Do you ever go to the grocery store, look at the various types of oil on the shelf and shake your head in confusion? If so, you are not alone. There are many types of oil available for cooking and using the wrong can ruin your dish. It is important to know which oil to select. The key determiners for choosing the correct oil are smoke point and taste.
Smoke point is the point at which heated fat begins to smoke and impart an unpleasant flavor to foods. The higher the smoke point, the better suited a particular oil is for frying. Fat breaks down when heated. While it is possible to re-use oil for frying, it should be discarded after using it 3 times.
These are the most commonly used oils in home kitchens. See what they are best used for.
Canola oil has a neutral flavor and a high smoke point. This makes it wonderful for frying and baking. As an added bonus, it has less saturated fat than any other oil.
Vegetable and corn oils tend to be the least expensive, so they're perfect for deep frying. They have high smoke points and very neutral flavors.
Peanut oil is used quite often in Asian cooking because it has a high smoke point and is perfect for stir frying. It has a mild flavor.
Flaxseed oil has a high concentration of omega-3 fatty acid; however, heating the oil destroys the health benefits. It has a low smoke point so it is much better for using in salad dressings than it is for cooking.
Olive oils have different smoke points, depending upon the level of refining they go through. For information on olive oil, see selecting the proper olive oil
To learn more about olive oils, take a tour at Queen Creek Olive Mill. See their website at www.queencreekolivemill.com.
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