Fats from plant sources that are liquid at room temperature, such as olive oil, canola oil and peanut oil. Questions about the use of oils or about which oils to choose for a specific culinary purpose are appropriate here. As per the FAQ, please avoid asking about health matters in this tag unless ...
48
votes
10answers
24k views
Do you heat the pan first, then add oil? Or put the oil in and heat up with the pan?
As the title says...
I personally heat up the pan first, then put the oil in and after it's heated up add the ingredients. I go with the line of reasoning that doing it this way gives the oil less ...
38
votes
3answers
17k views
Why can applesauce be used in place of oil?
In many recipes, mostly desserts, it is suggested that you can substitute oil with applesauce to reduce the fat content. But why applesauce?
Is there something special about applesauce or are there ...
28
votes
8answers
7k views
What's the proper way to dispose of used fats & oils?
Down the drain? Does it depend on the type? With bacon fat, I usually let it solidify in a cup lined with foil, and then throw it out. With used canola oil, I'm not quite sure what to do because it ...
25
votes
7answers
9k views
When you cook spaghetti, do you add olive oil to the boiling water?
Many people (at least in Germany) think that Italians add olive oil to the boiling water for spaghetti. However, Italians tend to tell the opposite (from my experience).
So, can you please state ...
23
votes
3answers
9k views
Frying Oil Reuse
What are some guidelines or rules with regard to filtering and reusing (vegetable/canola/sunflower) oil that has been used for deep frying?
Is it safe and acceptable under some circumstances to ...
18
votes
3answers
2k views
What oil or fat to use for different purposes?
I understand that one of the main reasons to use different kinds of fat or oil is the temperature at which it burns, e.g. an extra-virgin olive oil to fry a steak wouldn't work. Taste is also a very ...
17
votes
4answers
12k views
When is a cooking oil not appropriate to substitute for another?
Frequently recipes call for a particular kind of oil for making use of certain characteristics (taste, heat tolerance, health, etc.). It's well known you can substitute cooking oils in most cases ...
17
votes
5answers
13k views
What happens if I use vegetable oil in a cake?
I want to bake a cake out of baking mix bought at a shop. The mix already contains flour, baking soda, vanillin, other minor components. The manual says I need to add butter.
I'd like to use ...
16
votes
3answers
616 views
What do “virgin” and “extra virgin” mean in regards to olive oil?
I have seen the terms "virgin" and "extra virgin" on bottles of olive oil. What do these terms mean, and how do they affect the flavor and cooking properties of the oil?
16
votes
4answers
23k views
How to keep my (deep frying) oil usable as long as possible?
I have a new deep fryer. I am pleased with its results so far. I am not a 'heavy user' though - say once every 2-3 weeks. I want to re-use the oil a couple of times. The deep fryer is covered but not ...
15
votes
6answers
12k views
Can extra virgin olive oil be used for stir frying, roasting, grilling?
I'd like to use extra virgin olive oil for the above mentioned cooking methods as opposed to other oils/butter. Are there any downsides to it, or can it be used safely in all those cooking methods? Is ...
14
votes
3answers
2k views
How do I press avocadoes to make avocado oil?
Avocado oil is expensive and I've been trying to figure out a solution to make my own. I'd love to make a press (I do woodworking) but I haven't found anything online.
Is there a way to extract ...
12
votes
4answers
1k views
Why should I use olive oil?
So many recipes list olive oil in the ingredients, as the oil to fry things in. What are the benefits or reasons that I should use olive oil over regular generic "cooking oil" and should I always use ...
12
votes
1answer
21k views
Conversion rule: how to switch oil and butter?
Just a moment ago, I was making muffins. The recipe calls for 125ml oil.
As a footnote, it says that you can replace the oil with 125g butter.
Can you do so in every recipe (not just muffins or ...
12
votes
2answers
872 views
Garlic and oil emulsion
A few days back I was making garlic bread. I had pressed garlic into olive oil, added a little salt, and forgot about it for a good half hour or so. When I came back to it, I stirred it up a bit, and ...
11
votes
14answers
29k views
What oil to use when cooking steak, and what difference does it make?
