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Best cooking fats for different foods?


katlinm

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Starting the Whole30 tomorrow! I read the Traditional Cooking Oils blog posts but I still don't know what cooking oils/fats taste best with particular foods or dishes. For example, I plan on using the following oils/fats:

 

extra virgin olive oil

coconut oil

beef tallow (from Epic)

duck fat (from Epic)

pork lard (from Epic)

 

Whenever you are cooking an animal protein, do you want to cook it in the corresponding fats? Ground beed with beef tallow, sausage with pork lard, etc? What about things like eggs, poultry, seafood? I'm definitely a beginner cook so when I read this in the Whole30: "If you're using fat for cooking, however, just use whatever you have on hand, or whatever you think will taste best for the dish" I was like -- but I have no idea! 

 

 

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I usually cook eggs with ghee. But I also don't eat a lot of eggs.

As far as what is best for what, try and experiment with them. Depending on the quality of the EVOO, you may choose not to use it for anything other that salad dressings (some can get gross at higher temps.) animal fats are wonderful for roasting veggies in. (Just melt it a little before tossing in with your veggies!)

To be honest, I rarely use fat for cooking ground beef. If you want something to have a more bacon-y flavor, use lard. Buttery? Ghee. Feel like mixing it up? Go right ahead. There's not really a wrong way to use these fats.

(I noticed you don't have ghee or avocado oil on your list, which is completely fine! I'm just saying what I've used fats for)

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I use lard for almost everything... coconut oil can be good for chicken and if you're making curry... eggs cooked in coconut oil can be either a love it or hate it thing.

evoo shouldn't really be heated so that can be used for salad dressings and drizzling after things are cooked

Chicken fat (schmaltz) I use with pork for some reason... it's kind of tasteless

Just experiment and try something and if you like it, do it again and if you don't... don't do it again ;)

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I haven't figured out what to cook eggs in. Nothing fries an egg like butter in cast iron. Ghee is ok but not quite right. Its what I use most.

Since I have oodles of home-rendered lard, I use that for almost any meat.

Veggies usually get extra light olive oil, ghee or very occasionally coconut oil.

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I haven't figured out what to cook eggs in. Nothing fries an egg like butter in cast iron. Ghee is ok but not quite right. Its what I use most.

Since I have oodles of home-rendered lard, I use that for almost any meat.

Veggies usually get extra light olive oil, ghee or very occasionally coconut oil.

LARD!  It's amazing!  I've never cooked with butter but lard gets brown crispy edges and that nice eggy flavor... if you baste them with the lard (put a little more lard than necessary in the pan and then spoon the liquid fat onto the egg white) it makes them bubbly and delicious!

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I use a method for fried eggs that I saw in America's Test Kitchen. I substitute ghee for butter. First heat the pan, then add some olive oil and heat until shimmering, then add some ghee and then add the egg. The oil/ghee combo gives a nice buttery taste.

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LARD!  It's amazing!  I've never cooked with butter but lard gets brown crispy edges and that nice eggy flavor... if you baste them with the lard (put a little more lard than necessary in the pan and then spoon the liquid fat onto the egg white) it makes them bubbly and delicious!

I've never cooked with lard. Any recommendations on finding a good quality product? Not sure why, but I've always been leery of it and I'd like to give it a try.

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I've never cooked with lard. Any recommendations on finding a good quality product? Not sure why, but I've always been leery of it and I'd like to give it a try.

Make sure it's JUST lard. A lot of stores sell crappy hydrogenated stuff on the shelf. It's not good. Ask a local butcher, render your own, or find a compliant brand like Epic or FatWorks (it isnJUST lard, no hydrogenated

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I've never cooked with lard. Any recommendations on finding a good quality product? Not sure why, but I've always been leery of it and I'd like to give it a try.

 

If you can't find anything local, US Wellness Meats is a good source. They do have a minimum order, but they also sell compliant bacon and other meats, it's pretty easy to meet  the minimum really.

 

There is  a difference in pork lard and beef lard/tallow -- I found the flavor of the beef to be overpowering and didn't care for it (I have no problem eating beef, but this was just too much), but pork lard I didn't notice any particular flavor.

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LARD!  It's amazing!  I've never cooked with butter but lard gets brown crispy edges and that nice eggy flavor... if you baste them with the lard (put a little more lard than necessary in the pan and then spoon the liquid fat onto the egg white) it makes them bubbly and delicious!

 

Maybe that's been my problem - I haven't used enough lard. It just seemed like it stuck to the pan and wasn't all that great. And my last jar of lard was decidedly piggy and I ended up only being able to use it for pork and beef. I'm on a nice mild jar right now so I'll give it a whirl...with LOTS in the pan!

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  • 4 weeks later...

Okay. Thanks for all the good info. I've been seeing a lot of conflicting info out there related to cooking at high temps with EVOO. (Anybody else seen this?). I normally use coconut oil (refined) for cooking or roasting and in my morning coffee (unrefined). I save EVOO for drizzling in my salad at lunch. And I buy some better quality light olive oil to make mayonnaise. But articles have suggested there is nothing redemptive about any light olive oil. It makes better, less pungent mayo than EVOO.

I do also use lard for roasting which I get from the pastured pigs we buy from a local farmer. Many people don't want their lard, but I feel lucky to get it. I keep some out, but the bulk is frozen until I need it because it lasts longer.

Back to coconut oil and olive oil

--can someone share cautions or issues with refined coconut oil? I use it sometimes when I don't want the coconutty flavor (eggs, some meats, roasted vegetables), but is it not good for you? Should I never buy and just use butter or lard?

--can someone tell me if I should never buy light olive oil? It makes great mayo, but maybe I should start transitioning to EVOO for this, too. My main uses for the mayo are 1) mixing with EVOO and vinegar to make salad dressing creamier, AND 2) a dipping (tartar) sauce for salmon.

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I can't stand mayo made with EVOO. There are even some light olive oils that are too strong flavored/bitter for my taste. Unfortunately, my favorite oil for mayo pre-Whole30 was peanut, so I've been struggling with the flavors of different oils. I've also tried avocado oil and didn't like it.

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I can't stand mayo made with EVOO. There are even some light olive oils that are too strong flavored/bitter for my taste. Unfortunately, my favorite oil for mayo pre-Whole30 was peanut, so I've been struggling with the flavors of different oils. I've also tried avocado oil and didn't like it.

Have you tried walnnut oil?

Regarding refined coconut oil or light olive oil I choose to not buy it because the process used to remove colour or flavour involves bleaching and I'm not convinced that's a good thing...

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