Fats – How to Use Them

Today I am putting a stop to the conundrum I often face when cooking with animal and plant fats. So many things to remember…like what happens when I cook with olive oil? Does it become cancerous? (NO.) How long can I keep that pork grease in the refrigerator? At what temperature is it best to cook with coconut oil? And why am I no longer using corn, vegetable, or canola oils? Enough of the questions and time for some answers.

I have very little experience cooking with animal fats other than butter, so I am relying on some internet research to help. Check out this link to see how the rest of the world cooks with Animal Fat and other Saturated Fats: The Real World Traditionally Ate Mostly Saturated Fats.

Another great overview is at this site: WAPF: Know Your Fats.

These are the fats that are a daily part of my family’s diet:

Butter – Butter comes in two varieties: salted and unsalted. Both are fine for sautéing or frying at temperatures of medium or less. Unsalted butter works well for temperatures all the way up to high, which I have only done when cooking Cajun food.

Pork Fat and Lard – I have almost no experience with pork fat and lard. There is a jar of lard from bacon drippings sitting in my refrigerator and I occasionally use it to sauté boiled greens, onions and garlic. I only do this because I vaguely know that my Grandma and Great Aunt used to use it. Visit Put Lard Back in Your Larder or 

thekitchn.com to learn more about use and storage. As for storage, I have read recommendations from a few weeks up to six months in the refrigerator and up to two years in the freezer.

Olive Oil – I rarely cook with olive oil, as cooking destroys nutrients. Still, it tastes yummy and finds its way into my black beans and rice. I do not cook with olive oil at high temperatures, as I only use extra virgin olive oil and it is too costly to ruin the flavor. Plain olive oil, which I have not used, is the recommended high temperature cooking oil. It is more processed than extra virgin oil, which raises a red flag for me (I am all for as little processing as possible). To get a better idea of the types of olive oil, visit this site: http://whatscookingamerica.net/OliveOil.htm.

Coconut Oil – Coconut oil is great for sautéing vegetables, baking and putting into smoothies. This oil has gotten an underserved bad rap for being a saturated fat. It is a fantastic food for many reasons, such helping to prevent heart disease, killing bacteria and viruses (antimicrobial), and serving as a poison antidote. Read about these benefits here: The Latest Studies on Coconut Oil and here: A New Look at Coconut Oil

Beef Tallow – I know nothing about cooking with beef tallow, but this is an interesting article to get started: How To Cook With Beef Tallow ~ How To Cook Like Your Grandmother. This site looks like great fun, and I will explore it more.

These are the fats that we quit using once we learned about the natural fats above: Canola, Vegetable and Corn Oils. These are processed, illness causing oils. Corn Oil, for example, promotes cancer and heart disease. You can read about the dubious history of Canola Oil here: The Great Con-ola. Generic “Vegetable Oil” is a blend of oils, often containing corn and soy, which I avoid because they cause disease.

Comments

[Drew @ Cook Like Your Grandmother]

If you'd like a somewhat comprehensive list of the options, check out http://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/oils.html and http://www.clovegarden.com/ingred/oilsw.html

He lists most of the oils and fats used for cooking worldwide, and the pros and cons of each.