School me on cooking oils

Extra virgin means it is virgin, regardless of what it claims of itself. Seriously though, virgin olive oil means the oil was extracted mechanically vs chemically. Extra virgin means it has a certain lower level of acidity. I don't know the meaning of the numbers, just the velvety-ness of the taste. It is the first pressed that I don't get. Is there ever a second pressing?

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Honesty and integrity are homesteading virtues.

I've wondered about that and giggled often over it.

For deep frying, I like either Crisco,or lard... Not such a fan of veggie oil for it... Yes, Crisco is vegetable based shortening, but I find the food has much better flavor using Crisco over Vegetable oil..

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Never let your fear decide your fate!
Kein Mitleid für die Mehrheit

Extra virgin means pops kept her locked up in the house so the boys in the hood didn't even know she existed..

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Never let your fear decide your fate!
Kein Mitleid für die Mehrheit

AAbe, yes, there can be multiple pressings; the last is used on machinery!

Yes, there is a first pressing (best oil) then a second pressing (OK oil) then an extraction with chemical solvents (strong crappy tasting oil)

I actually use cheap olive oil with a certain Italian dish we make because the strong taste is helpful in that recipe. If you have bought "Pompey" oil at the grocery store and think that is how all olive oil tastes, don't be mislead. Good olive oil has very little olive taste; one can use it in cakes and pastries.

I am guessing there is a second pressing and maybe more if it was good the first time through.

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"Nothing so needs reforming as other peoples habits." Mark Twain

Ive given up non stick and went back to cast iron. Imdont deep fry; but found bacon grease to be my favorite in the fry pan. Can take heat fairly well and adds good flsvor even if it smokes a bit. Vegatable oil your food is ruined if it smokes it tastes aweful! Plus i can use a pound of bacon a week and the grease from thst is more than enough for a week!

Okay folks, you are going to have to help me out here. I keep seeing people talking about bacon grease and lard.

Now, the bacon grease I get - it's the leftover drippings after bacon is cooked. But lard?

Can you buy lard and bacon grease?

I know that is what the old timers used to use, but isn't all that stuff supposed to be bad for you? I thought that is the reason why all these vegetable oils got started, because they are better for you.

Can someone 'splain this to me?

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Michael W. Smith in North-West Pennsylvania

"Everything happens for a reason."

Michael, lard from pigs that were pastured is incredibly high in vitamin a, d, and mid-chain fatty acids - almost like a vitamin pill. But lard from factory raised, gmo fed pork is going to be pretty deficient in anything I want to eat.

IMO all food reflects its upbringing - and factory is as factory does - unnatural!

About olive oil, you should never fry with it. It breaks down from the heat. If you want to eat olive oil, that's the one you use on salads or even as a dipping "sauce" for bread. I've heard it called "Italian butter" for that reason. I personally dislike the taste of olive oil, but I know others like it.

Best cooking oils are coconut, lard, or butter, IMO.

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-Northern NYS

Its getting harder all the time to find lard in the grocery store, kinda like beef liver or tongue. Have never seen bacon grease in the store, but you are looking at basically the same thing. Pig fat. There does seem to be those who believe animal fat of any kind is deadly poison, and I guess there is some truth to it. My great grandfather ate a lot of it and sure nuff, hes dead. After ninety five years of eating all sorts of greasy foods, he couldnt get out that old ladys bedroom winder quite quick enough and her husband shot him!

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"Nothing so needs reforming as other peoples habits." Mark Twain

I get lard from the butcher shop.

Lard is the new health food. Try to keep up would ya.

(If it's so bad. How did they get to be oldtimers? )

A good place to find lard is a Mexican grocery store. Ask for "manteca" (lard).

I buy my meat in large cuts (and occasionally that means half a steer) and I save all the fat trim to render my own lard and tallow. I even save the fat off soups for savory uses, the pure stuff I render from raw trim I save for baking.

That was commonly believe for awhile, but there are some counter-culture nutritionists that are coming up with different theories of what causes heart disease. After all, the heart disease and obesity rates went up after the USDA started telling us saturated fat was bad... I know I've lost weight and gotten healthier since eliminating vegetable oils and other seed based foods. (I used to have fibromyalgia bad enough to be considering going on disability.)

Mark's Daily Apple on saturated fat

The short version of the theory is that inflammation causes heart disease, cholesterol is there trying to shore up weak spots in the artery wall caused by prior damage, and blaming cholesterol is like saying band-aids cause scrapes and cuts. Omega 6 fatty acids (plentiful in vegetable oil) get a good share of the blame for this, as does gluten (plentiful in wheat), but many folks proscribing anti-inflammatory diets have a long list of foods that have some mild toxins in them.

P.S. Be careful when buying lard, many brands are hydrogenated. Best to render it yourself from fat trim.

Very true.

As a rule. If it's on the shelf at the store leave it there.

If it's in the fridge then it's safe.

"Buy food that could go bad, but eat it before it does."

I have seen hydrogenated lard in the fridge section. Read labels.