Infusing Olive Oil with other flavours?

[Silver]

Sorry, wasn't sure which forum to post this one in, so I guessed

I recently purchased some "Garlic infused" EVOO - was very good. Figured I could do it myself. Saw Michael Smith do it with some other spice on the Food Network but have no recollection of how he did it.


If anyone could help me with this, I'd love it!

Thanks!

 

[Diane1415]

The way I did it was to put the equivelent of a bulb of crushed garlic cloves into a bottle of olive oil and set for about a week.

 

[Toots]

I put a spring of rosemary in olive oil and let it sit for a day or two. I serve it with a roasted head of garlic and bread - yum.

 

[ironchef]

If you really want to infuse oils with other flavors, then use something like grapeseed, sunflower, or canola oil. These oils are very neutral in flavor and color, so you can really impart the flavor of whatever you are trying to infuse with the oil. If it's just garlic, olive oil is okay to infuse with. Use this method for garlic oil:

Combine 1 cup of oil along with 8-10 bruised garlic cloves. Bring the oil up to just below poaching temperature (165-170 degrees), and let the garlic and the oil infuse together for about 20-30 minutes. Cool and store in the fridge, bring to room temp before using. Use within 1-2 weeks.

For herb oils: In a food processor or blender, combine 1 c. loosely packed fresh herbs along with 1/2 c. of grapeseed, sunflower, or canola oil, and 1/2 tsp. each of salt and white sugar. Blend, then transfer to a non-reactive container and store overnight in the fridge. Strain, and use within 3-4 days. Bring to room temp before using.

For spice oils: Heat 1 c. of oil to just below poaching temp. In a saute pan, lightly toast 1/2 c. of spice (curry, paprika, chipotle powder, etc.). Combine to oil, remove from heat, and the spice steep for about 20-30 minutes. Strain well and store in the fridge for up to 2 weeks. Bring to room temp before serving.

Keep in mind that there are other methods of doing these, but I think that these give you the most flavor in the oils.

 

[Talyn]

I just crush a clove and stick it in the bottle. >.> seems to be garlic infused in about 5 minutes. ^_^;;

 

[Andy M.]

Don't overlook ironchef's admonition to use it within 1 or 2 weeks. Home infused oils are an ideal environment for growing things like botulism bacteria.

Make your oils in small batches and refrigerate. Toss them after 7-10 days and make some more if you want.

 

[Silver]

Don't overlook ironchef's admonition to use it within 1 or 2 weeks. Home infused oils are an ideal environment for growing things like botulism bacteria.

Make your oils in small batches and refrigerate. Toss them after 7-10 days and make some more if you want.

Very good to know, thanks Andy!

IC and everyone else, thank you very much. I think I'm going to run down to the store and pick up a couple of small oil containers right now, specifically for this purpose.

I'm not cooking with a lot of oil these days for health reasons, but when I do, I like variety. I appreciate the info!

 

[Angie]

Don't overlook ironchef's admonition to use it within 1 or 2 weeks. Home infused oils are an ideal environment for growing things like botulism bacteria.

Make your oils in small batches and refrigerate. Toss them after 7-10 days and make some more if you want.

Oh no, that has me scared.

I roast my garlic for 2 hrs while immersed in EVOO...then I let it cool, pour the oil off and put it in a little container to use again...seems like just a waste to toss it.

I've reused the oil quite a few times. I leave it in a little covered container on the COUNTER for weeks at a time.

I just did this tonight. I guess I should toss it AND the garlic I roasted??????

 

[ironchef]

Very good to know, thanks Andy!

IC and everyone else, thank you very much. I think I'm going to run down to the store and pick up a couple of small oil containers right now, specifically for this purpose.

I'm not cooking with a lot of oil these days for health reasons, but when I do, I like variety. I appreciate the info!

Silver, remember though that in order to get the best possible flavor from most any infused oil, do not cook with it. They should be added near the end of the cooking process (off the heat) or drizzled directly over the food before serving.

 

[Andy M.]

I'd say you've been lucky. I'd be more cautious in the future. Roasting garlic in oil is fine. You get both roasted oil and flavored garlic. However, I'd keep both in the fridge and keep them no longer than the 7-10 days.

