Which Supermarket Oil to Use?

[ORChick]

Hubby got himself a deep fat fryer, and has been using canola oil. I've tried to tell him that it isn't any good, but he won't listen. So far, I haven't found anything that we can afford that he's willing to use instead.

I haven't done any deep fat frying in awhile - like, several years (or even several more years before that ) - but I understand that a very good fat for such things is tallow - the rendered fat from beef. Apparently even McDonalds (I think it was) used to use it for their fries before it was determined that animal fats were poison (!?). However, at a guess, I would say that if your DH still thinks that canola oil is healthy he probably would not be open to hearing about the benefits of tallow. You might suggest peanut oil; I think that is what proponents of deep frying turkeys for Thanksgiving use. Got to be better than canola.

 

[Denim Deb]

The peanut oil is way to expensive. He looked into it. Plus, I seem to recall that it's not recommended for the fryer, but I don't recall now why.

 

[ORChick]

The peanut oil is way to expensive. He looked into it. Plus, I seem to recall that it's not recommended for the fryer, but I don't recall now why.

You might have him look at this. It does recommend canola oil (with which I cannot agree) but it puts peanut oil first.

http://busycooks.about.com/od/quicktips/qt/deepfrying.htm

I remember when I first learned that canola and soy oils were not what I had learned (that is, they are not healthy oils) I went looking for alternatives. It is really hard to find alternatives, and (as your DH has noted) they are expensive. I was shocked. It seemed that the only reasonably priced oils were canola and soy. And, have you tried to find a commercial mayonnaise without one or the other in it? It is nigh on impossible. Which is why I make my own.

 

[~gd]

Hubby got himself a deep fat fryer, and has been using canola oil. I've tried to tell him that it isn't any good, but he won't listen. So far, I haven't found anything that we can afford that he's willing to use instead.

I haven't done any deep fat frying in awhile - like, several years (or even several more years before that ) - but I understand that a very good fat for such things is tallow - the rendered fat from beef. Apparently even McDonalds (I think it was) used to use it for their fries before it was determined that animal fats were poison (!?). However, at a guess, I would say that if your DH still thinks that canola oil is healthy he probably would not be open to hearing about the benefits of tallow. You might suggest peanut oil; I think that is what proponents of deep frying turkeys for Thanksgiving use. Got to be better than canola.

Peanut oil has gone through the roof in price due to a problem raising peanuts [organic peanuts have disappeared from our supermarkets] before you buy peanut oil check the label carefully since many are only 51% peanut [because of labeling laws] The rest of the oil is usually canola oil. What is supposed to be bad about canola oil? This old timer uses Lard right from the pig [not hydgrogenated (sp)] to make it solid or to extend the shelf life.

 

[ORChick]

Hubby got himself a deep fat fryer, and has been using canola oil. I've tried to tell him that it isn't any good, but he won't listen. So far, I haven't found anything that we can afford that he's willing to use instead.

I haven't done any deep fat frying in awhile - like, several years (or even several more years before that ) - but I understand that a very good fat for such things is tallow - the rendered fat from beef. Apparently even McDonalds (I think it was) used to use it for their fries before it was determined that animal fats were poison (!?). However, at a guess, I would say that if your DH still thinks that canola oil is healthy he probably would not be open to hearing about the benefits of tallow. You might suggest peanut oil; I think that is what proponents of deep frying turkeys for Thanksgiving use. Got to be better than canola.

Peanut oil has gone through the roof in price due to a problem raising peanuts [organic peanuts have disappeared from our supermarkets] before you buy peanut oil check the label carefully since many are only 51% peanut [because of labeling laws] The rest of the oil is usually canola oil. What is supposed to be bad about canola oil? This old timer uses Lard right from the pig [not hydgrogenated (sp)] to make it solid or to extend the shelf life.

One can find numerous articles on either side of the canola oil/good or bad debate. This is just one of them (on the bad side): http://www.blpublications.com/html/body_canolaoil.html

"Traditionally rape seed oil was probably okay due to its gentle processing technique. However, modern canola oil processing is far from gentle and is what is responsible for making it can-ugly. The oil is removed from the seed by a combination of high temperature mechanical pressing and solvent extraction. As you will recall, traces of the solvent usually remains in the oil. Then, the oil is further refined, bleached and degummed, each step requiring exposure to high temperatures and chemicals. Since canola oil has a large amount of omega-3 fatty acids, these easily become rancid and foul smelling during these high heat processes. It therefore has to undergo another refining process called deodorization. This deodorization process removes a large portion of the omega-3 fatty acids by turning them into trans fats which can be as high as 4.5%."

I don't use it, but everyone should do their own research.

(And yes, lard direct from the pig is good stuff. I can't keep pigs where I live, but I get the leaf lard from pastured pigs, and render it at home)

 

[so lucky]

At some point in time recently, I noticed that even the Ranch dressing I used to love, is primarily soybean oil now. The texture is icky. I ain't goin fer it!