Cooking Oil

[Nyboy]

This weekend a friend is bringing over some green tomatoes, which we plan to fry. Went to supermarket for oil, must have been over 50 different kinds!! which do you use?

 

[canesisters]

I use plain old veggi oil.

But I suppose any that floats you boat will be fine.

 

[Nyboy]

what is cold pressed and virgin some even said extra virgin not sure how that works.

 

[Ridgerunner]

Sounds like you are talking about olive oil. The virgin or extra virgin refers to how many times the olives were pressed to get that oil. Extra virgin is first pressing. It should be clearer than regular virgin olive oil.

Im guessing the cold part of that has something to do with how clear it is too or something like that. Not sure but Id guess it is more special and more expensive.

Ill offend some purists by saying either will work. Even canola oil will work and is less likely to burn. To me, pure personal preference.

 

[hoodat]

The first rule for me is it HAS to be non GMO; not necessarily organic although that is nice also. I never buy olive oil that came from Italy. TheSicillian Mafia has control of that and there has been one scandal after another of Italian olive oil being cut with cheaper (and inferior) hazel nut oils from Turkey. Fortunately Monsanto hasn't gotten around to GMOing olive trees yet; at least I think they haven't. I buy only California certified olive oil. Olive trees aren't much bothered by pests so the trees were probably never sprayed with insecticides or fungicides.

 

[JimWWhite]

Olive oil is good but it easily burns and that can make it a lot less healthy. We use grapeseed oil for all of our sauteing and frying needs. It takes a much higher temp and it's a good oil. Walnut and avocado oil are also supposed to be good oils to cook with too though we've not used them. Grapeseed oil is on par with olive oil in price and a lot cheaper than the walnut or avocado oils.

 

[hoodat]

Probably the best high temp oil is peanut oil but it's very hard to find non GMO peanut oil any more.

 

[thistlebloom]

What Jim said. I also like grapeseed oil because it's very mild. Olive oil is good, but kinda strong for a lot of things IMO.

 

[ninnymary]

For frying I use canola oil. It's a healthy oil and not too expensive.

Mary

 

[baymule]

Nyboy, anything with soy oil, corn oil, or canola oil is almost certain to be 100% GMO. I never buy any of it. I use olive oil for frying or sunflower oil. I use coconut oil for baking or butter-never margarine.