What cooking oils need to be on hand for a properly stocked kitchen?

[Titus0327]

There are so many different oils out there with so many different properties, ie. smoke points, flavors, health benefits, etc, I am finding it difficult to decide which oils to keep on hand on a regular basis. Ive done some research on the internet about what oils are good for what, but every time I look my list just keeps getting longer and longer.

Heres what I think I need......

An everyday cheaper cooking oil....
A higher smokepoint cooking oil....
An oil for deep frying....
And a finishing oil....
Id also like to keep an oil on hand that would be good to make my own flavored oils with.

Im just not sure which oils are best for these jobs.

I currently keep only an inexpensive extra virgin olive oil on hand for everyday use. I also have a bottle of Wegmans (a local supermarket) Basting Oil, that I use for roasting vegetables or searing steaks. Its a flavored oil with herbs in it. When I look at the ingredients in this "basting oil" it says...grapeseed oil, canola oil, dried thyme, dried parsley, and natural garlic flavor. Because this product has grapeseed and canola oil, I assume it has a higher smoke point.

I dont mind spending a little more money on oils ecspeccially if the product is of better quality and worth it.

My thinking is.....I should keep..... a cheaper extra virgin olive oil for everyday cooking that doesnt necessitate a high smoking point. I'm also thinking of keeping a grapeseed oil on hand for things that do necessitate a higher smoke point, ie. searing a steak. It seems most people recommend peanut oil for deep frying. What should I use as a finishing oil? A more expensive extra virgin olive oil? Also, what oils are good for making my own flavored oils? Am I missing something? Are there other oils to keep on hand? Also, what oils are best for dipping bread in? Making a vinaigrette? What I dont wanna do is end up keeping 10 different oils on hand for 10 different uses.

Any and all suggestions is appreciated.
Thanks in advance,
Chris

[escondido123]

95% of the time I use an Extra Virgin Olive Oil I buy at Trader Joes. For pancakes and such I have a bottle of canola oil. If I'm going to do deep fat frying I will make a special trip for peanut oil. Right now I have 4 speciality oils in the frig--Walnut and Hazelnut for specific salads, toasted Sesame for Asian dishes and a Grapeseed oil that I bought 3 months ago and have yet had an occasion to use. PS I can't imagine needing a special oil to sear a steak, I usually find a little Kosher salt and a hot cast iron pan do the trick.

[todao]

I use the less expensive olive oil, not EVOO, for frying and similar cooking processes. I save the higher quality EVOO to drizzle over salads etc. when I want to enjoy the oil's full flavor.
IMO, here's a list of oils worth keeping on hand:
Olive oil
Extra Virgin Olive Oil
Canola Oil
Grape seed Oil
Walnut Oil (small bottle; short shelf life)
Sesame Oil
Fish Oil

[fourunder]

I would add....

Vegetable
Corn
Peanut

especially if you're into Chinese cooking

[ediblover]

The only ones I make a point to keep are extra virgin olive oil and canola oil. Others I usually have around are sesame and truffle oil, because the former is a must for Asian and the latter is a cheap but effective trick.

Olive oil goes south as soon as you open the bottle so I wouldn't bother keeping different versions. Besides, like wine, the flavor changes year to year so it's not very practical to find an awesome finisher each year.

Oils for flavors, dipping and vinaigrette depend on the type you're going for. But, when in doubt, go with olive oil, since it's subtle flavor is great for all of those things.

Out of the 4 I usually have, I can do without the truffle for sure. It would be hard, but I can also drop sesame. I mind as well give up home cooking if I can't use canola and/or olive. I say just start with those 2 and get what you need after. Odds are you'll eventually need sesame, but canola and olive covers just about everything else.

[Jay F]

I only keep EVOO in the house regularly. I don't do enough frying that it makes a difference to keep a "frying only" oil. They always go rancid. If I cooked more Asian foods, I'd also have some dark sesame oil as a finishing oil. I buy the smallest possible bottle of sesame oil when I need it, then try to use it up before it turns.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Titus,

You have it right. I will have a high smoke point cooking oil for any high temperature cooking like stir fry, pan fry... etc. Grapeseed oil is a good point, peanut oil is a good choice, corn oil is good as well, just pick something with a high smoke point and with a more neutral flavor. Extra virgin olive oil will smoke like hell at high temperature and all the health benefits can go out the door when the oil is degraded at high temperature. More harm than good at that point.

