I try to keep as few on hand as possible, but here are my killers…
California Olive Ranch EVOO 100% CA - I use this for almost everything (except traditional frying). Even when recipes call for neutral oil, the dish is always better with this stuff.
Colavita Canola - Pan frying. I don’t deep fry, but this works/tastes great for the shallow frying I do.
Sesame - Don’t buy/stock it… but have seeds on hand that I toast and Vitamix with EVOO when I need it.
Others I like but rarely have on hand…
Coconut - I like it, but rarely have it on hand, and not sure what it is best for.
Lard - Seriously yum for some things (like carnitas and some baked goods), but usually try and replace it with above options.
Canola or grapeseed for most cooking and roasting. Sometimes sesame (not toasted) / gingelly. During the pandemic we used mostly avocado oil. (I kind of wish peanut and rice bran oil were more easily available in smaller size, because I prefer the flavor.)
Extra virgin olive oil for salads or finishing. I usually have a couple of different types.
Toasted sesame oil for Chinese and Japanese dishes.
Mustard oil for specific dishes.
Not oil but still in the cooking fat category – ghee and butter, both used for specific things quite often.
No lard, no shortening. I stock coconut oil but I don’t cook with it.
What I have in stock:
Vegetable Oil - my “go to” for basic frying
Extra Virgin Olive Oil - lightly pour on noodles and other Italian dishes and some frying with butter
Canola Oil - I mainly use this for seasoning my cast iron skillets, but will occasionally fry certain items in it.
Sesame Oil - added to some Asian dishes (for taste)
Avocado Oil - For spritzing on air fryer items.
Non-stick spray - for baking items in the convection oven, so they don’t stick to the cooking tray
Bacon Fat - for making eggs over easy
Vegetable shortening - experimenting with pie crusts and certain desserts. I might try the butter flavored Crisco and see if there is a difference.
I keep Sprouts branded extra virgin olive oil as my cooking olive oil.
I keep a few bottles of fancy olive oil:
La Megara from Tunesia and Adams Olive Ranch Ava’s Acre for vinaigrettes and drizzling. Laudemio for when the olive oil is the star of the show.
I keep safflower or sunflower oil, whichever I can find in glass bottles as I’m trying to reduce my consumption of single use plastic. I dislike canola oil as it sometimes tastes fishy to me.
I mostly use olive oil (Greek, Italian or Portuguese) and vegetable oil (prefer sunflower or whatever goes into vegetable oil to canola) . Crisco vegetable shortening for pie crust.
Also, toasted sesame oil.
I keep rendered duck and goose fat for a while but rarely use it before tossing it.
I always have California Olive Ranch olive oil, a big jug of peanut oil for cooking, some fancy olive oil in a small bottle, toasted sesame, ghee, butter (Plugra salted), Crisco, and bacon fat.
In the pantry:
Expeller pressed walnut oil and/or avocado oil - frying, sauteing
Extra virgin olive oil - salads, some cooking (but not at very high temps)
Shortening - deep frying, pastry
In the fridge:
Toasted sesame oil - dressings, sauces, stir fries (usually drizzled in at the end)
Chile oil/crisp - condiment, sauce addition
Cold pressed walnut oil - dressings
Cold pressed pumpkin seed oil - dressings
In the freezer:
Unsalted butter
Rendered pork fat/drippings
Rendered beef fat
Rendered duck fat
I also use:
Peanut oil for deep frying
Coconut oil for curries/SE asia dishes/stir fries/anything where I want a hint of coconut flavor
Non-fancy (but still extra virgin) olive oil
Butter
Duck/chicken fat
Rendered tallow/lard
Extra virgin olive oil: 1 for cooking and baking, a few really flavourful ones for drizzling.
Home rendered lard: baking and frying
Duck fat: frying, making confit
Sesame oil: asian foods cooked and uncooked
Butter and clarified butter: slathered on bread, cooking, baking
Coconut oil: for cooking some south Indian recipes and for some baking
Peanut oil: deep frying
Pumpkinseed oil: salads
Walnut and hazelnut oil: baking, salads
Suet: steamed puddings
Everyday oils/fats:
Kirkland EVOO
Vegetable or Canola oil
Butter
Toasted Sesame oil (I often make stir fry or dipping sauces)
Some other fancy EVOO for salads and drizzling
“Special” fats:
Duck fat. I make duck once or twice a year and always save the fat.
Crisco for holiday baking
Plugra or other European butter if I’m baking a lot of bread
California Olive Ranch EVOO is my go-to. I aim for 100% CA, but sometimes it’s not available and have to go with their Global Medium (which isn’t bad, but it’s no the 100% CA).
Toasted sesame oil
Peanut oil
Canola oil
Walnut Oil (probably need to get rid of since I’ve rarely used it)
Duck fat (most in my freezer)
Fun little read. I only use Crisco to grease bread pans, but after forty years of baking they are brown and slick enough I could probably forego it. It does, however, do a great job at this task.
I rarely use walnut either and do not keep it on hand. It is a bit of a shame. Walnut oil and raspberry infused wine vinegar on a Bibb lettuce salad is one of my favorites.
