[question] Is it pointless buying virgin olive oil if you're just gonna heat it?
[question] Is it pointless buying virgin olive oil if you're just gonna heat it?
So as I understand it, virgin olive oil is made from cold pressing olives.
If I fry or roast stuff using virgin olive oil, did I just waste my money?
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Not sure, but frying with olive oil is kind of a waste anyway
How so?
It has a strong flavor and a low smoke point. For frying, you usually want a neutral flavor and high smoke point.
I think that's probably the distinction though; EVOO has a much stronger flavour than the more plain OO. The latter is totally ok for a saute, or sweating off veg for a sauce etc, or roasting but as you note with a lower smoke point not so great for say doing steaks, or stir-frying - and far too expensive for deep-frying!
Oh, if I was (shallow) frying with olive oil, it would be for the olive flavour. Smoke point hasn't really been an issue, you can still brown things just fine using olive oil below it's smoke point.
If you ever do need a hot temp oil use rice bran oil.