Oils and Fats

Let's discuss fat.  It gets a bad rap, but it's something we need, and often something we love.  We need it to grease our joints, but less so to clog our arteries.  Fat keeps things from sticking to the pan and does a great job of carrying flavours, as well as contributing flavour on its own.  On the "pantry" page, I list some fats and oils that are good to have around.  There are many more available, but many of them are more perishable - avocado oil for example - even when kept in the fridge, so maybe best to keep those at the store until you need them, then only buy a small amount at a time.

Butter - I always buy unsalted so I can control the seasoning.  Partly for general health, Carla and I don't use butter on a daily basis, so we usually keep it in the freezer and cook more with oils.  Cut a brick into smaller pieces to thaw quicker when you want cooking or bread butter.  Frozen butter for the sake of cooking melts fast enough in a pan, just remember if you are baking and will need soft butter to pull it out well in advance.

Goat butter - so wonderful it already has its own post in the "pantry" category.

Bacon fat - despite the fact that we cook mostly with oils at home, bacon drippings don't make it to the garbage that often.  We strain it out and add a little knob here and there to sautes for richness.  I don't think there's any need to go on at length about how tasty bacon fat is, just keep in mind your overall consumption.  If you stain it out well enough and don't use it up too fast, it's best to keep it in the freezer to avoid rancidity.

Duck fat - oh baby.  Right up there with the bacon.  Like the bacon fat, strain it out and store it in the freezer.  Most people don't eat a huge amount of duck, but when you do, save the fat, because once you have enough to make duck confit, it snowballs on the account of the fact that the leg fat you are cooking goes right into your supply.  It's kind of a sick joy watching your duck fat stash grow.  If you have a vacuum sealer, you can get away with much less fat when making confit.  Also like bacon fat, add a knob to a saute just for fun.

Canola oil - household daily cooking.  It has it's place.

Regular olive oil - a little more Mediterranean style cooking.  Just for flavour, we use it more than canola.

Premium olive oil - save this for salad or special dishes only.  Invest in a really nice oil that makes your mouth water when you taste it.  Ration it out so when you use it, you can use it liberally.

Sesame oil - adds that distinctive flavour to stir-fries and Asian salads.  It's not so good for actual cooking, so start with a neutral oil and add a few drops at the end of the cooking process.  The flavour goes a long way, so you don't need a lot.

Grapeseed oil - think premium canola oil.  Often considered tasteless (it does have a characteristic), so it's ideal when you need a neutral oil.  Very high smoke point, so it's ideal for high temperature cooking and searing.

Truffle oil - luxury in all senses of the word.  Pure deliciousness.  Brush a little on a steak right before serving for shine and aroma.  A couple drops in a mushroom saute - whoa!  In your starchless mashed potatoes - stand back.  In your Aligot - are you trying to kill someone?  Truffle oil is a real treat, a worthy investment and worth resisting so it's all the more delicious when you do use it.