Oil options and smoke points

[Jbkilg2]

I recently came across a bottle of avocado oil and gave it a try because I heard it has a high temp resiliency. I believe that means it retains it healthy qualities longer. I have since been using it on food and my cast iron pans and grill grates. It tastes fine too. According to the comparison chart in the link, it has one of the highest smoke points.

What oils do you prefer?

http://whatscookingamerica.net/Information/CookingOilTypes.htm

[LongIslandEd]

I use avocado and grape seed oils. With the avocado oil, I put some in a mason jar with fresh crushed garlic and use the infused oil on the stove when cooking for more flavor.

[Jbkilg2]

I use avocado and grape seed oils. With the avocado oil, I put some in a mason jar with fresh crushed garlic and use the infused oil on the stove when cooking for more flavor.

Oh....I really like that idea. Thanks!

[quamdar]

I use safflower if I'm searing a steak super hot, otherwise it's just the bottle of olive oil that I keep next to the stove.

[Fire Flinger]

Extra virgin olive oil for pizza, bread, dipping, roasting garlic etc. Canola oil for salad dressing, sauteing and deep fat frying. Add some butter for eggs, mushrooms, etc. Mustard oil for sauteing kale, mustard, chard etc. Hot pepper oil (???) from the Asian market for stir fry. Sesame seed oil for dressing stir fry. We need to try peanut, grapeseed and avocado. Recycled canola oil for crumpled newspaper in charcoal chimney, trailer hitch, rusted hinges and rust spots on the Bandera.

[TropicDad]

Olive oil for everything unless I need a high heat, then I use grapeseed. Grapeseed also works well for gumbo roux.

[scrub puller]

Yair . . .

How things change.

Once (in my part of Australia) there was no such thing as "cooking" or "salad" oil . . . olive oil was purchased in tiny bottles at the pharmacy for "dry scalp" or warmed in a spoon over a candle and poured into aching ears.

All frying and roasting was done with animal fat and every month or so caul or kidney fat would be bought at the butchers and rendered in the oven.

This was then poured into a four pound powdered milk or syrup can kept handy to the stove . . . all fat was recycled and poured back into that tin after frying eggs or meat.

Stove top cooking was done in large cast iron skillets or stamped metal frypans and involved at least half an in of hot fat . . . I was probably in my late teens and in the stock camps before I saw anyone throw a steak onto a hot plate or, in my case just cooked up on a shovel.

In the bottom of that fat tin there used to occur a miracle of chemistry . . all the little bits of blood and protein and crispy lacy bits of fried egg and maybe a bit of broken yolk from the recycled fat would accumulate beneath the fat and when spread on bread or toast was a very special treat.

Even now I believe the best tasting steaks are those cooked in a skillet of smoking hot mutton fat. They come out with a perfect brown sear all over and a completely different taste . . . a mans meal was normally a large piece of rump cooked in that fashion topped by up to half a dozen soft fried eggs.

Sorry, a bit O/T.

Cheers.

[FLAQUE]

EVOO for everything except high heat for me. Then I'll use grapeseed oil.

[Jbkilg2]

Thank you for all for the feedback!

[STLBBQer]

I use extra light olive oil for just about everything I grill. I have used Avocado and really liked it, but the price was really high at my local stores.

[THoey1963]

Hmmm... I use olive oil all the time. Some times, my meats turn out darker than I would prefer. I usually smoke around 275*. Could the oil have anything to do with that? I see the smoke point is 405*, so I wouldn't think I am burning it yet. And I don't use a lot of sugar in my rubs as we like it spicy, not sweet...

[16Adams]

Yair . . .

How things change.

Once (in my part of Australia) there was no such thing as "cooking" or "salad" oil . . . olive oil was purchased in tiny bottles at the pharmacy for "dry scalp" or warmed in a spoon over a candle and poured into aching ears.

All frying and roasting was done with animal fat and every month or so caul or kidney fat would be bought at the butchers and rendered in the oven.

This was then poured into a four pound powdered milk or syrup can kept handy to the stove . . . all fat was recycled and poured back into that tin after frying eggs or meat.

Stove top cooking was done in large cast iron skillets or stamped metal frypans and involved at least half an in of hot fat . . . I was probably in my late teens and in the stock camps before I saw anyone throw a steak onto a hot plate or, in my case just cooked up on a shovel.

In the bottom of that fat tin there used to occur a miracle of chemistry . . all the little bits of blood and protein and crispy lacy bits of fried egg and maybe a bit of broken yolk from the recycled fat would accumulate beneath the fat and when spread on bread or toast was a very special treat.

Even now I believe the best tasting steaks are those cooked in a skillet of smoking hot mutton fat. They come out with a perfect brown sear all over and a completely different taste . . . a mans meal was normally a large piece of rump cooked in that fashion topped by up to half a dozen soft fried eggs.

Sorry, a bit O/T.

Cheers.

Love this. I grew up the same way. Used and reused. Mom used to buy these really cheap canned biscuits. Like a nickle a can. She would half burn the biscuit bottoms make a gravy from the grease can and ladel it on the open faced cheap biscuits. I remember the bacon grease pieces. I am now in possession of the cast iron skillet most of those cooks occurred with. Thanks for the memories

[gtr]

I've been rendering tallow from brisket and short rib trimmings and I'll fry a lot of stuff in that. Love it! I always have a can of bacon grease ready to go as well. I'll mix the 2 sometimes - not sure if it's the "right" thing to do or not, but it works for me. Sometimes I'll use EVOO for sauteeing, and sometimes I'll fry in corn oil.