 

[Angie]

Now, I feel very stupid. I guess I should toss that garlic that is still sitting in the oil cooling....

The funny thing...I use this garlic specifically on my garlic bread. The last few times I made it (with recycled oil), we both had intestinal issues...thought it was just too much oil and butter, etc....

I could have been poisoning us the whole time! Thank you SO much for the info!!

Now, do I tell HIM that I amost poisoned us or not.....hmmm....

 

[Gretchen]

I haven't read the thread. You can do it by gently heating oil with sliced garlic. You CAN'T keep it very long because of the problem of botulinum--one week in the fridge.

 

[Michael in FtW]

To borrow from the University of Georgia's USDA co-op website (National Center for Home Food Preservation):

"Herbs and oils are both low-acid and together could support the growth of the disease-causing Clostridium botulinum bacteria. Oils may be flavored with herbs if they are made up for fresh use, stored in the refrigerator and used within 2 to 3 days. There are no canning recommendations. Fresh herbs must be washed well and dried completely before storing in the oil. The very best sanitation and personal hygiene practices must be used. Pesto is an uncooked seasoning mixture of herbs, usually including fresh basil, and some oil. It may be frozen for long term storage; there are no home canning recommendations. You will see these products made commercially; however, additives, preservatives and processing controls not available for home recipes are used."

Personally, I don't prepare infused oils more than a day or two in advance of when they will be used - most often on the day they will be used. I do it pretty much the way IronChef described ... since I am trying to extract the maximum amount of flavor from the herbs I start with everything cold (room temp). I put a cold pan on a cold burner, add the oil and crushed/minced garlic and/or herbs and turn the heat on to medium. When I see bubbles start to form around the herbs/garlic I cut the heat to low for about 5-10 minutes (keeping an eye on the oil to make sure the herbs or garlic are not browning - if so I remove the pan from the heat) - then with the burner turned off I let everything steep for 20-30 minutes, then strain to remove the soilds.

 

[Silver]

Silver, remember though that in order to get the best possible flavor from most any infused oil, do not cook with it. They should be added near the end of the cooking process (off the heat) or drizzled directly over the food before serving.

Thank you everyone for the tips.

IC, re this in particular, that makes sense. I would presume it would simply kill the flavour.

I bought some flavoured EVOO at Costco recently (garlic, basil, and hot pepper) and they were delicious to cook with - also don't need to be refrigerated - and no preservatives listed on the ingredients list. I can only assume it was prepared in a different way that essentially made those flavours "part of" the oil...if that makes sense.

In any event, now I know how to make short term solutions for home, so thanks!

 

[marmalady]

I bought some flavoured EVOO at Costco recently (garlic, basil, and hot pepper) and they were delicious to cook with - also don't need to be refrigerated - and no preservatives listed on the ingredients list. I can only assume it was prepared in a different way that essentially made those flavours "part of" the oil...if that makes sense.

quote]

I've often wondered about this, too, with any of the 'commercial' flavored oils. It's got to have something with the way they process the bottles once filled, that makes them safe enough to stay on the shelves in the markets. Like the difference between hot-water bath canning and pressure canning.

 

[jennyema]

To make commercial shelf-stable oil infused with fresh ingredients, the oil needs to be boiled for a certain amount of time or acidified.

That's why you only want to buy/use oil infused with fresh ingredients if it is from a reliable source. Not the kind of thing you want to use if it was possibly home made (like a bottle you'd buy at a craft fair or something).

 

[AlexR]

I buy the oils (lemon, garlic, basil, or herbes de Provence) ready-made in the nearby supermarket:

http://www.lesieur.fr/lesieur/fr/etudiant/communique_detail.html?input_annee=&input_keydata=26

These are stable and delicious.

No need to make it yourself and use it up quickly. An inexpensive and useful luxury.

Best regards,
Alex R.

 

[desertland]

I've also used Talyn's method in the past... it's simple, and I find that it gets the job done

 

[marmalady]

Jenny, tx - I figured they had to be heat processed. I just wonder how they keep the herbs/veggies, etc. looking so fresh!