When cooking steak, I have always been told groundnut oil is the best to use. But what difference does it make? Is it the best? And if it is the best, what's the next best?
11
votes
8answers
679 views
What oils are “required” for a decent home kitchen?
What different varieties of oil are really needed in a decent home kitchen?
I ask because I've only two right now (olive & sunflower) that I try to use "correctly" but sometimes use ...
11
votes
1answer
216 views
Proper olive oil tasting technique
I'm looking to buy some really nice olive oil from an artisan shop near my home. Is there an appropriate olive oil tasting technique, similar to wine? If so, what is it, and what dimensions of flavor ...
11
votes
1answer
379 views
Refrigerating olive oil
I made some mojo de ajo using Rick Bayless’s recipe. He says that it will keep for up to 3 months in the refrigerator, so I stored it in the refrigerator. The oil seems to have solidified in the ...
10
votes
7answers
357 views
How can I make the most effective use of high-quality olive oil?
I was recently in an organic market and sampled some of the finest olive oil I've ever tasted. I bought a bottle, and I'm now looking for ways to maximize my enjoyment of it. I'm familiar with ...
10
votes
3answers
5k views
Does olive oil and balsamic vinegar together need to be refrigerated?
Do I need to store a mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar in the refrigerator?
10
votes
3answers
2k views
Gummy residue from baking spray/oil
I'm sure everyone's seen this - that brownish stuff left behind when you grease an area of a baking dish that gets left exposed to the heat. Soap doesn't bother it too much, and it likes to gum up my ...
10
votes
1answer
803 views
Garlic Infused Oil—Safety
I recently received a bottle of garlic and herb infused olive oil as a gift. It came in a fancy bottle with a cork on top. I tried it out last night and it's terrific.
I've heard about the dangers of ...
10
votes
1answer
4k views
Can I fix a box cake recipe where I added oil instead of water?
I screwed up and put 1 1/4 cup veg oil instead of water in my box cake recipe. Is there any way to fix this? Can I add flour or something? Or is it doomed for the trash can?
9
votes
2answers
10k views
Is cooking with olive oil bad or toxic?
I've heard that cooking with olive oil is bad for you and can be toxic. Is this true? If so, to what extent?
I see no warning on the container of my olive oil that states that it would be bad to ...
9
votes
3answers
231 views
What's the crud in the pan with potatoes and oil?
Sometimes I make sautéed potatoes. I dice the potatoes into little cubes about 1cm or less to a side, then cook them in a pan with about 1-2Tbsp of hot oil. The result is sort of like little french ...
9
votes
1answer
915 views
Can you store oil in a container that is not airtight?
I've have seen that several chefs and home cooks (e.g. my mom) store oils like canola and olive in ceramic or glass bottles with pour spouts that are not sealed. An example of this can be found on ...
8
votes
4answers
929 views
Why do many recipes instruct you to oil or grease the pan at the start of the recipe?
I've noticed that most recipes that end up in a pan in the oven will have me grease or oil the pan at the start of the recipe. This is long before I have anything else to put into it. The pan just ...
8
votes
2answers
353 views
why is cooking in oil or fat considered dry heating?
Why is cooking in oil or fat considered dry heating, while cooking in wine is considered moist heating?
8
votes
2answers
2k views
How to cook pancakes without spreading that horrible smell of burnt oil?
I live in a region where pancakes are considered traditional food and it's typical to cook them on some special occasions.
For example, right now someone has decided to throw a party in the office ...
8
votes
2answers
13k views
What is meant by “neutral” oils?
What is meant by "neutral" oils? Conversely, what would make an oil not neutral? When is it important that the oil be neutral (or not)?
8
votes
6answers
3k views
dry garlic in oil --> botulism risk?
My girlfriend and I are thinking of preparing some flavored oils for Christmas presents this year (don't tell anyone!). We've read online that fresh garlic presents a health hazard when stored at room ...
8
votes
1answer
2k views
What is meant by “cook until the oil separates” in Indian curry recipes?
A lot of Indian curry recipes have a step where you're told to cook an onion-tomato-spices mixture "until the oil separates". Despite having tried cooking such recipes a number of times already, I ...
8
votes
4answers
844 views
Suitable oil for woking?
