My favorite vinaigrette consists of toasted nut oil, walnut mustard, sherry vinaigrette, finely diced shallots. It’s fantastic with my shaved fennel, blue cheese & pomegranate salad 
2 Likes
If you’re in the U.S., WalMart always has it for really good prices (and free 1 or 2 day shipping when you spend $35 on your order).
1 Like
I use olive oil 90% of the time.
Small bottle of evoo for salad dressings
Butter
Safflower or sunflower oil
Toasted sesame oil
I also have bacon and duck fat, peanut and coconut oil.
I use a variety of oils, but the one I use by far the most is a can of spray oil. I use it sparingly. I can do wonderful stir frying with it. Sometimes I put vegetables in with no oil for a little bit , and then spray a bit on top and then toss. Can be olive oil or canola, I buy and use both.
If you love food (and I assume that’s why you are here), I implore you to broaden your oil horizon and usage. Spray can oil is … kinda sad.
1 Like
I am. But I do try to avoid W-M both in person and online. And $35 of olive oil is going to be way more than I can use in a timely manner.
1 Like
Well… you could order other stuff. I order a lot of pantry, paper, etc. from them… and while I get some folks are less than enthused about the brand, during the pandemic I became a fan.
Like I said, I use a variety of oils. Maybe you missed that part. I just didn’t feel like coming up with a laundry list of the possibilities.
However, it intrigues me that you find it sad. The spray is a question of control. When I use so little , it doesn’t matter quite so much what I use. If I had simply said olive oil then I don’t think you’d find it sad, but when I use an OO spray, suddenly it elicits some kind of negative reaction.
I can stir fry at a very high heat and, with using so little oil, get a nice smoky effect. The vegetables retain a nice snap to them. The one who should (and does) complain is my wife as the kitchen can get smoky using this technique.
Fortunately, the complaints have dwindled down over the years. Whether that is due to the quality of the final product or my premature deafness, I am reluctant to say.
I didn’t miss it, I just thought it was odd that spray can oil was your preferred choice. I suppose I don’t assume those spray can olive oils are of any notable quality, but if it works for you that’s great.
I am not using much, so the quality, fwiw, doesn’t really impact. Do you think Chinese kitchens are using a ‘quality’ oil? Sometimes to make impressive food you don’t need to worry about special ingredients.
I primarily stick with olive oil and avocado oil these days. Usually it’s Costco olive oil and EVOO (Tuscano). Avocado is my new favorite for high heat cooking and general sautee.
On the rare occasion I deep fry, I have used both vegetable and canola. I haven’t fried in a long time, but I’d go with avocado now.
I use sesame oil in marinades and certain recipes. Tried coconut and didn’t like it. Fine if you want me to cook a curry or some other dish were coconut belongs, but no on everything else.
I have grapeseed when I need a neutral oil, and also for seasoning carbon steel pans. Used to season with flaxseed oil, but just didn’t need it for anything else. I was gifted walnut oil and I have no idea what to do with it.
1 Like
Well, they’re certainly not using oil from a spray can.
3 Likes
I’m pretty ecumenical about oils. For cooking oils, I keep avocado, peanut, canola, refined rice bran, and a light EVOO. I also keep bacon grease, schmalz, (usually) duck fat, and Crisco.
For flavoring oils, several EVOOs, walnut, raw rice bran, and raw and toasted sesame.
.
Sunflower oil, corn oil, a couple of olive oils, and a couple of butters are what I usually have on hand. Occasionally, I’ll buy a jar of coconut oil.
I’d love to have bacon fat on hand, but I don’t do bacon all that often… and even when I do, there is not a lot leftover.
How long does it take you to accumulate a reasonable amount of pork fat?
Well, that depends on what you consider reasonable and what cuts of pork you customarily buy! I can generally make a cup or so of lard from the fat of a couple loins and perhaps a shoulder.
1 Like
Never do loins, but occasionally will do a shoulder or butt for carnitas. Can’t say I have ever gotten a cup from it, but that maybe the way I am cooking/broiling it for crispy carnitas.
The fat left in the pan after you make carnitas is lard.
Do you use rice bran oil for general sauteeing, or something more specific? Is it neutral tasting? I see the rice bran oil a lot at Asian markets, but know very little about how it is best used.
Corn- Deep frying and pan frying. I also flavor it in small spray bottles (pepper, black pepper seed, garlic, bay leaves, etc)
Peanut- Most deep frying
EVOO- finishing, light pan frying
Canola- pan fried fish
Coconut, curries, and anything I’m going to mix coconut milk into
Schmaltz- potatoes/roasted veggies
Bacon fat and lard- Almost anything. Wish I had enough for a deep fryer. Imagine bacon fat fried fries. Damn
Lanolin- Anything you want with that dark, meaty depth. Just can’t toss it.
Turkey fat- (see schmaltz)
Roasted sesame oil- Perfect addition to so many things
Castor-hair
Mineral oil w/salicylic acid- dandruff