[Happy Hapgood]

Peanut oil is my go to but do not have much need now since I do not do deep fried Cajun turkeys anymore. Peanut has a flashpoint of 450*F. Doing turkeys on the oil-less Char-Broil Big Easy IR these days.

No oil on steaks or burgers.

[Jbkilg2]

Hmmm... I use olive oil all the time. Some times, my meats turn out darker than I would prefer. I usually smoke around 275*. Could the oil have anything to do with that? I see the smoke point is 405*, so I wouldn't think I am burning it yet. And I don't use a lot of sugar in my rubs as we like it spicy, not sweet...

One of the things I was concerned about was the potential for certain oils having a negative effect on high temp sears or griddle cooks. I have seen olive oil take a turn for the worst when I let a pan get too hot. It sounds like the oils for lower temp cooks are fine when it calls for it.

[Jeff H]

Olive oil, grape seed oil, canola oil and from time to time, coconut oil all for different reasons. Other than that, i use butter, especially for blackening on a screaming hot cast iron skillet. :D

Grape seed and coconut have the highest smoke point of the oils I use.

[DjPorkchop]

I really prefer Grape Seed oil but my doctor highly recommended I not use it. He used some fancy terms and dr stuff I didnt quite understand very well. Something about fatty liver disease yadah yadah.

But yeah, I love grape seed oil AND it adds no flavors to food what so ever and has a very high smoke point.

[Jbkilg2]

I really prefer Grape Seed oil but my doctor highly recommended I not use it. He used some fancy terms and dr stuff I didnt quite understand very well. Something about fatty liver disease yadah yadah.

But yeah, I love grape seed oil AND it adds no flavors to food what so ever and has a very high smoke point.

Dang doctors always spoiling the party!

[DjPorkchop]

Dang doctors always spoiling the party!


Exactly! :becky:

EDIT ** I did like that post last page about infusing with garlic. I used to do that with olive oil. I would let it sit in a mason jar for a week or so on the window sill. MAN was it great.

[Jbkilg2]

DJ, what was your favorite combo for the infused oil?

[DjPorkchop]

DJ, what was your favorite combo for the infused oil?

Embarrased to say it but I am a VERY picky person and never ventured to far in to foods and stuff like that. I had heard of mincing garlic and soaking it in oil to make pizza dippers with (which is to die for). So really all I ever did was mince the garlic real good, toss it in the olive oil and let it sit.

If I missed out on something i would love to know. :thumb: I am trying to get over my pickiness and try new things.

[D&D BBQ]

Here's a chart with some explanation of smoking points of oils on Serious Eats.
http://www.seriouseats.com/2014/05/cooking-fats-101-whats-a-smoke-point-and-why-does-it-matter.html
I use light olive oil which has a high smoke point (465*), very little flavor, and is relatively cheap too. Perfect for chicken and such on the grill. Costco has nice, cheap, and big bottles of the stuff.

[Teleking]

I use avocado and grape seed oils. With the avocado oil, I put some in a mason jar with fresh crushed garlic and use the infused oil on the stove when cooking for more flavor.

I hope you keep that refrigerated. One the leading causes of food poisoning in the food industry.

[Jbkilg2]

I hope you keep that refrigerated. One the leading causes of food poisoning in the food industry.

Is this.for infused oils only? We have not been storing oils in the fridge.

[DjPorkchop]

I infused olive oil with minced garlic for years and never had any issues. My grandmother is who I learned it from and she did it for decades. Never kept any oil in the refrigerator.

But what do I know I'm but a mere back yard cook. :-P

[Jbkilg2]

I infused olive oil with minced garlic for years and never had any issues. My grandmother is who I learned it from and she did it for decades. Never kept any oil in the refrigerator.

But what do I know I'm but a mere back yard cook. :-P

Well I do drink out of a hose and I have for many years.

[lantern]

I use a wide variety of oils and butters, but for high trump stuff it comes down to two main characters these days. Safflower and sunflower.

The reason being that I've yet to find other oils that have a good smoke point while being almost tasteless.....and most importantly remaining odorless and tasteless after being heated. I have always hated the smell of oils like vegetable oil when they are heated.



Now, I haven't tried avocado oil. It interests me quite a bit. But, the price keeps it from ever being large quantity frying oil for me. I can get quarts of safflower oil right now for $3.99 do it's my current frying staple. It's health benefits are a very nice plus too.

[IamMadMan]

I hope you keep that refrigerated. One the leading causes of food poisoning in the food industry.

I infused olive oil with minced garlic for years and never had any issues. My grandmother is who I learned it from and she did it for decades. Never kept any oil in the refrigerator.




I also infuse my own oils with garlic.... I was shocked to see this and looked it up. While I never had any problems, I think I may change the amount of Oil I make to a lesser quantity.

https://theolivepress.com/news-blog/be-aware-of-the-risks-of-botulism-with-homemade-garlic-infused-oil#.VvUGu3qyi_I

Thanks for the heads up Teleking......

.

[Jbkilg2]

I also infuse my own oils with garlic.... I was shocked to see this and looked it up. While I never had any problems, I think I may change the amount of Oil I make to a lesser quantity.

https://theolivepress.com/news-blog/be-aware-of-the-risks-of-botulism-with-homemade-garlic-infused-oil#.VvUGu3qyi_I

Thanks for the heads up Teleking......

.

Botulism is a scary thing, I will take caution and pay more attention to store bought ingredients and storage too.