Does Oil Choice Affect Taste?

[Down to Earth]

The last couple times I've made fish the tast seems to be a bit different. I don't know if its because of where the fish came from or what. One thing I know is different is I've used Canola oil instead of Vegetable. Would this make a diffence in taste? Is there a prefered oil for fish? Thanks.

Andy

[NEANGLER]

Yes differnt oils will give different flavors to your fish tyr different ones to see which you like the best - hard to beat vegtable oil but Peanut oil is awful good but kind of expensive. Olive Oil can be good as well and better for you but do not use Extra Virgin to pan fry in just olive oil.

[Gissert]

Make sure you know your smoke points on your oils. Oils such as olive oil has a very low smoke point, and can make a smoky mess in your house.

[Mike89]

another question is "how old is the oil you are using?" that makes a huge difference too! Fish is one item that can really make the oil change (breakdown or take on another taste). Onion rings are another one. good quality oil is cheap in the long run. Mike

[FRESHWATER PETIE]

I use vegatable oil most of time, when pan frying fish. Somtimes I have used melted butter or margerine when I'm running short on oil. My mother-in-law likes her fish fryed in shorting, real good, but not so good on the old heart. I have tried different brands of vegetable oil, and I can tell a taste difference.

[Bobb-o]

nothing beats peanut oil for taste, it just gets a little spendy, one that i would definitely not reccomend is sunflower oil!

[CALVINIST]

I have read some really weird things about Canola oil. For one thing, there is no "Canola seed". It is made out of rapeseed. It is poisonous. Rapeseed is used to make mustard gas of World War One fame and is also used as an industrial lubricants. Sniff it once and you'll discover it doesn't smell right...it smells like paint thinner! Do a Google search on "Canola oil" and you'll find material on Canola oil. One thing for sure, I'll never use Canola oil again! When it comes to pan frying fish, I use a combination of vegetable oil, olive oil, and butter. Works pretty good!

[CRAKSHOT]

Canola is about all I ever use for deep frying.Has no odor to me.Very neutral taste .

[gonefishin11]

I fry all my fish and potatoes in olive oil because I really enjoy the taste.

[Kurt Paulsen]

Mixing oil can be very tasty too... for a more nutty flavor, try mixing 6 parts peanut oil with 1 part sesame oil. VERY tasty. The oil itself is half the seasoning!

[bucketmouth64]

I tried Canola oil. I didn't care for the taste it gave the food. Went back to vegetable oil.

[Skitterpop]

Check out the info on your canola oil claim on this urban legends site http://www.snopes.com/medical/toxins/canola.asp

[Surface Tension]

This reminds me of something.

Many years ago when I thought I was going to live for ever I'd fry everything in beacon grease. We had a jar next to the stove that we'd pour the grease into, there it sat till we needed it. We were young and my wife and I didn't have a ton of money, well we still don't have a ton of money but we have a lot more then we did then. Anyway Leila started diner, fried pork chops in, of coarse beacon grease.

About a 15 minutes of cooking time, the smell that should be fried chops in grease(a good smell)seemed odd. I asked Leila what are you frying the chops in? "Beacon grease she said". Something clicks in my head and I asked what container did you get the grease out of? She didn't know that the day before I had dropped my tub of Go-Jo, cracking the container. I had to put what was left of the Go-Jo in a jar, a jar that looks like the jar for the beacon grease.

Like I said money was tight......

[Tom Linderholm]

LMAO! Thats good stuff ST.

As for Canola, we use it mainly for a light coating in the pan before we start pasta's or any seared meat. Canola is a huge seller in the food & beverage biz and one would think that "if" there was any potential harm to the consumer this would not be the case. I have read up on the subjuct and feel edjucated enough to use it in my day to day routine.