Cooking With Oils

There are so many oils to choose from — each with different properties and tastes, that we thought it might be helpful to spend a little time discussing the benefits and specific characteristics of a few to help you make the best decision when choosing which oil to use.

When cooking with any oil, avoid heating it to the point where it begins to smoke. This indicates that the oil is breaking down and possibly emitting harmful byproducts. The smoke point is determined by its fatty-acid content.

Mono-unsaturated oils, such as sunflower, vegetable, peanut and canola oil, have the highest smoke points and are suitable for high-heat cooking like deep-fat frying and stir-frying. It is worthwhile to mention that canola oil gained popularity because it is very low in saturated fat and high in monounsaturated, however it is relatively flavorless. It is the primary component of commercial vegetable oil blends. Recently there have been studies done on canola oil that propose potential health risks. We do not recommend the use of canola oil, however, we suggest you research the risks/benefits of canola oil before you make your own decision. Polyunsaturated oils are less stable and are primarily used for sautéing and other techniques that require moderate heat. These oils include grape, safflower, sunflower and olive oils.

Peanut oil varies greatly in quality — and as a result in taste. Most domestic peanut oil has not been cold pressed, therefore it has little or no peanut flavor. Some Asian markets carry cold pressed peanut oil with a true peanut taste. Oils extracted from roasted almonds, walnuts, macadamia nuts and hazelnuts add unique flavor, however they go rancid easily (must be kept refrigerated), are expensive and they do not stand up well to excessive heat. They are best used as flavorings when you don’t have the nut itself.

The best grades of olive oil are made by simply crushing the fruit and collecting the oil. Pressings are usually done from mid-autumn to January depending on the origin. Usually these oils reach market by early spring. If possible buy the freshest olive oil you can find. Unfortunately it is difficult, if not impossible to find truly fresh olive oil in the US supermarkets. The following are definitions of all olive oils exported to the United States:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil: Premium olive oils that are pressed and processed without heat and/or solvents. Color ranges from gold to deep green. Clouded, unfiltered oils are prized by connoisseurs for their fuller flavor. Use this oil for seasoning, salads, and cooking.

Fine Virgin Olive Oil: Pressed and processed without heat or chemicals. Often used for cooking.

Olive Oil: This oil is refined with solvents or chemicals, which are steamed off. Gains color and flavor by mixing with virgin olive oils.

Light Olive Oil: An American title used to describe refined oil with little flavor or color. Most cooks consider this oil useless. The term "light" has nothing to do with caloric content.

We hope this helps clear up some oil confusion. Some final notes: Discard any oil that smells fishy, cheesy, or musty, or that starts to foam, darken or smoke excessively when heated. Discard any oil that has darkened, smells rancid, or does not bubble when food is added.

Research was gathered from the following source:

"The All New All Purpose Joy of Cooking", Irma S. Rombauer, Marion Rombauer Becker and Ethan Becker, Copyright 1997.

You may purchase the Joy of Cooking by clicking here. It is a wonderful cookbook, with an abundance of information. It even has a few gluten-free recipes!

-Glutenfreeda