How to Use Coconut Oil
Select the right kind of coconut oil., Start slowly., Add the other ingredients at room temperature., Prepare yourself for possible chunks of oil., Substitute coconut oil when you want to cook at high temperatures., Use less coconut oil than...
Step-by-Step Guide
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Step 1: Select the right kind of coconut oil.
The two main types of coconut oil are refined and extra virgin.
Generally, extra virgin coconut oil is considered healthier since the coconuts used to make it are either dried using a sanitary method and pressed using a machine, or fermented and juiced using gravity.
Refined coconut oil is usually smoked or dried using less sanitary methods, and as a result, it has to be bleached and deodorized.
Refined oil does have a less potent coconut taste, though, and might be easier to adjust to for people who are not used to using coconut oil for cooking.
If you buy a refined oil for this reason, choose a high quality oil that is naturally refined and unbleached. -
Step 2: Start slowly.
Since extra virgin coconut oil does give food a slight coconut taste, it may take a while before you and those you cook for get used to it.
Introduce the taste gradually by using the oil to cook foods that will be complemented by the taste of coconut.
You can also mix the oil with other types of oil in a recipe to dilute it as you adjust to the taste. , This is especially important if you are using coconut oil in liquid form.
Since coconut oil is naturally solid at room temperature, adding cold ingredients to it will cause it to start re-solidifying, creating chunks.
For that reason, it is best to use room temperature or slightly warm ingredients. , Even if you melt the coconut oil beforehand and only add room temperature ingredients to it, there is still some chance that parts of the coconut oil will turn into small, solid chunks.
If the batter or recipe is not especially sensitive, you can usually continue cooking without much problem even if a few chunks form.
For more sensitive batters, however, you might need to heat the ingredients over a double boiler up to 76 degrees Fahrenheit (24.4 degrees Celsius) or you can try whipping the batter in a blender to disperse the chunks. , Since coconut oil has a higher smoking point than olive oil or other vegetable oils, it can tolerate higher levels of heat.
As a result, it makes an excellent choice for sautéing and stir-frying foods.
Generally, refined coconut oil can tolerate heat up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232.2 degrees Celsius) and extra virgin coconut oil can tolerate heat up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176.7 degrees Celsius).
If the oil begins to blacken or produce a lot of smoke, though, it has likely been overheated. , Coconut oil is nearly pure fat, while butter is not.
If the recipe needs the extra moisture usually provided by the full amount of butter, you can add a dash of additional liquid, like milk or water. , For the most part, you can substitute coconut oil for many other oils and fats without incident, but since it does have slightly different properties, you may stumble upon a recipe for which it does not work as a perfect substitution.
You can usually use the oil in these recipes, but you may need to experiment with it a few times until you can figure out the appropriate proportions. -
Step 3: Add the other ingredients at room temperature.
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Step 4: Prepare yourself for possible chunks of oil.
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Step 5: Substitute coconut oil when you want to cook at high temperatures.
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Step 6: Use less coconut oil than butter.If you plan on using coconut oil in place of butter
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Step 7: use 25 percent less oil than butter.
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Step 8: Prepare to experiment.
Detailed Guide
The two main types of coconut oil are refined and extra virgin.
Generally, extra virgin coconut oil is considered healthier since the coconuts used to make it are either dried using a sanitary method and pressed using a machine, or fermented and juiced using gravity.
Refined coconut oil is usually smoked or dried using less sanitary methods, and as a result, it has to be bleached and deodorized.
Refined oil does have a less potent coconut taste, though, and might be easier to adjust to for people who are not used to using coconut oil for cooking.
If you buy a refined oil for this reason, choose a high quality oil that is naturally refined and unbleached.
Since extra virgin coconut oil does give food a slight coconut taste, it may take a while before you and those you cook for get used to it.
Introduce the taste gradually by using the oil to cook foods that will be complemented by the taste of coconut.
You can also mix the oil with other types of oil in a recipe to dilute it as you adjust to the taste. , This is especially important if you are using coconut oil in liquid form.
Since coconut oil is naturally solid at room temperature, adding cold ingredients to it will cause it to start re-solidifying, creating chunks.
For that reason, it is best to use room temperature or slightly warm ingredients. , Even if you melt the coconut oil beforehand and only add room temperature ingredients to it, there is still some chance that parts of the coconut oil will turn into small, solid chunks.
If the batter or recipe is not especially sensitive, you can usually continue cooking without much problem even if a few chunks form.
For more sensitive batters, however, you might need to heat the ingredients over a double boiler up to 76 degrees Fahrenheit (24.4 degrees Celsius) or you can try whipping the batter in a blender to disperse the chunks. , Since coconut oil has a higher smoking point than olive oil or other vegetable oils, it can tolerate higher levels of heat.
As a result, it makes an excellent choice for sautéing and stir-frying foods.
Generally, refined coconut oil can tolerate heat up to 450 degrees Fahrenheit (232.2 degrees Celsius) and extra virgin coconut oil can tolerate heat up to 350 degrees Fahrenheit (176.7 degrees Celsius).
If the oil begins to blacken or produce a lot of smoke, though, it has likely been overheated. , Coconut oil is nearly pure fat, while butter is not.
If the recipe needs the extra moisture usually provided by the full amount of butter, you can add a dash of additional liquid, like milk or water. , For the most part, you can substitute coconut oil for many other oils and fats without incident, but since it does have slightly different properties, you may stumble upon a recipe for which it does not work as a perfect substitution.
You can usually use the oil in these recipes, but you may need to experiment with it a few times until you can figure out the appropriate proportions.
About the Author
Jerry Murray
Specializes in breaking down complex organization topics into simple steps.
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