As for finishing oil just pick the flavor you like the best. You may like extra virgin olive oil, but you may also like roasted sesame oil.. whatever you like or need. Extra virgin olive oil goes bad pretty fast, so I won't keep like a lot of variations at home.

[lilgi]

When I first introduced peanut oil into my cooking, it was as if the heavens opened and the seas parted. I keep Peanut, Canola, Corn, Vegetable, AP Olive Oil, Imported Dark Extra Virgin Olive oil, and Walnut oil for some dressings. Have not ventured into Grapeseed oil, I think I've used Canola in its place.

[escondido123]

If you have any interest in Walnut or Hazelnut (great on green beans) Oil, check out the gourmet foods section at your local Home Goods....good prices.

[Zeldog]

Finishing oil is a new term for me, and from your description basting oil is a marketing term for a flavored oil you could easily make yourself. And price and healthiness are factors to consider as well. But since this is basically a poll, here's what I use:

Deep frying and stir fry -- safflower oil. Sure, grape seed oil has a smoke point of 480F compared to around 450 for safflower, peanut, canola and others, but what do you fry at 480F?. Safflower oil's mono-unsaturated fats are mostly omega-3 fats. Omega-3s are supposed to be healthier than omega-6 fats, which is what canola has most of. Safflower oil can be hard to find at a decent price, though. For deep frying, I use a blend of safflower oil and lard (home rendered, not the hydrogenated stuff).

Sautes and other medium temp dishes -- a good but not expensive extra virgin olive oil. TJ's has several that are good. Also Kirkland brand from Costco, which is what I currently use.

Salads and bread dipping -- an excellent olive oil is essential. There's no consensus as to what's the best tasting olive, but in my experience the oils from Spain have a rich, fruity taste unmatched by anything "bottled in Italy", which means the oil could have come from just about anywhere. Trader Joe's currently has two very good Spanish oils at a decent price.

Dipping -- If you're not a vegetarian, there's nothing better to dip your bread in than duck fat. Otherwise, the excellent olive oil.

Eggs -- duck fat if I have some on hand, otherwise any neutral vegetable oil, or bacon fat if I have some (pig fat is marginally healthier than butter), or butter.

Potatoes, not deep fried -- duck fat. If vegetarian, any vegetable oil will do.

Searing -- I agree with Escondido. You should not need added oil for searing meat, unless the meat is really lean, in which case you should reconsider searing it. But if you are searing at a really high temperature and are worried about charring, rub with safflower oil or whatever you use for deep frying/stir fry.

Flavored oils -- I don't make flavored oils, but if I did I would use the every day olive oil.

So, let's see. That's 1 good olive oil, 1 excellent olive oil, safflower oil, duck fat, non-hydrogenated lard (if you're into that sort of thing), and whatever specialty oils in tiny bottles you like (walnut, sesame, avocado). That's 5 basic oils (fats, if you want to get technical), 3 if you are vegetarian.

[ediblover]

A bit of a misconception with the safflower and canola. Canola has a very favorable 3 to 6 ratio (at 1:2) and is one of the few vegetable sources (others being walnuts, flaxseed and algae) of omega 3. But, that's pretty meaningless since most plant sources suck compared to the animal (well, fish) sources. As far as plants go (Then again, it's not like there are a ton of animal choices), the only great choice for omega 3 are algae, since they have the same type that eventually end up in fish.

[Titus0327]

This may be getting off topic but...... Im a little confused about searing a steak. Everything Ive read or been told in regards to searing a steak involves a fat of some sort. It seems some people put a dab of butter in the cast iron skillet, while others rub the steak with olive oil and then their seasonings. Either way, when I do it this way it creates a ton of smoke, so Ive always assumed Ive needed to use a higher smoke point oil. Am I wrong?

