Cooking Oils

High Cheese

High Cheese

Saucier
I'm beginning to use grapeseed oil as my primary cooking oil instead of olive oil. While olive oil has it's place, I think it imparts too much flavor at times. We have an array of oils but I don't like the flavors some have. For instance, canola always smells like fish to me and I hardly ever use it. I never use vegetable oil (unless it's the last thing we have). I like peanut for basic frying but I also use olive oil for pan frying too. I use cheapo, big tins of olive oil as my everyday oil but it's not too good as a finishing oil so we need a seperate, more expensive olive oil for that. Grapeseed oil is great. It has a high smoke point and very little flavor. I also found it easy to use as it doesn't get sticky or anything. I could probobly just use grapeseed oil exclusively and just have a nice bottle of Greek oilive oil as a finishing oil.
 
SilverSage

SilverSage

Resident Crone
I've never tried grapeseed oil, Jay. I use corn oil exclusively for cornbread; peanut oil for deep frying; and olive oil for almost everything else. Occasionally I use canola oil when I don't want the flavor of the olive oil.

It's funny you think it smells like fish. I have often remarked when I heat a skillet that I smell fish. I keep thinking my pan isn't clean and I re-scrub it. I have never connected it to the oil I'm using! I'm going to pay attention - I think you may have just solved my "smelly pan" problem! :tiphat:

I'm going to have to try grapeseed oil.
 
High Cheese

High Cheese

Saucier
We first bought a small bottle of it for like $5. But you can find it cheaper at an Asian market or BJ's. I love it!
 
C

ChowderMan

Pizza Chef
Super Site Supporter
>>canola always smells like fish to me

I just tripped over an article in americas test kitchen about that - they found that when heated canola went to the fishy side . . . .
 
Leni

Leni

New member
I do not like the taste of canola oil. I'll use vegetable or olive oil. Depending on what I'm cooking I'll use bacon drippings.
 
luvs

luvs

'lil Chef
Gold Site Supporter
i use canola, generally, here & there, i'll use olive 4 stuffs ; (chix parm & that)- othjer than that, give me my neutrals! i agree- olive oil imparts toooo much!
 
Keltin

Keltin

New member
Gold Site Supporter
I've noticed the somewhat fishy smell when Canola is heated up too. I wonder if it is because of the high Omega-3 content in Canola oil. Flaxseed Oil has an even higher Omega-3 content.

Has anyone every heated Flaxseed oil? If so, did it produce the fishy smell?

One thing I didn't know and found out today is that Canola oil comes from the seed of the Rapeseed plant (knew that part). Rapeseed is high in euric acid which can cause the oil to go rancid quickly, and is even toxic in high doses.

In 1974, a Canadian agricultural scientist named Baldur Steffanson introduced a variety of rapeseed with very low levels of euric acid, and was able to make stable and safe oil from the seeds. He called it "CANadian Oil, Low Acid". So Canola oil is just rapeseed oil with really low levels of euric acid. Interesting.

http://www.chow.com/food-news/53865/where-does-canola-oil-come-from/
 
lilbopeep

lilbopeep

🌹🐰 Still trying to get it right.
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Keltin said:
I've noticed the somewhat fishy smell when Canola is heated up too. I wonder if it is because of the high Omega-3 content in Canola oil. Flaxseed Oil has an even higher Omega-3 content.

Has anyone every heated Flaxseed oil? If so, did it produce the fishy smell?

One thing I didn't know and found out today is that Canola oil comes from the seed of the Rapeseed plant (knew that part). Rapeseed is high in euric acid which can cause the oil to go rancid quickly, and is even toxic in high doses.

In 1974, a Canadian agricultural scientist named Baldur Steffanson introduced a variety of rapeseed with very low levels of euric acid, and was able to make stable and safe oil from the seeds. He called it "CANadian Oil, Low Acid". So Canola oil is just rapeseed oil with really low levels of euric acid. Interesting.

http://www.chow.com/food-news/53865/where-does-canola-oil-come-from/
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I just started using grapeseed oil and flaxseed oil (which I can only find in small bottles for a high price. I am going to have to find larger bottles somewhere that won't put me in the poor house because they are healthy alts). Neither have a strong flavor or odor to me. I have only used the flaxseed for salad dressing so far. Other oils I use are EVOO, peanut and canola. I have never noticed a fishy smell but I will pay better attention next time. I never use veggie oil any more. I used to use safflower oil but haven't in awhile.
 
GotGarlic

GotGarlic

New member
I use olive oil (not extra-virgin, so its flavor is more neutral) for cooking and EVOO for finishing and for uncooked dishes; peanut oil for stir-fries and other Asian dishes; and a half and half mixture of canola and EVOO for Italian salad dressing.
 
lilbopeep

lilbopeep

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I forgot Sesame oil & Hot chili Sesame oil for Asian flavors.
 
