Best cheap-ass cooking oil?

I cook with extra-virgin olive oil for the most part, but I'm getting ready to lay in a storage of cheap cooking oil for long-term trade, or emergency use if I should ever run out of olive oil.

It appears that there are 3 main types of cheap cooking oil available at stores, and all of them are comparably priced. These are:

Canola (Rapeseed) oil
Corn oil
Soybean oil

My question: which is preferable in terms of utility and healthiness? I've heard that Canola is bad for you, although I don't remember how or why... and I've also heard that some oils are better because they have a higher "flash point" where they won't decompose/ignite under higher temp cooking.

Can people here shed any light on these, and possibly other issues I might not have considered?

BTW, I have about 4 gallons of soybean oil already stashed, but I'd like to increase my stash of WHATEVER cheap oil ends up being the best to 20 or 30 gallons.

NONE of those are good for your health.

Lay in coconut oil.

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Originally Posted by Kregener

NONE of those are good for your health.

Lay in coconut oil.

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I've already laid in a good stash of coconut oil. I know the cheap oils are not particularly good for you, but as I already stated these are intended for trade and/or emergency use - and not for my main cooking use. I'm trying to choose the "lesser of 3 evils" so to speak.

Any other input?

What about peanut or sunflower oil? I'm no expert, just throwing it out there.

For good old fashion cooking Krisco Lard.......will always be there, will always be good........ just like me ;D

Be careful oil get rancid, also if used for frying it will burn if it is olive oil ,for frying I would use sesame ,macadamia ,coconut, walnut,

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Originally Posted by Andy9999

Be careful oil get rancid, also if used for frying it will burn if it is olive oil ,for frying I would use sesame ,macadamia ,coconut, walnut,

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Yep... Oils stored in deep-freeze to delay rancidity. When frying at high temp, I use Coconut oil, Olive oil doesn't handle the heat too well! ;)

P.S. G.o.D - Sorry, moved the thread derail to TD... I'm really trying to get some decent input on this one.

NP, but I know you laughed your ass off at it. ;D

Seriously, what about getting used oil from restuarants and just straining it.

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Originally Posted by General of Darkness

NP, but I know you laughed your ass off at it. ;D

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Indeed! ;D

I like peanut oil but I don't know if it is any better for storage than other oils. Coconut is certainly the best for storage and health. I wouldn't be trading that one.

Canola is pretty much 80%+ GMO these days and I don't think you can get the natural stuff in North America any more. I avoid it like the plague.

I like sunflower oil for frying. I think it's pretty clean GMO wise. The idea I had was that it is easy to grow sunflowers and I figured I could then make my own oil. Same goes for olives I guess but it will be a few years before your olives are fruiting.

Olives could be good because their footprint is smaller than sunflowers. You need about 2200sq Ft for enough sunflowers for about 3 gallons oil.

Anyway I searched on making sun flower oil. There are 2 types of sunflower seeds, a confectionery seed with stripes on it and an oil seed which is plain black. I simply grabbed a birdseed pkt and planted a few to see how they went. Grow easily and produce a fair amount of seed if they have enough soil space. I had them in a fairly small space so some are small flower heads and others with more space have a lot of seeds.

With some flour mills you can de husk them and you can rig up some kind of blower to separate the husks from the kernells. See the link for a few home made ideas. A 3 ton hydraulic jack can be used to make a press.

http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel_.../oilpress.html

Or you can buy a press. Lots of them about : http://uncledutchfarms.blogspot.com/...pkin-seed.html

Glass,
Thanks for the input! I've removed Canola from the list.

P.S. Greenbear... Please check TD for my reply to your thread derail, which is also there.

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Originally Posted by Gaillo

I've already laid in a good stash of coconut oil.

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All oil has a rather short shelf life except maybe Pennzoil. You have enough. Spend the money on something else that you don't already have too much of.

:)

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Originally Posted by General of Darkness

NP, but I know you laughed your ass off at it. ;D

Seriously, what about getting used oil from restuarants and just straining it.

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The more you use oil the worse it gets and becomes harmful to you.

Get coconut oil in bulk and consume it any way you can.

Good info, thanks OP and others.

We generally use olive oil for cold or warm stuff (like others have said, it doesn't like heat), and some form of vegetable oil for frying....but I would readily admit that is not very good. I really should try some Coconut oil....it seems like the winner here. I had no idea it was that good for you. Thanks again.

