Cooking Oils and Their Use

I was speaking to a young friend of mine recently who is just learning how to cook.  Her question was, “what the heck is Evoo?”  She was watching Rachel Ray (one of my favorite Food Network chefs) and was confused by the term.  Rachel Ray coined the term Evoo after saying “extra virgin olive oil” over and over.  She now markets her own brand, and of course, calls it EVOO. This conversation lead to a whole discussion on various types of oils and what their uses are; with so many options on the market it is very confusing.

Let’s start with olive oil.  Olive oil is the undisputed king of oils.  The healthiest of all oils, olive oil contains monounsaturated fat which can lower your risk for heat disease. There are three basic types of olive oil: extra virgin, virgin and pure olive oil. Olive oil varies in flavor depending on the variety of olive, time of harvest, ripeness, pressing techniques, etc.

1.      Extra virgin:  This is premium oil and should taste and smell just like the olive from which it came.  It comes from the first cold pressing of the olives and should contain less than 1% acidity. Due to the high level of solids left with pressing, extra virgin should not be used for cooking.  The residual solids will burn and smoke.  It is best used uncooked in dishes where you can appreciate  the flavor of the retained solids. It is delicious as a sauce on its own.

2.       Virgin olive oil:   Also from the first pressing, this has a slightly higher level of acidity, up to 2 %. It is used in much the same way as extra virgin.

3.       Pure olive oil:   In the United States it is just usually labeled “olive oil.” This grade has a lighter color with little or no aroma, and can be used in cooking and even shallow frying.

The next category is your all-purpose oils. These are mostly taste free and have a variety of kitchen uses.

Canola Oil:  Said to be one of the healthiest cooking oils due to its low saturated fat content and high monounsaturated fat content.  Good for frying at medium temperature.

Corn Oil:  One of the cheapest and most widely used, corn oil is suitable for frying.   It is also used in some margarine and for baking. It should not be used for salad dressings; it has a fairly strong flavor. Corn is rich in omego-6 fatty acids, which are believed to lower bad cholesterol.

Grapeseed Oil:  Made from the oil pressed from grape seeds left over from wine-making.  It has a delicate mild flavor and is good for cooking, frying and in salad dressings.

Safflower Oil:  Light all-purpose oil that comes from the seeds of the safflower.  It can be used in place of sunflower and peanut oils.  It is suitable for deep frying.

Sunflower Oil:  Low in saturated fat and high in vitamin E, sunflower is the best all-purpose oil. It can be used to cook, fry and in salad dressings. Many food processors are getting away from Trans fats by using sunflower oil for healthier snack foods.

Soy Oil:  Neutral flavored oil which comes from soybeans.  It is most widely used for frying because it has a high smoke point. Soy oil is rich in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats and low in saturates.

Peanut Oil:  This tasteless oil is great for frying at high temperatures. It can be used in salads, cooking and frying.

Cooking oils to avoid are:  Palm oil, palm kernel oil and coconut oil.

There are also many richly flavored  specialty oils which are used in small quantities as a flavoring for salad dressings, marinades or baking.  These include sesame oil, walnut oil, and hazelnut oil.

Article courtesy of Liz Barna