Alternative to Peanut oil?

[Blue Phoenix]

Hello, I was wondering if anyone has any suggestions for substitutions for peanut oil, see I have a cook book with a recipe for beef in black bean sauce, and it calls for 3 tablespoons of peanut oil.
The problem is that peanut oil isn't sold in 3 tablespoons containers (that I've seen) or anything even close to that. I'm leaving out the sherry so I'm wanting an oil to use that will have a similar taste to the peanut oil while being more usable in other recipes.

Or, failing that, suggestions for what to do with the leftover oil.

Thanks
-Phoenix

[Haggis]

If you have a bottle of sunflower, canola or other neutrally flavoured cooking oil then you can use that instead of the peanut oil. It will be lacking the subtle flavour that peanut oil adds, but the dish will still turn out fine.

Or, failing that, suggestions for what to do with the leftover oil.

Make more Asian stir-fries, simple as that. You can also use peanut oil to great effect in Indian and Middle Eastern cooking. But there is no harm in buying a bottle and just letting it sit around waiting for the next time you want to use it in a dish. There is no need to worry about it spoiling.

[Claire]

I agree, you can use canola or corn or vegetable oil instead, and barring that, peanut oil isn't really strong and you can use it for most frying and sauteeing. I keep a pretty full pantry, but wouldn't go out and buy peanut oil just for a certain stir fry recipe if I didn't have it on hand.

[Andy M.]

You can use just about any other oil in place of peanut oil and you can use peanut oil in place of just about any other oil.

Actually, peanut oil refined and sold in the US is fairly bland. Asian manufactured peanut oils are the ones with more pronounced peanut flavor.

[TATTRAT]

safflower oil? Available in alot of indian grocers, and Asian markets.
And peanut oil, is a very mild flavor. Sessame oil, on the other hand, is verrrry pungent.

[Caine]

Buy a jar of ALL NATURAL peanut butter, then drain 3 Tbs of oil off the top. You should know what to do with the rest of the peanut butter after you stir the remaining oil into it.

[ironchef]

Being that you're leaving out both the sherry and the peanut oil, it won't really matter what you use at this point since you're already altering the recipe enough where it won't taste like it was written anyway.

[Michael in FtW]

I'm with Ironchef - since you're not going to follow the recipe and get the "original" flavor anyway ... it shouldn't make any difference. Since the recipe also calls for either fermented black beans or black bean paste which probably will also not be sold in the exact quantity called for in the recipe - I'm curious what you are going to sub for that?

[Dina]

I substituted sesame and canola oil for my peanut oil in some of my recipes. It works great! Of course, when you're frying a turkey, I'd go with peanut oil all the way.

[Robo410]

peanut oil is popular because it has a high burn point so it can really fry! It's flavor is quite mild. However, if there is a nut allergy in the family, you don't want it around obviously. Cannola or Saflower oil is close in heatability. As for oil going bad, well yes it can go rancid. Keep in in a cool dark place.

I also wish one could buy smaller quantities of oils because I don't use much other than olive oil, however, every now and then the cannola or peanut comes in handy.