O/T--? for all you cooks out there...

Avatar for mjaye2002
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
O/T--? for all you cooks out there...
4
Wed, 05-02-2007 - 9:30pm

Ok. This is a really stupid question, and I'm almost embarressed to ask, but...

Is there a major difference between frying in the solid grease (like Crisco) and the liquid oil? I mean besides any kind of health-type issues (Let's face it, if I'm *frying* something, it's not going to be all that healthy anyway! LOL) Seems like my mom used to always use the solid form, but I've always used the liquid. Never really thought about it until my friend was cleaning out her pantry and she had both the liquid and the solid. I don't bake really, so maybe she uses it for baking....Anyway, that got me to wondering.

See...told you it was a stupid question!!!

iVillage Member
Registered: 12-14-2006
Thu, 05-03-2007 - 6:37am

Not an expert, but...

The main difference is solid vs. liquid.....like butter vs. oil. I've only used crisco when I'm baking something and don't want to use butter. Some Jewish recipes are designed to be non-dairy (so that someone who keeps kosher could eat it with meat), and use Crisco as the substitute, since oil would change the consistency of whatever you're baking.

Another difference between fats is how hot you can cook them - butter burns very easily, so if you were frying you wouldn't use butter. I'm not a big fryer - but I guess there's a difference between criso and oil in how hot it can get.

HTH

Sue

Avatar for heartsandroses2002
iVillage Member
Registered: 03-26-2003
Thu, 05-03-2007 - 10:16am

If a recipe calls for shortening, you MAY substitute it with liquid oil. I think it fries best in shortening, the solid stuff - crispier or something. I'm not much of a fryer, but I have shortening and liquid oils. I make my own salad dressings and also use the liquid for baking and even sauteing and frying. I've used it to make french fries in the past. Now I bake/roast my fries.

If it's just for frying, I don't think it matters which you use. I've used both without any problems.

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-27-2005
Thu, 05-03-2007 - 10:30am

Foods fry up quicker and crispier in crisco than they will in oil.

stacy

iVillage Member
Registered: 03-06-2006
Thu, 05-03-2007 - 11:40am

Hi Mitzi! I bake regularly and never fry anything, but I DO have both solid Crisco shortening and liquid vegetable oil in the pantry.

The solid Crisco is used pretty much exclusively for baking; and the vegetable oil for various other things (marinades, etc.) but also some baking recipes, i.e, brownies.