Oils

(Rindaloo) #1

Generally I use Butter, Coconut Oil or Olive Oil, for cooking. I understand about smoke point and the fact that its bad for Olive Oil to get that hot. What oil is looked on as a healthy oil for higher heat frying? Or would I be better using the three I have already mentioned? When I look at the merits of different oils, I end up getting confused when considering its smoke point vs Omega 3 and 6 but theres probably a lot more to consider. So, I am asking, - for health and good cholesterol levels (plus higher smoke point), what oil would be good to have?

(cindyshocklee) #2

I personally would use bacon grease for medium heat. For higher heat I would try coconut oil or else use lard. When I make hot wings in my deep fryer I use lard.

(Jacquie) #3

For high heat, when I don’t want the taste of coconut, I use refined organic coconut oil and that works well. My favourite, especially with veggies is butter.

(Rindaloo) #4

I’d love to use bacon grease but we rarely have bacon and when we do, the grease is treasured but it’s gone all too quickly. We live in Turkey and so though there is bacon, its expensive and sometimes not very good. I agree coconut isn’t such a good taste for certain things. Likewise, olive oil can be not so good, particularly for frying mushrooms (then I use butter).

(AnnaLeeThal) #5

I am in love with tallow for deep frying. I use duck fat food cooking eggs, it’s quite delicious. Avocado oil has a higher smoke point as well.

(Guardian of the bacon) #6

Avocado oil has about the highest heat tolerance of the plant based oils and it is my understanding that it is a very acceptable cooking oil.

(Rindaloo) #7

I am not sure that’s available here. But wlll look. Thank you.

(Guardian of the bacon) #8

I got mine on Amazon, 3L container. Don’t know if that is available to you?

(Meeping up the Science!) #9

My grandmother raised me to use just olive oil and whatever fat was made from meat. Even if she made soup she’d keep the fat. Chicken soup or stock? She would reuse that fat ASAP you bet.

Now that I’m old and cheap I do the same, ha.

(G. Andrew Duthie) #10

+1 for avocado oil. It is also wonderful for homemade mayo.

#11

I just bought some avocado oil for the first time and it is great. Mild flavor, good for high heat. I do love olive oil for sautéing or roasting vegetables. Maybe that’s too high of heat for it, but I love the flavor.

(matt ) #12

I use avocado oil for frying. Got a gallon on amazon for $40 if I recall correctly.

(Rindaloo) #13

WOW, so many replies. Thanks all! I have found out about a company that does deli-type foods, so I might be able to get the oil from there. I have been cooking with Olive oil for decades now, but when I was in the UK, I would use other oils like corn or sunflower but now I know they aren’t so healthy, so I was seeking something that was good all round choice (for heat, flavour AND health). I will look on the site I mentioned and see what oils they have. I did manage to get Hazelnut oil in a local supermarket and liked it, but it was high in Omega 6 but no Omega 3 and (correct me if I am wrong) is not so good for the bad cholesterol levels… But if I am wrong, PLEASE say because the Hazelnut oil was good to use and I can get it so easily.

(Rindaloo) #14

PS, When I roast or fry meat, I always save the fat for use :smiley:

(Richard Morris) #15

The short answer is an unsaturated oil when heated can become unstable, so I would use mostly saturated fats like Lard, or Tallow. But Duck fat is also delicious.

BTW: I’m moving the thread to Food | Fat

(softail925) #16

I wonder how many times avocado oil can be reused for deep fat frying?

(Rindaloo) #17

I have a deep fat fryer, from back in the day when we were a big family. But now there’s just the two of us, I rarely use it, so… I have started using a saucepan for deep frying cauliflower, and when I need oil for shallow frying, I pour a little from the saucepan which means that it gets topped up regularly and keeps it fresher than if it just sat there occasionally used. :slight_smile:

(softail925) #18

Lard it is, thanks!

(Adrea Reynolds) #19

Received a new deep fat fryer for Christmas. It suggests not using oils that are solids at room temperatures, but rather oils that stay liquid. I want to use tallow or lard. Any idea why the company would suggest not using saturated oils?

(Richard Morris) #20

Could they be trying to give you misguided health advice?

I mean that is the orthodoxy that polyunsaturated oils are more healthy than saturated fats.