What kind of oil do you use for cooking?

[boufa06]

For me, I use olive oil for Greek and mediterranean dishes and sunflower and soya oil for Asian dishes.

 

[Katie H]

Most of the time I use olive oil. In cases where I feel the flavor of olive oil would be inappropriate for the dish, I use canola oil.

 

[GB]

Great minds think alike Katie. I do the same. If I do not have canola then I use something similar like regular veggie oil.

 

[Michelemarie]

I usually use evoo - it sits on the counter next to the stove for easy access.

 

[Andy M.]

EVOO, Asian peanut oil, canola oil, sesame oil.

 

[bullseye]

EVOO, mostly. Peanut or canola for high temp. Sesame oil for stir fry.

 

[lulu]

I do not like cooked EVOO. I buy really good EVOO and use it as a dressing or a base for uncooked dips/dressings etc. It tastes too bitter cooked, and I thought it took away the health benefits of EVOO??? So I have a considerably less expensive olive oil that I use when I only need a little oil, eg for slicking a pan or rubbing over a potato to bake, and then mainly use whichever oil is cheapest/available for other stuff. I have used hemp oil and avocado oil for salads, but when they were finished did not replace them. I try and use sesame for Chinese style cooking. I know I should spend time researching a flavour neutral oil for baking and other things, but the idea intimidates me a bit (too sciencey!), hence just normal vegetable oil.

 

[SizzlininIN]

My oil of choice is EVOO, however sometimes I too think it won't work for the recipe I'm fixing so I will reach for one of the following.


Extra Virgin Olive Oil with Canola Oil (its a blended mixture)
Olive Oil
Sesame Oil
Vegetable Oil

 

[Constance]

I usually use evoo - it sits on the counter next to the stove for easy access.

Same here. Sometimes I add a pat of butter to the evoo, if I need that flavor.
For baking, I use Canola Oil, and for frying, my husband uses peanut oil. I bought some Sesame Oil, but haven't tried it yet.

 

[boufa06]

As far as I know, sesame oil is used to flavour food in Asian cooking. Therefore it's usually added at the end of cooking. For more information about the usage of sesame oil, please refer to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesame_oil

 

[Andy M.]

As far as I know, sesame oil is used to flavour food in Asian cooking. Therefore it's usually added at the end of cooking. For more information about the usage of sesame oil, please refer to:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sesame_oil

You're absolutely right! I use sesame oil as a flavoring agent rather than as a cooking fat. Heat destroys the sesame flavor of the oil.

 

[ella/TO]

Hi: I use olive oil;canola oil;and sometimes a combo of olive oil w/butter. I think sesame oil is only used to give taste. Don't think I would use it for frying.

 

[Half Baked]

Most of the time I use olive oil. In cases where I feel the flavor of olive oil would be inappropriate for the dish, I use canola oil.

Ditto, but sometimes I add butter to the evoo.

 

[pdswife]

EVOO
and veggie oil.

 

[Nicholas Mosher]

Canola oil is my primary workhorse - cheap and neutral in flavor with a high smokepoint and low saturatd fat. I use other oils when I want their flavor such as EVOO, Sesame, Walnut, etc. I cook with EVOO sometimes if the dish warrants the flavors and isn't at too high a temperature. I never cook with with oils like sesame, but mix it into a dish at the end.

Whole unsalted butter is one of my favorite cooking mediums, again, so long as the dish warrants the flavor and isn't at too high a temp.

Then there is crisco for fried chicken! (I want to try Lard out too)

 

[Snoop Puss]

I use Spanish olive oil nearly all the time but have sunflower oil, sesame seed oil and peanut oil in the kitchen for use as appropriate.

I'm not sure about lulu's remark that EVOO tastes bitter when cooked. I suspect that might depend on the type of olive used to make the oil. I know that Ironchef likes a Catalan oil that's made with arbequina olives. I'm not so keen myself - I find it too bitter, too much like the flavour of olive stone. But there's an oil made with different olives (Empeltre) from the Empordà area of Catalonia that I just love. I cook with EVOO but made from Picual olives from further south in Spain.

Like Nicholas, I've started using butter more frequently than I used to to fry in. Though I have to admit that I use salted butter. Odd, because I hardly ever add salt to my dishes.

 

[FraidKnot]

Most of the time I use olive oil. In cases where I feel the flavor of olive oil would be inappropriate for the dish, I use canola oil.

Yep, it depends upon the dish! Sometimes olive oil is a little too strong so I use canola instead.

Remember back in the day when it was all about solid Crisco (imitation lard for those not in the U.S.)?

In our house butter (real, sweet cream butter) was only used on holidays. Oleo margarine was the "butter" of choice... this of course, came from people who were used to rationing during the 2nd world war. Came with a packet of dye so it would be yellow.

Fraidy

 

[Shunka]

I am with Nicholas on this. Nick, crisco is better for frying chicken, IMO. Have used lard but prefer to use lard for my tamales!! Then again, butter flavored crisco is so very good in tamales too!!

 

[Ishbel]

I use sunflower oil for most frying, with olive oil for other dishes, sesame oil and peanut oil for chinese/malay/thai/indian type dishes. EVOO I use for adding to a dish after cooking or in dressings etc.

 

[Caplan]

I use either vegetable or sunflower oil for most (Far East) Asian cooking. I've tried peanut oil in the past (it's supposed to take a higher heat before burning) but didn't notice a taste difference that warranted the extra price. I only use sesame oil for flavouring, never cooking in.

I use a plain VOO for cooking Mediterranean/Moroccan style dishes. To use good quality EVOO for cooking seems a waste of money IMHO. All the flavours are driven off with the heat. I use EVOO for dressing.

For really indulgent frying (and the occasional Indian dish) I'll use non salted butter.