Stupid cooking question...

Tash13

What's the difference between olive oil and vegetable oil (other than the obvious)?  Basically, I have vegetable oil in the house and i'm wondering if I need to buy olive oil for when the recipe calls for it.

Tash13

Oh and what cut of beef do you use in a beef stew?

mrsrose16

Really the only time I use olive oil is on pasta and for bread. But we always keep some on hand...and then there's virgin and extra virgin (virgin is for cooking, extra virgin for dressings, dipping etc)

anna7602

No cooking expert, but the flavors are completely different. Olive oil can do some really great things for a dish. I wouldn't skimp on it if a recipe calls for it specifically. I use olive oil for most things. I usually only use veg. oil in baking.

WyWysMommy

For the cut of beef, you can use the stew beef package they sell in the steak section. Or you can use just about any type of beef (not hamburger though) sirloin, roast, ribeye, ect.

As for the oil. Does it call for it to cook the beef in? If so, beef usually has enough fat on it, it doesn't need any oil to keep from sticking in the pan while cooking. You can just as easily use a bit of pam spray to do the same, if thats what it is calling it for.

LoriFalce

You don't NEED to use olive oil. Any place that calls for one will work fine with the other.

Why should you? It's got flavor, where cooking oil doesn't. It also is better for you than cooking oil.

What is cooking oil good for? Anything where the flavor of other ingredients will mask the flavor of the oil. Anything fried, because cooking oil (or optimally peanut oil) has a higher smoke point. Also, in things where the flavor of olive oil would be detrimental. (Cake, brownies.)

Brookie-Cookie

olive oil is fruitier and more flavourful.  It depends on the recipe but in my (professional-ish) opinion, I think people use olive oil when they shouldn't really.

Olive oil has a low smoke point.  Meaning you can't heat it up very hot.  So if your recipe is for sauteing or for searing meat or something else that you want a hot heat, the reciped writer is talking shiit   go ahead and use your canola or veg or what ever.

Now if you are putting the Olive oil on a salad or with bread, then don't skimp and use some nice olive oil.

Italian cooking or other mediteranean styles call for olive a lot and you should use it.  they tend to have "gentler" cooking methods too.  on the otherside, think asian cooking with high heat in woks and they tend to use peanut oil wich has a very high smoke point.

FYI, olive oil can go rancid so keep it in your fridge.  it will get thick but goes back to its regular thin oily self pretty fast.  just take it out before you need it.

mrsrose16

I use a chuck roast and cut it up into bits for stew.

Brookie-Cookie

oh for the beef, use a tough cut like chuck.  grocery stores often have packs done up for stewing already.  or look for a braising steak and cut it yourself.

Tash13

Thank you so much ladies!  I've only baked in the past (hence the vegetable oil) so I'm totally lost.  Olive oil is now on my list.  And I feel like such a dork about the beef.  I guess I should read the packages first haha.  Thank you for all of the tips!