Cooking oil questions

[vilasman]

What is the difference between using canola, peanut,corn and vegetable oils for everday garden variety make the pan slick so nothing sticks, type cooking?

Also, i got a gallon of vege oil, and I want to transfer some of it to one of those cute olive oil bottles with a spout. I figure that it will take a month to 1.5 months to use it all up. Would it be safe to leave this bottle with the spout, on the counter for easy access? It will not be in direct sunlight.

[Gretchen]

It is fine to use the bottle on the counter.
The major difference in the oils is their smoke point with peanut oil being the best for high heat. I use them pretty interchangeably.

[vilasman]

so there will only be a slight difference i taste?

[Gretchen]

I have never tasted them side by side. There is a particular peanut oil that is cold pressed and reputed to have a nice nutty flavor. I use vegetable oils because they are very neutral in taste. I use olive oils and nut oils for more distinctive flavor additions to dishes.

[Andy M.]

Asian peanut oils are really peanutty while American processed peanut oils are milder. Some olive oils have a pronounced olive oil flavor while others don't. Most of the other oils aer mild flaovred and won't have much of an impact on the final dish.

Peanut, canola and corn oils have pretty high smoke points. EV olive oil does not.

[cliveb]

What is the difference between using canola, peanut,corn and vegetable oils for everday garden variety make the pan slick so nothing sticks, type cooking?

On a taste basis; Canola oil is almost tasteless, to me. I use it a lot for making Indian Pickles, because it imparts no flavour to the spices.
I can't find "American" peanut oil here, but I can get Chinese peanut oil. I've got one here called " Orchid - Grade One Pressed Peanut Oil" which is distinctly nutty. I sometimes use it as a finishing touch to a meal.
Corn oil or sunflower seed oil are my standard cooking oils, for frying, deep-frying, etc. Slight flavour, perhaps, but generally pretty safe and unassuming!
Mixed vegetable oil - I tend to avoid it. The few times I've used it, it's seemed a little harsh. Maybe they put a large amount of very cheap vegetable oil into the mix.

[Hades]

As far as taste is concerned, most of the general purpose vegetable oils (sunflower, corn, peanut,...) are pretty neutral tasting so they can in theory be used interchangably. Soke point determines the upper limit (in terms of heat) a certain type of oil can take. If you're using oil for high heat grilling or stir frying, then you're best off with peanut oil as it can take quite a lot of abuse. Corn oil is excellent for making mayo because it has a slightly sweet taste so you get the best of both worlds (sweetened mayo without having to add sugar --- my sincere appologies to those who are into sweet mayo with their fries). Specialty oils (like cold-pressed peanut oil, sesame oil, cold pressed sunflower oil,...) have a far more pronounced flavour and are better not used for cooking but rather used cold to add their flavour to your dish. Olive oils come in all kinds from almost neutral tasting (usually the lighter versions) to very flavourful (the (usually green) EVOO's, to even almost black oil from black olives). Keep this in mind when using those for cooking.
If you're concerned about storing oil in clear glass (or plastic) bottles, then you can always wrap the bottle in a sheet of tinfoil. You can simply unwrap it when you use it and re-wrap when you put it back. On larger plastic bottles (which come here in clear PVC bottles with a paper label), duct tape works pretty well. You can black-out the light and still leave the label visible.

[Michael in FtW]

I never buy more oil than I can use in 6 months. Nothing worse than grabbing some oil (or a can of Crisco) to make a batch of brownies that has gone rancid! Trust me ... or my sons ....

If you're just looking for oil to "lube" you pot/pan - for something like sauteeing onions, etc. - it really doesn't matter (corn oil, canola, veg oil ...). For something like greasing a bread pan - I just use Crisco.

To ME - peanut oils have a very distinct flavor - I use them for Asian "Stir Frys".

[marigene]

Grapeseed oil has a high smoking point, 420 degrees, so you can use it for frying. It can be used in place of other vegetable oils but I would not use it in place of olive oil in dressings or splashing over pasta, etc. where you want the flavor to shine.

Grapeseed oil has practically no flavor, and so when you fry with it, it will not add unwanted flavors. The only oil better is avocado oil, but that's quite a bit more expensive, and it also has very little flavor.

[Claire]

I, too, use peanut oil for high temp frying. If I'm cooking for people I don't know, though, I skip it ... a lot of folk are alergic to it. Of course, I hate deep frying (makes such a mess) so am unlikely to be frying for people I don't know!!!