What cooking oil should I use?

Most contemporary recipes call for “extra virgin olive oil”, in a vain attempt to appear “healthy”, “healthy” and “elegant”.

I select my cooking oils based on what I am preparing.

If I’m sautéing, browning, or wok frying, I use oils that have high smoke points.

What is a smoke point?

Each oil has its own “smoke point”, which is the temperature at which the oil begins to break down. Always select an oil that has a higher smoke point than whatever temperature you will be cooking at.

For example, “extra virgin olive oil” is not suitable for sautéing. Extra virgin olive oil has a smoke point of 274 ° F, while sautéing generally takes place at temperatures above 320 ° F. Extra virgin olive oil degrades at those temperatures. The by-products of this spoiled oil can be unpleasant and taste bad.

You will see that in most of my recipes I ask for “Extra Light Olive Oil”. That’s no fluke – extra light olive oil has a smoke point of 468 ° F. That’s good enough for most of my high-heat cooking. For wok stir frying, I prefer avocado oil, with a smoke point of 520 ° F, which pretty much guarantees I won’t burn it.

As an interesting aside, while butter is not good for cooking at temperatures above 302 ° F, its clarified cousin, Ghee, is good for cooking at temperatures up to 482 ° F.

Dump or swirl?

A big mistake most cooks make is pouring a lot of oil into a cold skillet and then setting the pan on the fire.

While this may be convenient, all it does is invite burnt oil.

Pans and most woks have a slanted edge. Accumulated oil tends to heat up around the edges unevenly. The immediate oil film on the thin edge will tend to overheat while most of the oil is still trying to reach temperature.

A preferred method by professionals is to place a dry skillet or wok directly on the heat and bring to temperature.

They test the temperature of the pot by spraying a few drops of water on the warming pot. If the water drips and sizzles, the pan is usually ready to receive the oil.

Spinning the oil means making an even layer in the pan. This can also be achieved by pouring in the oil and using a spatula to spread the oil.

When adding oil to a wok, drizzle the oil in a thin layer around the top edge of the wok, about halfway down the side. That way, the thin sheet of oil has a chance to heat up as it slides down the hot sides.

The other beneficial effect of adding oil to an already hot pan is that the pores in the metal will have opened and some of the oil will flow into the metal, increasing its natural tendency to be “nonstick”. A well seasoned wok will have a carbonized oil coating firmly embedded on its surface and thus make the wok virtually non-stick over time.Well used cast iron pans also exhibit this tendency to become naturally non-stick with time for the same reason.

What about nonstick pans?

The purpose of greasing a normal skillet is to try to prevent the food from sticking. The nonstick skillet doesn’t have that problem.

You can grease a nonstick skillet just like you would an uncoated skillet.

The only use for the oil in a nonstick skillet is to create a crunchy medium that adds a bit of color and flavor to the food being cooked.

Can I use cooking spray in a nonstick skillet?

My immediate response is a resounding “NO!”

Stay away and resist the urge to use cooking sprays in nonstick pans, no matter what the manufacturer or your friends say.

Cooking sprays are only designed for use with unlined pots and also for oil cold grills.

When you use a cooking spray on a heated nonstick skillet, some of the material in the cooking spray immediately breaks down, sticks to the surface of the pan, and sticks to the pan liner. This causes a very thin film of material that makes the pan “sticky”. The thin, candy-shell-like coating does not rub off and heavy scrubbing with an abrasive can ruin the original coating.

Can I wash those oiled pans?

My immediate response is again, “No!”

Cleaning such a pan requires the use of something as simple as a piece of newspaper and a little hot water. Rinse the pan, then use a piece of newspaper to clean the pan and dry it. For the purists, I suggest rinsing the pan under running hot water and then patting it dry with paper towels.

It is good practice to clean a thin layer of fresh oil on a rinsed and dry cast iron skillet. Place the dry, oiled skillet in a hot oven to dry completely. Bring the pan to about 200 ° F and leave it for about 15 minutes. Then let the pan come to room temperature and wipe off any residual oil well before storing.

Treat a wok the same way.

I use a bamboo brush made specifically for scrubbing woks. I clean my woks immediately after cooking by placing them under extremely hot running water and vigorously scrubbing the inside with the bamboo brush to remove any sticky food. I am not tightening enough to damage the liner.

Then I immediately dry the wok with paper towels, rub a thin layer of fresh oil over the inside of the wok, and put it back on the heat. I heat the wok a little until it is too hot to touch. Then I take the wok off the heat and let it cool naturally. When the wok reaches room temperature, I wipe off the excess oil and then it goes to the storage area of ​​my skillet.

If you are a little careful with your cooking pans, they will serve you well for years to come.

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