Thread: Cookin with olive oil

Right frying with olive oil is a bad idea. Smoking point for Olive Oil is around 375 degrees.

Huh interesting then.

Originally Posted by IainDaniel

Right frying with olive oil is a bad idea. Smoking point for Olive Oil is around 375 degrees.

Please clarify Ian. Yes, the low smoke point doesn't make it ideal for deep frying or any high heat frying. How about light pan frying though?

Olive oil to my understanding is ideal for light pan frying. At least it works very well for me.

Thats what I have used it for, light pan frying.

And not to much at that.

Originally Posted by largepkg

Please clarify Ian. Yes, the low smoke point doesn't make it ideal for deep frying or any high heat frying. How about light pan frying though?

Olive oil to my understanding is ideal for light pan frying. At least it works very well for me.

Ah yeah that is ok. any sort of Wok application should be good.

Aw ok....thats what I meant sorry for not being more specific. I deep fry nothing, but sometimes I like to cook my steak in a little bit of olive oil.

Baking sauté, stir-fry, wok cooking are best uses for olive oil.


I dunno about a steak in a frying pan, that has to be pretty high heat to sear the steak. I would look at an alternative source.

Well then it will be pam from then on.

I have a heavy duty cast iron grill skillet. I don't use any oil to sear or cook my steaks. I start out on the stove top at very high heat and sear for 1 minute on the first side then turn it over and throw it into the broiler until done.

You need to season the cast iron pan but after that you need no oil. Good stuff.

Eh i fry everything in Olive Oil. I thought this was best! What is reccomended to fry foods? Such as steak, salmon, tuna etc.

What your doctor is talking about is the transformation of the mono and polyunsaturated fats in the oil (called unsaturated because it's not in solid form) to an oxidized and saturated form. When this happens it is no longer polyunsaturated or monounsaturated, it's TRANS fat. This is where trans fat gets its name. By frying with oil you are hydrogenating it and making it not only lose it's benefit but also it becomes a pollutant carrier because the frying process creates oxidizes chemicals also known as free radicals.

Any time you sear, grill, or fry anything you're oxidizing certain chemicals in the food making them abundant in free radicals. Free radicals are the chief instigators of cancer, as they latch onto random cells and encourage mutated growth. While you may not get cancer, trans fat is still very bad for you, and free radicals in themselves do insight health problems.

Best way to prepare your steak is slow cooking it or frying it on a non-stick pan, a george foreman grill works very well. Steam your vegitibles, enough said.

So what Oil do we use to fry ?

Coconut oil is good for frying.

Exactly, coconut oil is good for anything to be fry. I don't like Olive Oil in frying, I hate the taste and odor.

Originally Posted by IainDaniel

Coconut oil is good for frying.

Why is it good for frying?

It is saturated, and is stable with the higher heat.

Thank you