Cooking Oils

With many options of cooking oil on the grocery shelves it may be difficult for the at-home cook to decide which oils are right for the foods they are cooking. With a little knowledge, the most novice cook can choose the correct cooking oil for every dish.

First to consider is the difference between refined and unrefined cooking oils. Refined cooking oils have been stripped of most taste and color and likely are light in color. They will not add smell or taste to the foods that are fried in them. Refined cooking oils are best for frying foods while unrefined cooking oils are usually considered ‘salad oils’. Unrefined cooking oils have greater nutritional qualities than do refined cooking oils.

Refined cooking oils have a higher smoke point than their unrefined counterparts. This means that they won’t begin to decompose and create smoke until they reach a much higher temperature. Most unrefined cooking oils should not be heated above 320 degrees Fahrenheit. This will cause the cooking oil to add unpleasant tastes and odors to the food being cooked in it.

As a word of caution about heating cooking oils: Even refined cooking oils have a fire or “flash” point. At 600-700 degrees Fahrenheit cooking oils may start to boil and create small flames. Cooking oil fires should never be distinguished with water, which can cause the oil to splatter and spread, but instead should be smothered with a lid, baking soda or a fire extinguisher.