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Originally Posted by Book

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Originally Posted by Gaillo

I've already laid in a good stash of coconut oil.

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All oil has a rather short shelf life except maybe Pennzoil. You have enough. Spend the money on something else that you don't already have too much of.

:)

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Nope... I've already decided that cooking oil is the next "gap" in my preps that's going to be filled. I've seen NUMEROUS segments of worldwide disaster-relief footage, and one of the MAIN supplies always being handed out by aid workers is cooking oil. My "spidey senses" tell me that cheap-ass cooking oil will be worth it's weight in silver (or at least copper!) once the shiit goes down.

Plus, as I already indicated in an earlier post, I keep my oil storage in a deep-freeze to delay rancidity.

Crisco is the best for long term storage.

Its basically vegetable oil turned into a petroleum product, so it keeps a long time without going rancid. :P

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crisco

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Some nutritionists argue that while the formula has been changed to remove the trans fatty acids, the fully hydrogenated oil used to replace them may not be good for health. Crisco and similar low-trans-fat products are formed by the interesterification of a mixture of fully-hydrogenated oils and partially-hydrogenated oils. The composition of the resultant triglycerides is random, and may contain combinations of fatty acids not commonly found in nature. A recent study showed that interesterified fat increased volunteers' blood sugar by 20 percent while simultaneously lowering the body's HDL cholesterol.
Since cotton crops are under far less chemical regulation by the FDA than other crops used specifically for food, many pesticides or chemicals can be used on them that are illegal for use on food crops. Such toxins derived from cottonseed can then enter into the food chain via this legal loophole in the regulation of food and chemicals, possibly leading to consumption of significantly elevated amounts of pesticides or chemicals.

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http://www.ithyroid.com/canola_oil.htm


Here are just a few facts everyone should know before buying anything containing canola. Canola is not the name of a natural plant but a made-up word, from the words "Canada" and "oil". Canola is a genetically engineered plant developed in Canada from the Rapeseed Plant, which is part of the mustard family of plants.

According to AgriAlternatives, The Online Innovation, and Technology Magazine for Farmers, "By nature, these rapeseed oils, which have long been used to
produce oils for industrial purposes, are... toxic to humans and other animals".
(This, by the way, is one of the websites singing the praises of the new canola
industry.)

Rapeseed oil is poisonous to living things and is an excellent insect repellent.
I have been using it (in very diluted form, as per instructions) to kill the
aphids on my roses for the last two years. It works very well; it suffocates
them. Ask for it at your nursery. Rape is an oil that is used as a lubricant,
fuel, soap and synthetic rubber base and as a illuminate for color pages in
magazines.

It is an industrial oil. It is not a food. Rape oil, it seems, causes
emphysema, respiratory distress, anemia, constipation, irritability, and
blindness in animals and humans. Rape oil was widely used in animal feeds in
England and Europe between 1986 and 1991, when it was thrown out. Remember the
"Mad Cow disease" scare, when millions of cattle in the UK were slaughtered in
case of infecting humans? Cattle were being fed on a mixture containing
material from dead sheep, and sheep suffer from a disease called "scrapie".

It was thought this was how "Mad Cow" began and started to infiltrate the human
chain. What is interesting is that when rape oil was removed from animal feed,
'scrapie' disappeared. We also haven't seen any further reports of "Mad Cow"
since rape oil was removed from the feed. Perhaps not scientifically proven, but
interesting all the same. US and Canadian farmers grow genetically engineered
rapeseed and manufacturers use its oil (canola) in thousands of processed foods,
with the blessings of Canadian and US government watchdog agencies. The canola
supporting websites say that canola is safe to use. They admit it was developed
from the rapeseed, but insist that through genetic engineering it is no longer
rapeseed, but "canola" instead.

Except canola means "Canadian oil"; and the plant is still a rape plant, albeit
genetically modified. The new name provides perfect cover for commercial
interests wanting to make millions. Look at the ingredients list on labels.
Apparently peanut oil is being replaced with rape oil. You'll find it in an
alarming number of processed foods. There's more, but to conclude: rape oil was
the source of the chemical warfare agent mustard gas, which was banned after
blistering the lungs and skins of hundred of thousands of soldiers and civilians
during W.W.I. Recent French reports indicate that it was again in use during the
Gulf War.

