A note on cooking oils.
Olive oil can be heated to a higher temperature than other oil and does not create the “varnish” on the pans that other oils do.
As an aside, the way paint varnish is made, the factory takes about 500 gallons of some sort of oil, like corn oil, soybean oil, safflower oil for example, and heats it to about 500 degrees for 8 hours. The end result is varnish to which they only add some dryers so that it will harden. It is then used to make paint or with the addition of more dryers and some other ingredients, something to varnish bare wood with.
Next time you take a look at that old frying pan with all that sticky *varnish* on it, think about that. And if you want to clean that sticky mess off your frying pan, use some lacquer solvent.
Once I realized what the *varnish* on frying pans was; I stopped using all those other oils for frying. Now it’s only olive oil.
I understand that peanut oil is very good for high temperature frying as well.
That “varnish” on the cast iron is a good thing! Here is a site that has everything that you want to know about seasoning cast iron. Flaxseed oil is the best, BTW. Grapeseed and soy are also good. Interestingly, coconut oil is the WORST. You should read all the comments, there are LOTS!
http://sherylcanter.com/wordpress/2010/01/a-science-based-technique-for-seasoning-cast-iron/
Never knew seasoning cast iron could be so science based! Never even heard of the “Iodine Index.” Google THAT! :)
I cook exclusive with ghee, and use butter for baking.
I never ingest cooked oils, except when I succumb to weakness and buy potato chips (about twice a year).
I feel much better without eating cooked oils been quite a number of years now, and even then, it was a rare occasion. About 30 years ago I read how oils, when heated, polymerize, causing that “plasticity”/varnish effect. NOT good for the human body.
Some years of cleaning houses and peoples’ stoves who cooked with oil also convinced me that something wasn’t right with oils heated to high temperatures. I had to scrape that stuff off with sharp knives - it would peel off in strips of plastic-like stuff!
Never happens with milk fat, no matter even if I deep fry in it (about twice a year!), what to speak of sautee.
Yes, peanut oil is a good hi-temp oil. Used in Chinese woks, and you know those can get hot.
Many years ago when i lived down in Tampa, I was having lunch at a Steak n Shake, and the manager offered ey some free fries. They were testing frying them in peanut oil.
Very tasty.
Thanks, metmom. I was concerned when I saw that post, because I use olive oil when cooking. We also use peanut oil. I’ve gradually weaned Mr. trisham away from canola and corn oil.