How do I know when to use olive oil and when to use vegetable oil?

Question

I have just begun cooking with olive oil and sometimes grapeseed oil. Is there a trick to know when to use vegetable oil instead? I mainly mean when pan frying or sauteing meats and vegetables, but am interested in all ideas. Thanks.

Answer 1

The only two time I would use vegetable oil rather than olive oil would be for high temperature cooking (deep frying, for example) or when the flavor of olive oil might be objectionable such as baking.

Bert

Answer 2

Olive oil imparts a distinct flavor on your food. It's great with all Italian foods and veggies. Olive oil has a different burning point than vegetable oil. If you're actually frying- oil at a depth of 1/2" or more- you need to use vegetable oil because the olive oil will smoke and burn. I would use only veg oil with beef and chicken unless it was for an Italian dish. For beef, you only need a scant amount of oil.

Answer 3

When you heat vegetable oil, it produces trans fats, which are very bad for you, so I would only use vegetable oil for salad dressings and stuff like that, where you don't have to heat it up.

Olive oil and grapeseed oil don't do that, and although butter has been regarded as bad for you for a long time, it doesn't either, so is better for baking than other fats. Besides which, it tastes nicer.

Answer 4

Really depends on your palate. Olive oil is thicker and has an earthier taste, while vegetable oil is thinner and leaves a corn type taste (as it is mostly corn/canola oil in the mix).

Olive oil works very well with herbs and rubs, and searing of meat, while vegetable oil is very good for stir fry. Mainly I associate olive oil with salty and vegetable oil with sweet...unless it's a deep fried item.

My rule is olive oil for taste, vegetable oil if I don't want it to stick...

If you are substituting olive oil for vegetable oil divide the recipe amount called for in half because olive oil has a stronger taste and can overwhelm flavour and make food fall unpleasantly heavy in the stomach if used in the same quantities as vegetable oil.

Ex. Recipe for foccacia bread calls for 1/2 cup of vegetable oil...use 1/4 cup of olive oil instead...

hope that helps

*cheers*

Answer 5

Generally I use olive oil to marinate, for salads, basically things I won't cook. Veg oil for frying and things. Some people cook with olive oil but it really isn't good by me to fry in. It more for eating as it. To put on top of pasta for an extra kick things like that. To dip crusty bread in mixed with red pepper flakes and balsamic vinegar. Hope this is helpful.

Answer 6

Use Olive oil for most of your cooking. Use Vege oil when frying with very high heat or deep frying, olive oil burns too easily.

Answer 7

well it has (to me) a dirt taste or an odor like wet rags
that is olive oil to me.
Of course food covers it
it is over priced on top of it all.
all the other oils are produced in similar fashion
can cook at higher temps without smoking and polluting the walls and ceiling with that film.
keep olive oil on salads.

Answer 8

I use olive oil for everything except baking. I will use vegetable oil for any baking recipe that requires oil.

Answer 9

A good rule of thumb: If you want to add flavor, add olive oil. If you want it to be a shortning-like agent, go with the veggie oil.

Answer 10

Virgin Olive oil, use it for salads,mayonnaise,dressings.Oil without the Virgin,use it for cooking.