Check products for ingredients. If the label says, "may contain the following"
and lists canola oil, you know it contains canola oil because it is the cheapest
oil and the Canadian government subsidizes it to industries involved in food
processing.

I don't know what you'll be cooking with tonight, but I'll be using olive oil
and old-fashioned butter, from a genetically unmodified cow.

Here is more information..........

Canola oil (from the rape or mustard plant) was around for decades before they started genetically engineering it in the 90's. Europe still uses all nonGMO rape. Animals are not fed the oil directly, but the high protein remainder after the oil is extracted.

lard last for a long time . no need to keep cool . and hell my grand par live to be in there 90s all 4 . use the stuff every day .

I'd suggest getting BUTTER. Freeze it for storage. Much better than cheap cooking oils. Coconut oil is my second choice, and like you Gaillo, I use primarily olive oil for cooking. I never heat EVOO.


Hatha

We use mostly butter and olive oil here too.

and I store lots Crisco for SHTF

Costco has Big bottles of olive oil at a great price...But the frigging bottles are Plastic! >:(

Some Costcos sell ghee (clarified butter). It doesn't have to be refrigerated.

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Originally Posted by StackerKen

We use mostly butter and olive oil here too.

and I store lots Crisco for SHTF

Costco has Big bottles of olive oil at a great price...But the frigging bottles are Plastic! >:(

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If you look at places that cater to restaurants, or even go into a local deli/bakery, you can find olive oil in the metal tins. Its best for long term storage as the plastic wont weaken or get brittle and they arent transparent so they they wont degrade as quickly from light. Its not hard to find, you might just have to ask for it.

In fact, look for a local italiam market or bakery and ask the manager if he can order some for you next time he puts an order into his distributor, that would be your best bet.


ETA: You can, of course, always bottle it yourself as well in half gallon or gallon mason jars. This will also give you the chance to flavor it by adding herb, spices, peppers, etc and letting it age.

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Originally Posted by Heimdhal

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Originally Posted by StackerKen

We use mostly butter and olive oil here too.

and I store lots Crisco for SHTF

Costco has Big bottles of olive oil at a great price...But the frigging bottles are Plastic! >:(

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If you look at places that cater to restaurants, or even go into a local deli/bakery, you can find olive oil in the metal tins. Its best for long term storage as the plastic wont weaken or get brittle and they arent transparent so they they wont degrade as quickly from light. Its not hard to find, you might just have to ask for it.

In fact, look for a local italiam market or bakery and ask the manager if he can order some for you next time he puts an order into his distributor, that would be your best bet.


ETA: You can, of course, always bottle it yourself as well in half gallon or gallon mason jars. This will also give you the chance to flavor it by adding herb, spices, peppers, etc and letting it age.

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Greek markets and resturaunts are another good source for the gallon-sized metal containers of olive oil.

Rudolf Diesel invented the diesel engine to work on vegetable oils, not fossil fuel derived diesel fuel.

and he felt fairly strongly about it.

he died on a boat trip from Germany to England. supposedly, suicide. i find that very odd - he was very successful, his ideas were being recognized and adopted commercially. for a design engineer that is normally a reason to be happy, not suicidal.

i'm pretty sure he was suicided. my guess is the Zionists and other business interests wanted to push diesel technology towards reliance on fossil fuels & mineral resources - there's a lot more money there.

imagine if the automotive industry had stuck with vegetable oils. No British Petroleum.

Too me it is coconut oil to cook with and olive oil raw in salads ect.

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Originally Posted by Serpo

Too me it is coconut oil to cook with and olive oil raw in salads ect.

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We use olive oil almost exclusivley. We dont deep fry anything, so we dont worry about its relativley low flash point. We do use coconut oil too, but we make alot of dishes that just dont mix well with coconut flavor.

I dont know about yall, but chicken parmesan wit coconut just doesnt sound all that appealing. Granted, the coconut flavor usualy isnt overbearing. Its flippin fantastic in curries though!

i use peanut oil. can be cooked at a high temp and used over and over. seems to store well.

The most important factor to consider with cooking oil is smoking-point. This is the temperature oil burns at. Canola, Soybean, and Peanut oil are the best here, but I agree Canola oil is horrible for you, so lets scratch that out as an option.

