What kind of Oil do you use and why?

[Gus]

I guess the subject pretty much sums it up. What kind of oil do you use for frying fish and why? All I've ever used is the regular old vegetable oil. I'd like to mix it up if there is something better or different. I'm not much of a gourmet cook so I have no idea what's out there. Thanks!

[MJCatfish]

Gus,

I've used good old vegetable oil mostly, but mix a little butter in for flavor as well. My mother-in-law suggested to try olive because it's healthier for you. I tried it and it worked very well. It's a little more $$ though. Peanut oil is also very good, but a little more money as well.

Good luck!!

MJ

[cyberamish]

Peanut oil if you want to impart little flavor to the fish, Good for high temp frying. For a great change up I also will mix butter flavor crisco in when I am pan frying. Usually mix it 50/50. Works great with crappies/sunnies!

[Fishing-Around]

A one half can of butter flavored crisco on a nice bed of camp fire coals - walleye fillets floured with your favorite mix and just plop in for @ five minutes. Oh ya, a big can of pork and beans right next to the crisco can "now THATS good eating"!!!

[ice_shack]

Since I use the smaller pot for my turkey fryer I pretty much stick with peanut oil. It's has a much higher flash point than veggie oil so I'm less likely to create the olympic flame.

[fish-n-geek]

If I'm pan frying, its usually olive oil. Deep frying I stick with peanut to keep the smoke down.

-r-

[GullGuide]

Peanut oil...seems things get a little crisper.

[so haaad]

Anything but Pennzoil and Valvoline!

[MinnesotaMuskie]

Up until two years ago I used peanut oil...but friend came to the lake and used butter flavored Crisco...that is the ticket.

You must try it.

[Dan Brelje]

I have to go with butter flavored crisco. That is all they used at the fly-in camp in canada (see avatar) i went to last summer.

[M.T. Bucket]

For baking fish or making vegetables, it's olive oil because it's healthy and flavorful.

If I'm frying, I go with vegetable oil because olive oil is expensive and vegetable oil seems to give a crispier crust.

[Ybone]

I usually use canola oil. It does a pretty good job and is about as healthy as olive oil. If you're concerned about your health don't use crisco. It's a hardened or transfat and some health experts are saying it's as bad for you as smoking. If you want to try something really good try lard or bacon grease. They make great tasting fried fish, not very healthy but probably not as bad for you as crisco.

[Skitterpop]

I too use the canola oil. It is a bit healthier than vegetable. Yes, crisco is bad for your health because of the trans fats. I used it one time and found the fish to not be cooked as well as in liquid oil. Olive is good for you but too far out of my budget.

[Gissert]

I like olive oil too for stir fry and veggies. Gotta be careful, though, the smoke point is pretty low.

For deep frying turkeys and such, I prefer canola oil.

I've used peanut oil for this too, and it works great with its high smoke point. I don't care for the price, however.

[Eric Wettschreck]

I still use lard. I can feel my arteries harden with every yummy bite!!!!!

[EYEHUNTER10]

Tryed the butter flavored crisco and ruined a other wise perfect batch of walleyes caught the real hard cold way drilling lots of holes in january, if you try something new dont fry a whole limit up before trying it to make sure YOU like it and the rest of the family we all hated the butter flavored crisco and threw the whole patch to the cats and went out to eat that night I got the tip from a friend who says its real popular up north not me I like butter but that was gross.

[G_man]

and I was just about to give the butter flavored crisco a whirl, even though it is unhealthy.

Which oil would you say makes the least mess of the stove after pan-frying?

[Willy Walleye]

I use Canola oil. Because of the mess I don't cook in the house and make a mess of my wifes kitchen. I use a two burner propane cook top and cook outside, I won't even cook in my shop because of the mess. When cooking outside,there isn't any mess to clean up and the smell stays outside also. When eating these made this way I feel like a King!!

[The_Duckslayer]

On top of the round table that sits on the deck. Cover it with newspaper, put the camp stove in the middle and go fo it. No one will come over the next day and do that old "Humph, fish for supper last night?" We use canola or peanut oils. I also have two kettles going... you cant stand around the deck, talk smart, drink beer and eat very fresh crappies without home made french fries to go with them! Hmmmm, suddenly I am getting very ungry! Take care and N Joy the Hunt././Jimbo