I know some oil is not suitable for woking. Like sunflower oil and olive oil?
What oil is best suitable for woking and which oil is not suitable?
8
votes
2answers
5k views
Sesame Oil vs Toasted Sesame Oil
I normally purchase sesame oil from an Asian market, but this time I bought it from the grocery store. I primarily use sesame oil for making stir-fried cashew chicken in a wok on the stovetop.
...
8
votes
1answer
4k views
How do you figure out how much oil to use for pan frying?
How do you go about figuring how much oil to use for frying? Off the top of my head, I can think of a number of factors such as the type of food, how well you want to cook it, the type of oil, the ...
7
votes
3answers
3k views
Substituting butter for oil: Does it matter for baked goods?
When a recipe (like for muffins) calls for vegetable oil, does it matter if I substitute the oil for butter because I want that buttery taste in the muffins?
Do I need to compensate for the ...
7
votes
6answers
7k views
Cooking up onions, without oil
For a while now I have been trying to reduce my intake of fried food, or food otherwise cooked with oil. However I still make a lot of things with onions, and I end up sautéeing them with vegetable ...
7
votes
5answers
296 views
Are garlic butter and garlic oil interchangeable?
When eating something like crab, garlic butter seems to be a Western thing while garlic oil is Asian.
Is it just a personal preference thing, or does it matter which one you use?
Note: Garlic butter ...
7
votes
2answers
676 views
What's the best replacement for “solid vegetable oil” in pastry recipes?
I want to make some chickpea delight. I don't know what it's called in English; it is a Persian recipe, and literally translates to "little chickpea confectionary" (شیرینی نخودچی, ...
7
votes
3answers
812 views
what is the purpose of adding oil to balsamic vinaigrette slowly?
I've been making a lot of vinaigrette dressing lately. Julia Child and Emeril both say that you need to mix up everything but the olive oil, then add the olive oil in slowly (ideally drop by drop) ...
7
votes
4answers
2k views
Is it really necessary to properly heat oil in a pan before frying veggies?
As an example, we often lightly fry onions in (preferably) Olive Oil before adding them to any number of dishes, such as scrambled eggs for breakfast.
My talented cooking friends frequently remind ...
7
votes
4answers
10k views
What oil is best for seasoning a cast-iron skillet
I just cleaned up a rusty cast-iron skillet and I would like to season it. The thing is that I don't have lard handy and I'm wondering whether any of my other oils and fats would do.
I have: canola, ...
7
votes
3answers
519 views
How to make eggplant less oily?
I like to make this recipe with thin spaghetti, Eggplant, fresh tomatoes, and mozzarella. 1 pound of eggplant is sauteed in 1/4 inch deep vegetable oil.
When the meal is done it's too oily for my ...
7
votes
4answers
243 views
How should I incorporate oil into focaccia?
Last weekend, I tried making focaccia for the first time. I tried two recipes at once, the one from The Bread Baker's Apprentice and a traditional Genovese focaccia recipe modified for quick-rise (I ...
6
votes
7answers
13k views
Which oils or fats make the crispiest roast potatoes?
Which oil or fat is the best option for crispy on the outside fluffy on the inside roast potatoes?
6
votes
6answers
9k views
How to clean a clogged Misto oil sprayer/spritzer?
I use a Misto oil spritzer. You fill it up with oil and pump it up and spray a pan with it.
It's gotten clogged up so that it just squirts a steady stream of oil (not a spray).
Any ideas how to ...
6
votes
2answers
415 views
Is there a difference between infused oil and adding the ingredient?
For example, is there any difference (taste, use, health, etc) between using an olive oil infused with lemon and a regular olive oil and adding lemon juice?
If there are differences, do they only ...
6
votes
3answers
2k views
What makes oil stick to the pan so bad that it is so difficult to wash out?
My parents went out of town for a bit and so I had to fend for myself with cooking! I made some chicken and some quesadillas on a particular pan. However, my parents got back and my mom is astounded ...
6
votes
3answers
2k views
Does oil evaporate?
The oil is said to be evaporate at very high temperatures but while cooking something in pan with oil, is the smoke that goes upwards because of oil evaporation? If not why does the chambers of ...