[escondido123]

If the pan is hot the butter will just burn and the oil will certainly smoke. If the steak is marbled, a little kosher salt is all you'll need. Try it and see.

[Chemicalkinetics]

Not wrong in my opinion. Usually people mix butter with oil to decrease the smoke and to preserve the butter flavor.

[Bliss149]

where does one get duck fat?

[hypomyces]

Peanut oil-for stir frying
Canola oil-for mayonnaise & other 'tasteless' oil needs
Olive oil-for cooking
Cold pressed, non-filtered olive oil- Nunez de Prado 'Fleur de l'Huile' from Spain AMAZING
Toasted sesame seed oil-always handy
Walnut and Hazelnut oils for salads and vinaigrettes (walnut and apple cole slaw)
Truffle oil- a few drops to finish. Great with celeri root cream soup, on risotto, with Jerusalem artichokes- it is expensive, but a great flavor enhancer and 'a little drop will do 'ya'

[sushigirlie]

EVOO
Grapeseed oil or equivalent

[lilgi]

"Luque Early Harvest" Olive Oil - from Spain, purchased at Fairway. LOVE it!! +2 on Spanish Olive oil :)

[sedimental]

My cooking oils are
Peanut oil
safflower oil
2 olive oils (one expensive and one TJ's or Kirklands)
coconut oil

Flavor oils are:
sesame oil
walnut oil
garlic oil
lemon oil
Truffle oil

I must use it fairly fast because I have never had it go rancid or have an "off flavor". I store my deep fry oils (not used much) in the freezer and some of my flavor oils in the fridge. The EVOO's I use every day so they get replaced fast.

[chefathome]

In addition to many oils mentioned I also make my own in small batches so they will not go rancid. Favourites include annatto, basil, roasted garlic and chipotle.

My must-haves include:

Extra Virgin Olive Oil (some pricey stuff for finishing)
Olive Oil
Walnut
Fish
Hazelnut
Peanut
Lemon
Canola or Vegetable
Grapeseed
Dark Sesame
REAL truffle oil (terribly expensive but I love it), not just the infused stuff

My oils, although I have lots, are usually in small containers so do not go rancid plus I keep a few refrigerated. However, as I use a lot of extra virgin olive oil I purchase it by the 1 or 3 L containers.

[ediblover]

I'm curious about the lemon and fish. Well, it's safe guess that the lemon is just lemon infused olive oil, but fish? Completely lost on that one.

[chefathome]

The fish oil is often used for health benefits but you can purchase good lemon or orange flavoured fish oil to actually add to dishes. To prevent destroying the benefits of using it I wouldn't heat it. An example is here...http://www.carlsonlabs.com/rec... Also contains recipe ideas.

[ediblover]

I'm trying to decide whether or not my mind has been blown by this. Like many, I often take fish oil supplements and each time I hope that I don't end up tasting it later on. To purposely add it to a dish is... Uh... What the hell is going on here?!

[Harters]

I seem to get by with just olive and sunflower oils

[Duppie]

Extra virgin olive oil for light sauteing and salad / pasta dish dressing.
Peanut oil for stir frying and most Asian prep.
Rice bran oil for deep frying.
Sesame oil, both toasted and chili for seasoning.
And while not a oil per se, bacon fat for just about every thing else.
If you have friends like mine you have inevitably accumulated numerous gifted flavored oils and vinegars which I discreetly dispose of since most of my oil needs can be met with the above.

[LovinSpoonful]

I have a fairly limited oil palette:

EVOO, a larger size cheap variety from either Whole Foods or Trader Joe's that I use for frying, sauteing, dressings, marinades, etc. I go through a quart in a few weeks.

A smaller, higher quality EVOO for dipping breads, drizzling, etc.

Vegetable oil for any frying where I don't want a real flavor to come through, like for crab cakes, chicken parts, and for making things like roux for gumbo, etc.

Toasted sesame oil. I go though a ton of this in the summer as it is a standard ingredient in a few of my go-to marinades for fish and chicken.

Peanut oil for frying.

I saw an article in the NYTimes last Sunday about coconut oil that has me convinced I need to try it.

[lilgi]

Please tell, I'd be interested in knowing about this.