Which oil for what?

[cranberry]

OK, if there is anything that I suck at, it's cooking.

If I want to, say, fry an egg--what oil do I use?

As I understand, Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the best as far as Atkins eating is concerned, but I can't fry with it because it burns too quickly ... ??

Is Canola Oil okay for pan-frying? Moreover, is it my BEST choice?

[Desertthorn]

Acctually, use butter for the eggs and turn your heat down to medium. Your right about extra virgin, it isn't the best to cook with but yummy on salads. All other vegetable oils are allowed. I don't use canola because it was one of those products that was good for you when it came out on the market and then there was some really scary research about it later. According to DANRD you should not use corn or safflower or sunflower at high heat either.
Naja may come up with some words of wisdom soon.
Lynne

[2big4mysize]

actually you can use the extra virgin if you want. the proteins in the egg will denature at low temps arounf 112F so you can set the pan on low and cook it. it will take longer but it will cook. I use extra virgin for all foods below 300F which the italian cook on FOOD TV said was fine to fry with at those temps. If you need 425 for your turnip or cauliflower fries then you want a higher temp oil like canola or peanut.

[BluesDaddy]

What 2Big said!

I also use Extra Virgin a lot, though not for deep fat frying. The key is to heat your pan up first, then, when you're ready to fry your food, pour in the olive oil, coat the pan and then immediately put in your food. Honestly, I've never had a problem.

If you let the oil sit in the pan with no food it will start to smoke.

[cranberry]

Every time I fry something, I set the smoke alarm off. Every time.

[Anonymous]

This info might help you get a better idea of what certain oils are good for, and it might even save you on smoke alarm batteries! ;-)


I found the information below at http://www.care2.com/channels/solutions/home/143

Another really good way to reduce smoke from burning cooking oils is to choose your oils carefully, so you cook with oils that can handle high heat without smoking. For example, refined avocado oil can be heated to just under 500 F before smoking, while unrefined safflower oil will smoke when heated to just under 225 F.
Below is a chart adapted from research published by oil manufacturer Spectrum Naturals, that gives the smoke point of many oils. Try to never heat oils to their smoke point. Even if you do get a stove hood, using the right oil for the right heat is important.

Below 212 F
--Cooking Methods
Boil, steam, scald, stew, simmer, steep, parboil, salad dressings
--Oils You Should Use
Unrefined canola oil (smoke point is below 225 F)
Unrefined flaxseed oil (smoke point is below 225 F)
Unrefined safflower oil (smoke point 225 F)
Unrefined sunflower oil (smoke point is below 225 F)

Below 320 F--Cooking Methods
Low-heat baking, light sauté, pressure cooking
--Oils You Should Use
Unrefined corn oil (smoke point is below 32 F)
Unrefined peanut oil (smoke point is below 320 F)
Semirefined safflower oil (smoke point is below 320 F)
Unrefined soy oil (smoke point is below 320 F)
Unrefined high-Oleic sunflower oil (smoke point is below 320 F)
Unrefined walnut oil (smoke point is below 320 F)

Below 375 F
--Cooking Methods Baking sauté, stir-fry, wok cooking
--Oils You Should Use
Semirefined canola oil (smoke point is below 350 F)
Refined canola oil (smoke point is below 400 F)
Refined corn oil (smoke point is below 450 F)
Unrefined olive oil (smoke point is below 320)
Refined peanut oil (smoke point is below 450 F)
Refined safflower oil (smoke point is below blow 450 F)
Unrefined sesame oil (smoke point is below 350 F)
Semirefined sesame oil (smoke point is below 450 F)
Semirefined soy oil (smoke point is below 350 F)
Refined soy oil (smoke point is below blow 450 F)
Semirefined sunflower oil (smoke point is below 450 F)
Refined high-oleic sunflower oil (smoke point is below 450 F)
Semirefined walnut oil (smoke point is below 400 F)

Below 500 F
--Cooking Methods
Sear, brown, deep-fry.
--Oils You Should Use
Refined avocado oil has a smoke point of below 520 F, the highest temperature of all the plant oils.


I found the following information at http://missvickie.com/howto/spices/oils.html

There are several expeller-extracted oils that can handle high-heat cooking like sizzling stir-frying and deep-frying. Though refined, they're preferable to solvent-extracted oils. Refined peanut and high-oleic safflower and sunflower oils are other good alternatives. Never fry at high heats with corn oil, it's notorious for foaming and smoking. Some experts claim that the finest extra-virgin olive oils with exceedingly low acidity surpass other vegetable oils in heat resistance.

Some oils can tolerate high heat without causing carcinogenic compounds. Avocado 520° F Almond 495° F Coconut 450° F

Storing Oil
Whether refined or not, all oils are sensitive to heat, light and exposure to oxygen. Rancid oil has an unpleasant aroma and acrid taste, and its nutrients are greatly diminished. Regardless of refinement, it's best to store all oils in the refrigerator. Oils may thicken, but if you let them stand at room temperature they'll soon return to liquid. To prevent negative effects of heat and light, take oils out of cold storage just long enough to use them. Extra-virgin and virgin olive oils keep about a year after opening. Olive and other monounsaturated oils keep well up to eight months; unrefined polyunsaturated oils only about half as long. Refined oils high in monounsaturated fats keep up to a year in the refrigerator, while those high in polyunsaturated fats keep about six months.

[Anonymous]

Just found this site!!! Very comprehensive list of oil smoke points. I was searching on grapeseed oil, because if I remember correctly, this was one of the oils Dr. Atkins highly recommended.

http://www.goodeatsfanpage.com/CollectedInfo/OilSmokePoints.htm

Take care,
Hayley

[cranberry]

wow.. Those are awesome & helpful links. Thanks a lot!