When would I NOT want to use Extra Virgin Olive Oil when cooking?

Question

They sell other types besides EVOO, but what are they best used for?

Answer 1

I realize that Rachael Ray seems to use EVOO for every cooking purpose under the sun, but most serious cooks would tell you to save the EV for salad dressings, dipping oils, and occasions when the cooking is short and/or the heat is low. Extra-virgin oils have a complex flavor profile that doesn't survive a lot of high heat. Plain old pure olive oil is fine for most cooking purposes. I buy pure olive oil in the large, metal tins and use that for almost all kitchen functions, saving the EVOO for drizzling.

You would also want to use a lower grade of olive oil any time that you didn't want the fruity olive oil flavor to be as pronounced, such as in baking breads, etc.

Olive oil in general is great for a quick sauté, but not good for deep frying, as it has a fairly low smoke point.

Answer 2

Extra virgin olive oil really isn't appropriate for high heat applications (grilling, sauteing, deep fat frying, etc.) since it can cause the oil to lose some of its flavor. Some also believe that it causes the fats to oxidize, but I am not sure about this. However, the flavor of good extra virgin olive oil is special and worth preserving, so save it for dressings and drizzling over cooked foods before service. Use pure or virgin olive oil for high heat applications. You'll save money and shouldn't notice any difference.

Answer 3

I use EVOO for regular cooking--sauteeing etc. But when I bake, I use vegetable oil or butter. Olive oil has a funny flavor in sweet baked goods.

Answer 4

i was working on a recipe for a pasta dish the other day and I needed to cook up some thick cuts of pancetta and it said to not use olive oil because the pancetta has its own special oil in the meat and that the olive oil was not good at high temps. i don't use it for baking of any kind and just use regular old canola oil.

otherwise, I use olive oil for everything.

Answer 5

A lot of people I know still use olive oil.I know a lot of the cooking shows always tell you to use theEVOO.There is more of a markup on EVOO.Some people swear they can taste the difference (not me) olive oil is used for frying,making marinades, and making salad dressings. Its used the same way that you use EVOO.Pick up a bottle and try using it and see how you like it.

Answer 6

This definition pretty much says it all, but I do know in my Italian household we only use evoo for salads & very light sauteeing ( low heat point)

Definition: Pressing tree-ripened olives extracts a flavorful, monounsaturated oil that is prized throughout the world both for cooking (particularly in Mediterranean countries) and for salads. Today's marketplace provides a wide selection of domestic olive oil (most of which comes from California) and imported oils from France, Greece, Italy and Spain. The flavor, color and fragrance of olive oils can vary dramatically depending on distinctions such as growing region and the crop's condition. All olive oils are graded in accordance with the degree of acidity they contain. The best are cold-pressed, a chemical-free process that involves only pressure, which produces a natural level of low acidity. Extra virgin olive oil, the cold-pressed result of the first pressing of the olives, is only 1 percent acid. It's considered the finest and fruitiest of the olive oils and is therefore also the most expensive. Extra virgin olive oil can range from a crystalline champagne color to greenish-golden to bright green. In general, the deeper the color, the more intense the olive flavor. After extra virgin, olive oils are classified in order of ascending acidity. Virgin olive oil is also a first-press oil, with a slightly higher level of acidity of between 1 and 3 percent. Fino olive oil is a blend of extra virgin and virgin oils (fino is Italian for "fine"). Products labeled simply olive oil (once called pure olive oil) contain a combination of refined olive oil and virgin or extra virgin oil. The new light olive oil contains the same amount of beneficial monounsaturated fat as regular olive oil...and it also has exactly the same number of calories. What the term "light" refers to is that--because of an extremely fine filtration process--this olive oil is lighter in both color and fragrance, and has little of the classic olive-oil flavor. It's this rather nondescript flavor that makes "light" olive oil perfect for baking and cooking where regular olive oil's obvious essence might be undesirable. The filtration process for this light-style oil also gives it a higher smoke point than regular olive oil. Light olive oils can therefore be used for high-heat frying, whereas regular olive oil is better suited for low- to medium-heat cooking, as well as for many uncooked foods such as salad dressings and marinades. The International Olive Oil Institute recommends using pure olive oil for frying, since the flavor of extra virgin olive oil tends to break down at frying temperatures, making the added expense a waste. Olive oil should be stored in a cool, dark place for up to 6 months. It can be refrigerated, in which case it will last up to a year. Chilled olive oil becomes cloudy and too thick to pour. However, it will clear and become liquid again when brought to room temperature. See also fats and oils.

Answer 7

Chef Mario Batali often says on his show that he uses EVOO for everything. He just uses a less expensive brand of it when deep-frying for instance (b/c of the large quantity of it being used) and a more expensive brand for dressings or for drizzling on top of dishes.

Answer 8

Uh, you been watchin' Racheal Ray? She's the EVOO queen. She probably uses it in her bath.

Answer 9

never use ev olive oil to deep fry your turkey.

Answer 10

This is a great site about cooking oils

http://missvickie.com/howto/spices/oils.html