetually open, which leaves the oil in constant contact with oxygen. Restaurants and television chefs can go through a lot of olive and other cooking oils like it's their job (because it is), but a sizable bottle of oil could last the average household for months. Because oils can start going rancid in a matter of months, this gives unused oils more than enough time to start to degrade, worsening the taste. This goes for high-end olive oil as well as the cheapest canola oil you can find.

On the other hand, empty sriracha bottles have a sealable twist-top, so you get the benefit of a small, closeable nozzle for careful pouring without leaving the oil in prolonged contact with oxygen. This way, you can avoid waste (and unpleasant messes) from accidental oil overpours while also preserving an oil's optimal taste and smell for as long as possible.

There's a reason that many higher-end cooking oils, including olive and avocado, are packaged in dark green bottles: The darker glass helps to filter out light, one of the factors that cause cooking oils to degrade. Chances are, though, your sriracha bottle is made of clear plastic. This can be less of an issue as long as you keep it somewhere protected from light and heat, such as in a dark cupboard or pantry, preferably one that isn't immediately adjacent to your oven or anything else that gets hot. If you don't have room in your cabinet or just really want to keep it out on the counter for easy access, you should consider covering the outside of the bottle with a dark covering, such as a dark-colored label, fabric, or something similar to block out light. If you're a talented crafter, you can make it look a little more chic that way, too.

And of course, you're not limited to cooking oil when it comes to ways to upcycle empty sriracha bottles. Repurpose them as dispensers for flavored mayonnaises, a variety of homemade salad dressings, and all kinds of kinds of vinegar — basically, any liquid ingredient you want to drizzle rather than glug. Just be sure to follow proper storage guidelines for whatever the ingredient may be.