The big question I always face when trying to decide which cooking oil to buy is “How does it taste?” I don’t know about you, but I hesitate to experiment with something that can be pretty pricey per ounce (especially if I end up not liking it and then am stuck with a bottle of unused cooking oil for years).
At the grocery store I will stare at dozens of cooking oils with fancy labels from a multitude of international countries (Italy, Greece, Turkey, Lebanon, Spain), or from some domestic sources (California, Oregon, Texas, Arizona). They all look good, but weeding them out is sometimes too challenging. Which one to dip bread … which one to use for salad dressing … which one to smear on my cast iron skillet?
Oh, I know EVOO (Extra Virgin Olive Oil as abbreviated by the Food Network’s Rachel Ray) is a good bet and on the healthier side, but sometimes I just want my choice to be simple so I can stock my shelves with the right cooking oils and not have to think about them.
Recently, while browsing through Family Circle magazine, I came upon a wonderful cooking oil comparison chart under the heading “Time for an Oil Change?” This handy guide for your use is reprinted here with permission:
FAMILY CIRCLE® COOKING OIL GUIDE
|
Oil Type |
Flavor |
Use It For |
|
Extra Virgin Olive Oil |
Produced from the first pressing of olives that have been picked the same day, it has a strong olive flavor and a peppery finish. |
Salad dressings or as a condiment. The oil’s low smoke point means it can give food an unpleasant flavor if cooked on high heat. |
|
Pure (regular) |
Made during subsequent olive pressings, with some filtering and refining. Mild olive flavor. |
Low- to medium-heat cooking and sautéing (since it has a higher smoke point), and in dressings. |
|
Canola Oil |
Pressed from canola seeds, this mild-flavored, omega-3-rich oil has the least amount of saturated fat of all oils. |
Cooking, frying, and baking; its high smoke point makes it a good all-purpose oil. |
|
Corn Oil |
Made from the germ of corn kernels, this vegetable oil is almost tasteless. |
Frying – corn oil has a high smoke point and adds no flavor. Can also be used for sautéing. |
|
Flaxseed Oil |
With the highest concentration of omega-3 fatty acids of any nonfish food, this oil has a nutty flavor. |
Salad dressings and for topping vegetables, since heating destroys its omega-3s. |
|
Walnut Oil |
Contains omega-3s and vitamin E. Has a distinct walnut flavor, so use only a small amount. |
Salad dressings and to drizzle on vegetables. More expensive so refrigerate to extend shelf life. |
Source: Family Circle Magazine, Sept.08, Page 169
“Nutrition Notes”
Copyright © 2008, Meredith Corporation
Based on this chart, it makes sense that some cooking oils are better used for certain cooking tasks than others. I will stick to my 2 regular choices (EVOO and Canola oil), but I’m thinking about adding Walnut oil to my shelf, too.
For more information about various cooking oils, check out these other great websites:
Olive Oil Speculation – Everything you need to know to choose the healthiest, tastiest oil
Cooking Oils Guide from eatingwell.com
Happy cooking oil shopping and cookbook making!
Matilda
Making a recipe book? Check out all the recipe software and cookbook binding supplies we have at CookbookPeople.com.
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