- Flavorful plant oils include olive, sesame, walnut, almond, and hazelnut oils. Their distinctive flavors are changed by heat, and best preserved when the oils are added at the end of cooking.
- Fats and oils slowly break down and become rancid. Exposure to light, warmth, and/or air causes them to develop stale, cardboard, paint aromas and a harsh taste.
- Liquid oils are especially prone to rancidity, while solid fats are more stable.
- Use the freshest fats and oils possible. Check use-by dates, and buy them in small quantities so they don't sit in your pantry for weeks or months.
- When using stored fats, scrape the surface layer away and discard it. This is where rancid flavors accumulate.
- Taste oils and fats before cooking with them. Off flavors will get into the food, and are also a sign that the oil or fat will deteriorate further during cooking.
- Nonstick sprays combine a small amount of vegetable oil with emulsifiers and other chemicals that help prevent food from adhering to pan surfaces. Most sprays begin to brown and smoke at around 350F/175C
Source: Keys to Good Cooking: A Guide to Making the Best of Foods and Recipes by Harold McGee
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