EVOO – It’s not just for dressing anymore?

Image by VViktor at Pixabay modified

The Question

I have noticed that more and more recipes are calling for cooking with Extra Virgin Olive Oil. And I am like, really? Prior to writing this, I was under the impression that classically, Extra Virgin is only used for dipping and dressing in Italy. I have heard chefs trained in classic Italian culinary schools and microregional cooking discuss this and explain that heat will make Extra Virgin bitter, so if you want to cook with Olive Oil, cook with Olive Oil, not EVOO. There are also nutritionists that have stated that EVOO is not healthy to cook with.

I decided it was time to do some sleuthing and read up on this myself. The majority of what I found said it’s safe and may be one of the best choices for an oil to cook in. I also found that a lot of people living in Italy do use it in cooking, but often add butter to cut the flavor so that it doesn’t overwhelm the flavor of the dish and adds some sweetness. I didn’t find anything completely conclusive, though most say it has health benefits and is one of the better lipids to use for frying, but keep in mind that its smoke point is low so it don’t use it on a high heat.

Image by Ulrike Leone at Pixabay

  

What to make of all this

My take on this? Pretty much where I was before looking into it. EVOO has a stronger flavor than plain Olive Oil so I prefer to use it more in dressing and for dipping bread than for cooking. When I fry with Olive Oil, I combine it with vegetable oil to raise the smoke point and lower the risk of creating unhealthy fumes or carbons. And I do feel that when I fry with EVOO it changes the flavor in a way that is unappealing if not bitter.

What is my recommendation? Do what feels right to you. If you want to use EVOO because it says to in a recipe, do it but try to keep the heat to medium, particularly when cooking with gas on a heavier metal pan as the temperature can creep up on you. If you prefer to use Olive Oil, that works because it has a lot of the characteristics of EVOO and, from my experience, keeps it’s flavor when heated.

 

Because science is constantly changing and progressing, you may want to check on it every couple of years. I find that a lot of “old ways” tend to be valid: they still can’t say why chicken soup helps with a cold, but many scientists now agree that people get better with it. Thus, the expression “Jewish penicillin”, though many cultures have their own take on, especially for colds.

I hope you continue to find new adventures along your culinary journey. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them and I will get back to you. If you are enjoying my posts, please go to the home page, and click on the blue Follow button. It helps me and grows the community.