Food Facts: Canola - Cooking

Salad Dressings:

    The benefits of using canola oil in a salad dressing:
    • Canola oil remains free running when stored in the refrigerator
    • Canola oil is light in colour and taste
    • Canola oil blends well with many different spices and herbs.

    A basic vinaigrette is the most versatile dressing. Blend canola oil and vinegar, then add herbs and spices such as salt, pepper, garlic, mustard, ginger or whatever your taste buds desire. Substitute lemon or lime or orange juice for the vinegar. Blend your ingredients in a jar, cover tightly and shake until blended.

    Canola Tip: If you find your dressing on the runny side, add an ice cube and shake well. This will thicken a vinaigrette once the dressing is blended. The ice cools the canola oil and therefore thickens the mixture.

Marinades:

    The benefits of using canola in marinades:
    • Canola oil acts as a moisturizer when marinating meats
    • Canola oil remains free running when food is marinating in the refrigerator
    • Canola oil tastes light and allows the flavours of herbs and spices to dominate.

    Marinating foods is an excellent way to add extra flavour to meats, fish, vegetables and fruit.

Baking with canola oil:

    Canola oil is light and clear and does not impart a distinctive flavour to the baked products.

    By replacing other fats with canola oil, you can lower the saturated fat and Trans fat content in your baking as well as total quantity fat.

    Canola oil in baked products produces a moist and soft texture.

    By substituting canola oil for hard fats, shortening, lard or brick margarine you replace fats higher in saturated fatty acids with canola oil that has the lowest level of saturated fatty acids.

    When substituting canola oil for solid fats you use less fat and will modify the texture, usually making the baked good softer and moister. Use the following chart to convert your recipes that call for a solid fat.

    Baking Conversion Chart

    Solid Fat Canola Oil
    250 mL (1 cup) 175 mL (3/4 cup)
    175 mL (3/4 cup) 150 mL (2/3 cup)
    125 mL (1/2 cup) 75 mL (1/3 cup)
    50 mL (1/4 cup) 45 mL (3 tbsp.)

Deep Frying:

    The ideal frying temperature is 375F (190C) and since canola oil smoke point is 460F (238C), canola oil is ideal for deep frying.

    When deep frying, the batter-coated surface will quickly form a protective shield, preventing the oil to penetrate the food that would make it greasy. The food is cooked by conduction or indirect heat.

    If the canola oil is not hot enough, the oil will reach the food before the coating cooks enough to form a protective layer. If the canola oil is too hot, the coating will burn from direct heat of the oil before the food has time to cook. It is best to preheat canola oil about 15�F (7-8�C) higher than its optimal deep frying temperature.

    It is important to maintain your canola oil quality. Here are a few tips:

    • Skim canola oil to remove small food particles from fryer. Those pieces blacken and affect the other foods fried in canola oil;
    • Filter the canola oil to remove any residue in the fryer;
    • Store oil when not in use, filter and minimize air exposure and keep oil cool;
    • Avoid adding salt to food before frying. The salt draws moisture to the food's surface, which will splatter when the food is added to the hot canola oil. Salt also lowers the smoke point and breaks down the oil;
    • Fry frozen foods while still frozen to limit the oil's absorption;
    • For each volume of food, use at least six volumes of canola oil;
    • Avoid preheating canola oil any longer than necessary. The longer the canola oil is heated, the quicker it breaks down;
    • Use a quality deep frying thermometer to ensure optimal temperature;
    • Shake off loose bread crumbs before adding to the fryer. Loose bread crumbs scorch quickly and downgrade the oil;

    Replace oil when:

    • Oil becomes dark in colour;
    • Smoke appears on the oil surface before the temperature reaches 350�F (175�C);
    • The oil has a rancid or "off" smell;
    • Loose absorbent particles accumulate as sediment at the bottom.

Flavoured Oils:

    Flavoured oils can be made safely at home. Call the Manitoba Canola Growers Association for a recipe brochure on flavoured oils or go to www.canolainfo.org for instructions.