what is vegetable shortening?

Question

I want to know the use of vegetable shortening...

Answer 1

Vegetable Shortening - A solid fat made from vegetable oils, such as soybean and cotton seed oil. Although made from oil, shortening has been chemically transformed into a sold state through hydrogenation. Vegetable shortening is virtually flavorless (has a bland, neutral flavor) and may be substituted for other fats (such as butter, margarine, or lard) in baking of pie pastry, cookies, and cakes. Shortening is ideal for pastry, since it blends well with the flour. It can be stored at room temperature for up to a year.

Vegetable shortening is the same thing as "Crisco" shortening in the grocery store. It is sold in cans and usually is found near the oils.


A cooking fat, which is basically flavorless, that is produced from vegetable oils. Through a manufacturing procedure known as hydrogenation, shortening is produced from oil and chemically transformed into a solid. During this process, the oil is converted into a saturated fat with trans fatty acids, and effectively removing the healthier polyunsaturated fats.
Shortening is used as an ingredient in many baked goods to "shorten" the amount of flour required, which makes breads, pastries and other baked goods tender and flaky. When used in making cookies, if shortening is used instead of butter, the cookie will have a fluffier texture, but will not be a flavorful. Using butter increases the amount of water, since most shortening does not contain water, resulting in a thinner dough and thus a thinner cookie. Therefore, a common procedure is to use half butter and half shortening to provide both texture and taste to the cookie. If an alternative fat is desired, there are a variety of fats available that can be substituted for shortening. When storing, shortening can be kept in an airtight container at room temperature for approximately 12 months.

Answer 2

Made from vegetable oils, vegetable shortening is a solid fat at room temperature because of a process called hydrogenation in which hydrogen is added to the oils. This changes the chemical characteristics of the oils, making them solid at room temperature. The process also creates trans-fatty acids, which transforms the healthy oils, composed largely of unsaturated fat, into less healthy fats containing mostly saturated fat.

Like lard, vegetable shortening is very useful in baking light and flaky pastries. Some varieties may have butter flavoring added, which improves the flavor and gives the shortening a light golden color. Vegetable shortening can be stored at room temperature for a year or more if it is tightly covered.

Common Uses: baking, frying

Answer 3

Vegetable shortening has many uses. It can replace lard in recipes, but best use for deep fat frying, Next time you make fried chicken try the shortening, it has a higher smoking point the vegetable oil so it can stand the heat longer and make for a better quality product. Also very good when making biscuits. Bakers use it when making cakes while homemakers use butter, they watch there cost..

Answer 4

It is the white shortening that comes in a can. You must have some version of it in Scotland. Here is a recipe that calls for butter: Ingredients 4 cups powdered or confectioners' sugar 1 cup unsalted butter 1 teaspoon vanilla extract 3 tablespoons milk Directions 1Cream together sugar and the butter. 2Add the vanilla. 3Add the milk and beat on a medium speed until it is a spreading consistency. 4If needed add additional milk, 1 teaspoon at a time until desired consistency is reached.

Answer 5

Both are good for you, each fruit/vegetable has different vitamins. Therefore as more variety, as better. Vegetables have generally less sugar than fruits.

Answer 6

its a kind of shortener that shortens

Answer 7

It's a shortning to cook with

Answer 8

its gross, its kinda like soild veggie oil

Answer 9

fat