Guts

Guts

New member
Grapeseed oil is one oil I have wanted to try for some time. The middle east food store where I live has it. I had some in the cart and put it back when I found some olive oil that looked good. Now I have to go back and get some...
 
lilbopeep

lilbopeep

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Guts said:
Grapeseed oil is one oil I have wanted to try for some time. The middle east food store where I live has it. I had some in the cart and put it back when I found some olive oil that looked good. Now I have to go back and get some...
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Do try the grapeseed oil I think you will like it. The flaxseed is VERY healthy loaded with the veggie version of omega-3. It says on the bottle to use it in smoothies and salad dressing. I think I will pass on the smoothies at this time. LOL But I used it in the pasta salad dressing and it is good. I just need to find larger bottles. The ones I have are MAYBE a 1 -2 cups MAYBE. I can only find peanut oil in quart bottles also. VERY strange as peanut oil is used to deep fry and you need a lot to fill a fryer.
 
lilbopeep

lilbopeep

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Has anyone tried cocnut oil?

[ame]http://www.amazon.com/Nutiva-Organic-Virgin-Coconut-54-Ounce/dp/B000GAT6NG/ref=pd_bxgy_gro_img_b[/ame]
 
luvs

luvs

'lil Chef
Gold Site Supporter
i also use lard. & butter. also clarified butter as per recipes/food items & coconut. & shortening/etcetera. & shamelessly so.

& pumpkin seed, other olives, macadamia, walnut, truffle, & other oils, those last several being used as finishing oils. i buy them from knowledge, inner wisdom, Chef's touting them, & then me purchasing those items that my Grandparents cooked when they were w/ us.
 
MexicoKaren

MexicoKaren

Joyfully Retired
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I have always thought that canola oil tasted fishy - I wonder if it that individual taste thing that also happens with cilantro (some people detect a soapy taste)? I have not seen any grapeseed il here, but I can occasioanlly find peanut oil. My main frying oils are corn oil, olive oil, butter, sesame oil, chili oil, lard (seldom).
 
lilbopeep

lilbopeep

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MexicoKaren said:
I have always thought that canola oil tasted fishy - I wonder if it that individual taste thing that also happens with cilantro (some people detect a soapy taste)? I have not seen any grapeseed il here, but I can occasioanlly find peanut oil. My main frying oils are corn oil, olive oil, butter, sesame oil, chili oil, lard (seldom).
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We can't stand cilantro. but isn't cumin the seed of cilantro? We like/use ground cumin and seeds (seeds in my crned beef spice). I haven't used corn oil for many years.
 
Guts

Guts

New member
You know peeps I didn't like cilantro until I tried it with just the leafs no stems! The stems are bitter and have a bad taste to me. Try just the leafs and you might change your mind? hard to tell how it is chopped up at a restraint and used in a dish.
 
buckytom

buckytom

Grill Master
High Cheese said:
I could probobly just use grapeseed oil exclusively and just have a nice bottle of Greek oilive oil as a finishing oil.
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that's pretty much what i do, although i also have italian evoo, and italian light olive oil for frying.

but grapeseed oil is my go to oil unless i'm cooking southern italian. and i love greek evoo. i must have used half a bottle this past summer drizzling ot over grilled asparagus, zucchini, and the like with a coarse finishing salt.
 
buckytom

buckytom

Grill Master
peeps, generally speaking (although i've seen them interchanged, especially in the uk and irealnd) cilantro is the leafy plant, coriander is it's seed.

both can be dried.

imo, coriander (seed) has a similar but much less pungent taste as cilantro (leaf).
 
SilverSage

SilverSage

Resident Crone
lilbopeep said:
Ok thanks SS. I knew it was one of them but I thought it was cilantro. Is a different part of the cilantro used as a dry spice?
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I guess I wasn't clear. Cilantro is the Spanish name for coriander. They are the same herb. It is also known as Chinese parsley. The leaves are commonly used in all parts of the world from Asia to Europe to the Americas.

Coriander seeds come from the same plant, but have a totally different flavor. Although we find them here, they are more commonly used in Indian and Asian cooking.
 
lilbopeep

lilbopeep

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SilverSage said:
I guess I wasn't clear. Cilantro is the Spanish name for coriander. They are the same herb. It is also known as Chinese parsley. The leaves are commonly used in all parts of the world from Asia to Europe to the Americas.

Coriander seeds come from the same plant, but have a totally different flavor. Although we find them here, they are more commonly used in Indian and Asian cooking.
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Thank you Bucky and SS. I use whole coriander seeds in my spice blend that I boil my corned beef with.
 
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