There are so many choices of oil. Some are best for cooking, some for baking. Does this have you wondering which oil to buy?
If you are like many of us, you have gone to your favorite grocery store to buy a bottle of cooking oil. You may even pick up several and look at the labels. Did you wonder if you bought the right kind of oil? How do you know? Do you wonder about different types of oil and what they should be used for?
In fact, should you buy the same oil for all your cooking and baking needs? Probably not.
If you need an oil for roasting some meat, you may need one type of oil. If you need one for roasting vegetables in a hot oven…you’ll need a different type. That’s because the smoke point is different for different oils.
The smoke point is the temperature where each oil type will start to smoke and then eventually burn. When that happens, it tastes bad and it loses its nutritional value. So, are you wondering if your oil has the right properties?
Take a look at these oils and what they are best used for. Then, you will have a better understanding of which oil or oils to buy the next time you are at the grocery store.
If you are cooking over Low Heat…you probably want to buy one of these cooking oils.
Extra Virgin Olive Oil:
Do you know about extra virgin olive oil or do you wonder if this is the right oil for you? This unrefined olive oil is common in just about every kitchen. We like its rich, full flavor. We also like its low smoke point, unless we’re doing a lot of higher heat roasting. With that in mind, buy this oil. Use it for low and slow cooking, drizzling on as a finish, or other heat-free dishes like salad dressings. Buy this oil for drizzling over your bruschetta and you won’t have to wonder if it is the right one.
Coconut Oil:
This one is more trendy. It does, however, have a flavor that pairs well with many ingredients. It, too, is best in recipes requiring a lower temperature. While this oil is high in saturated fat, and shouldn’t be used in excess, a small amount can make for a delicious compliment to your vegetables or proteins.
If you are cooking over Medium Heat…you should look at buying one of these cooking oils.
Vegetable Oil:
This one is quite common. Since it’s typically made from a blend of numerous refined oils, the neutral taste isn’t going to alter the flavor of what you’re cooking. You don’t need to wonder about buying this oil as it is pretty basic and readily available in supermarkets.
Canola Oil:
This oil is similar to vegetable oil in both taste and smoke point. If you buy this oil, you will find it’s also a neutral oil and won’t add flavor to you dish. This is another oil readily available so you won’t have to wonder if you can buy it almost anywhere.
Sesame Oil:
This neutral-flavored oil has a relatively high smoke point. That means it’s good for roasting. You could try a toasted sesame oil to get more sesame flavor.
Grapeseed Oil:
Chefs seem to love this oil. Its clean flavor is one reason. We like to buy this oil as it can also handle higher heat for a greater flavor in your dishes.
If you are cooking over High Heat…think about buying one of these oils.
Olive Oil:
This non-extra virgin variety of olive oil is chemically refined, like canola or vegetable oil. If you wonder if you can find this oil to buy, check the label. You may see it labeled regular olive oil or light olive oil. It has a neutral flavor, unlike the extra virgin olive oil. Its smoke point is higher, so we like to buy this oil for higher heat.
Peanut Oil:
This oil is great for frying and high heat roasting. Keep in mind, it has a dominant flavor and may change the taste of your dish.
Sunflower Seed Oil:
This neural-flavored oil has a smoke point of about 440 degrees, making it a great choice for high heat roasting, as well as sautéing and frying. However, sunflower seed oil does expire faster than many oils. If you buy this oil, be sure to use your bottle within a year of purchasing.
Palm Oil:
This oil is one of the most widely used cooking fats in the world. It’s affordable. However, palm oil is also high in saturated fat and should be used sparingly if you have any pressing concerns about your cholesterol levels or heart health. If you wonder if we use this one, we typically do not buy this oil.
Let’s say you’re cooking over Super High Heat…check out these oils.
Avocado Oil:
This oil is more expensive. But, it gets the job done when roasting at those high temps. We will buy this oil for specific dishes.
Do you wonder if there any oils you should not buy or avoid? Some oils don’t work well with any type of heat, no matter how low it is.
Flaxseed oil might taste great as a finishing oil, but it doesn’t like heat. At all. In fact, this oil needs to be stored in your refrigerator.
Hemp seed oil is also very sensitive to heat and should only be drizzled over a finished dish.
Maybe you have read about toasted nut oils and how they add wonderful flavors. Do you wonder if they might be the best buy for you? A word of caution, they just don’t do well in heat. Keep them for adding a great final touch and not for roasting or cooking.
Next time you head to the store to buy oil, and you think about what you will be using it for, you won’t have to wonder. Keep these oils in mind and what they can do in your kitchen. Your food with thank you.
When we make our avocado hummus, we use good olive oil to enhance the flavor.