The Best Organic Oils for Baking, Frying, Grilling, and More

Have you ever started to cook a recipe that calls for a particular type of oil — like vegetable oil, for example — and you just don’t have it in your cupboard? So you use a different oil instead and hope that it doesn’t make too great a difference to the end product. 

Sometimes you’re perfectly safe taking this risk. Other times, choosing the wrong oil can have disastrous consequences. 

The oil you use impacts both the taste of your meal and how well it is cooked. With that in mind, continue reading to learn more about the best organic oils for baking, frying, grilling, and more.

What is oil?

First up, what exactly is oil? Cooking oil is a fat that is typically a liquid at room temperature. Some oils that contain high concentrations of saturated fat may come in a solid form, like coconut oil.

Oil can be used to facilitate cooking or as an ingredient in its own right, often added to salad dressings. Humans have relied upon cooking oils for thousands of years. Archeologists have uncovered evidence of olive oil dating back to 6500 BC in the current day Middle East.

Types of oil

Most of us have a bottle of olive oil in the cupboard at home. But if you visit your local supermarket, there are enough varieties of oil that they probably take up an entire aisle by themselves. How do you know which to use for what purpose?

The first thing to know is that each type of oil will have a different ‘smoke point.’ The term ‘smoke point’ refers to the temperature at which oil will stop shimmering in the pan and simply start smoking. If your oil has a higher smoke point, you can safely use it for purposes like deep frying, where the temperature typically has to be a lot more intense to fully cook food. Oils with a lower smoke point are better for processes like sauteing, where a lighter touch is required.

Let’s take a look at a few of the most popular oils used today:

Olive oil: Olive oil is your typical all-rounder. It has a subtle fruity flavour and a relatively low smoke point. It’s also the oil most commonly used as an ingredient for salad dressings.

Canola oil: Canola oil is extracted from the rapeseed plant and has quite low levels of saturated fats. This makes it an excellent choice for those who are concerned about their heart health. Canola oil also has a high smoke point, meaning you can safely use it for most applications, including baking at high temperatures.

Peanut oil: Peanut oil is an excellent choice for stir-frys. Not only will its subtle nutty flavour complement most vegetable based dishes but it has a medium-level smoke point, so is safe for frying and grilling.

Vegetable oil: If you’re searching for a versatile oil with a neutral flavour, vegetable oil could be the product for you. It’s usually made from a combination of different vegetable-based oils. With that in mind, the nutritional content will vary between manufacturers.

Enjoy experimenting with different types of organic oils until you find one that produces an even cook and complements the taste of your dish.