• Soybean Oil: If you want the cheapest oil, just understand soy is VERY unhealthy, but you're eating fried food so who cares? I like Soybean Oil because it has a very neutral flavor, and we/I used it when cooking for the super rich elites.
• Peanut Oil: If you want something more expensive, and is somewhat less unhealthy, go with this. Peanut oil is best when frying meats most definitely.

Personally I like both, and would have them both on hand. Soy is totally bad for you, but remember, you're frying. Make the decision based on your financial situation, but if you have the money, and aren't allergic, go with Peanut Oil, hands down.

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ALSO KEEP THIS IN MIND!
A buying option: Look to buy at a restaurant or warehouse type store. Buy it in the 35lb box/carton.

http://content.costco.com/Images/Con...uct/71011b.jpg
This is the size we use in the restaurant industry, DO NOT USE ANY SMALLER SIZE! You'll get ripped off any other way.
35lbs here is $26.54 for soy, and $39.99 for peanut. Buy it from stores like Costco and Smart and Final.

As some have said here, No fuss no muss, will store forever ---Lard!

Olive oil for dressings, and not cooking!

if this sh*t hit the fan you will give me a gold coin for my lard . there will be no buying all that high dollar oils . the name of the game will be WHO can make lard . an i bet you will be glad to had some

you will be looking for that high fat stuff to keep you going ... lard the fat butter

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Originally Posted by mick silver

if this sh*t hit the fan you will give me a gold coin for my lard . there will be no buying all that high dollar oils . the name of the game will be WHO can make lard . an i bet you will be glad to had some

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Mick,
I agree... I have a few pounds of lard stashed away (also in the deep-freeze). I use it mainly to season my cast-iron, although I've occasionally experimented with cooking with it. It makes DELICIOUS fried tortillas when cooking mexi stuff.

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Originally Posted by Gaillo

I use it mainly to season my cast-iron, although I've occasionally experimented with cooking with it. It makes DELICIOUS fried tortillas when cooking mexi stuff.

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I use a cast iron skillet too, but have you ever fried in a wok? I know a lot of people here use cast iron skillets, but I don't think many understand how awesome woks are too. The shape allows minimum amount of oil, and the shape keeps the oil fairly hot. Spiders are also very helpful too.

you name it taste good with lard .... try some cornbread made with lard . some fried chicken . fish , i can keep going on about this . hell nothing better then fried potatoes

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Originally Posted by mick silver

you name it taste good with lard .... try some cornbread made with lard . some fried chicken . fish , i can keep going on about this . hell nothing better then fried potatoes

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Plus when finished just filter the used lard and reuse. My family all passed on now, but most all made it into their hi 70's -80's and it did not hurt them, and as mick said, you can not beat it for taste!

Good stuff!

And, a bonus for you Lard hoarders out there, when SHTF, you can cook with it and make soap to clean your dishes with to boot!

Shami,
Thank you for the information on peanut oil... I had previously considered it to be "out of budget", but it looks like it's only 50% more expensive, and better for you too!

At this point, I'm thinking I'll split my cash 50/50 between peanut oil and Lard.

BTW, I do own a wok, but I haven't used it in years! I think I'll dust it off and take it for a spin next time I do a stir-fry! ;)

I don't think I have ever had Lard.....But I like Bacon...so Im sure I would like Lard...gonna have to get me some and try it :)

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Originally Posted by StackerKen

I don't think I have ever had Lard.....But I like Bacon...so Im sure I would like Lard...gonna have to get me some and try it :)

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You will not be disappointed, People have been cooking with it since day one. And I do believe more would still be using it, except someone figured how to make it look bad and unhealthy. So they could push that other stuff on us. Saving bacon drippings after filtering it , also lard was a normal thing in my family. They would use Crisco for some stuff, and lard and bacon drippings for all other cooking.

Try it you will like it! Also if you use cast iron, cook with it and just wipe out with a newspaper or rag and put it up. Your iron will stay seasoned perfect and stay that way!

Rendering beef tallow at home might be a cheap way to go. It was used for candle making as well as food.

If it's just for trade, I'd go with crisco as suggested above. I wouldn't eat trans-fats, but 90% of Americans live on that garbage so I wouldn't feel guilty.