Olive Oil in Winter

[UncleEbenezer]

My extra-virgin olive oil recently ran out. And with winter coming, mindful of how olive oil clouds in colder conditions, I haven't replaced it.

Tonight's meal (three layers in the steamer) needs lubricating with a sauce. The kind of sauce you classically make by infusing some flavoursome ingredients in olive oil. But I have no olive oil .

After a moment's thought, I used the microwave on defrost to melt some butter. Then rather than bog-standard garlic/chilli/ginger, I made a gentler but delicious infusion with lemon and mace. It worked, but having to melt butter is not ideal[1].

Any tips? Are there olive oils that fare better than normal ones in cold weather? Or alternative suggestions.

[1] Erm, OK, one of the layers was spuds, and butter is ideal with them. But overall, olive oil would've been better.

[servodude]

Or alternative suggestions

Don't worry about the clouding?

It will vanish if you warm it as the "stuff" gets re-dissolved

I know folk who make litres of the stuff at a time and keep it in the fridge over the warmer months (which is pretty much guaranteed to cloud it)

[UncleEbenezer]

Or alternative suggestions

Don't worry about the clouding?

It will vanish if you warm it as the "stuff" gets re-dissolved

I know folk who make litres of the stuff at a time and keep it in the fridge over the warmer months (which is pretty much guaranteed to cloud it)

Thanks for the suggestion. Indeed, in past years it's un-clouded in spring.

But it's not quick. Just putting a bottle in warm water doesn't clear it. So I'd have to be extracting the remaining liquid from a clouded bottle, effectively separating out the liquid from the solid. Which begs the question, what do I end up with?

[servodude]

Or alternative suggestions

Don't worry about the clouding?

It will vanish if you warm it as the "stuff" gets re-dissolved

I know folk who make litres of the stuff at a time and keep it in the fridge over the warmer months (which is pretty much guaranteed to cloud it)

Thanks for the suggestion. Indeed, in past years it's un-clouded in spring.

But it's not quick. Just putting a bottle in warm water doesn't clear it. So I'd have to be extracting the remaining liquid from a clouded bottle, effectively separating out the liquid from the solid. Which begs the question, what do I end up with?

Some sort of super boujie cold extraction?

Google says the cloudy bits are polyphenols https://www.olivenation.com/cloudy-olive-oil-not-a-problem

[mutantpoodle]

it seems that you dont want the olive oil bottles on display in kitchen??
surely there is a small corner somewhere out of site that could accomodate a bottle

we decant both olive oil and rapeseed oil into red wine bottles....different coloured cap for each so no confusion
and we dont mind having wine bottles on display

red wine bottles because dark green colour to keep the oil better

[Dod101]

I am no expert on olive oil or on much to do with the kitchen, but my olive oil and for that matter vegetable oil comes in darkish bottles and I am not in the least concerned about them being seen on an open shelf or worktop in my kitchen. Convenience for me is what matters and as I use them most days.... It is reasonably warm except possibly overnight in the middle of winter and I do not have a problem. Mind you I have never looked that closely at the oil to see if it is cloudy or not. As for decanting it, 'way too much trouble. Is the idea that wine bottles are better to look at than the original bottle that the oil comes in? Does it matter? Not to me it doesn't and I cannot think why it would.

Dod

[UncleEbenezer]

Er ... I'm a bit simpleminded in the kitchen, and this is getting too subtle. You lost me.

My olive oil stays in the original bottle until used. The bottle lives on the worktop to the right of the oven&hob, which is also the area where most food preparation takes place. Currently there's plenty of rapeseed oil for frying, but no olive oil.

Failing any better ideas, I might try with a very small bottle of olive oil over winter, and see if size helps with clearing the oil by giving it (the bottle) an hour in warm water. I've always resisted buying the small bottles, because I resent paying per-unit prices that can be several times higher than a decent-size (at least 500ml, preferably more) bottle. Meanwhile, if temperatures remain mild, maybe it'll be quite a while before there's any problem?

[servodude]

I might try with a very small bottle of olive oil over winter,

Use more?

I'm probably at a litre a month or so (granted there are 4 of us)
I use a light enough olive oil that it works for general frying - but still have it with bread, balsamic and salt when I get home from work
I use a fair bit in making breads also

[UncleEbenezer]

I might try with a very small bottle of olive oil over winter,

Use more?

I'm probably at a litre a month or so (granted there are 4 of us)
I use a light enough olive oil that it works for general frying - but still have it with bread, balsamic and salt when I get home from work
I use a fair bit in making breads also

Heh.

Actually I often keep two olive oils around the place. Extra-virgin (Tuscan if I see it in the supermarket) for salads and the kind of infusion mentioned in my OP, and mild-and-light for cooking. But I didn't think that level of detail would help.

The issue is the extra-virgin. The rapeseed oil can do the job of the mild-and-light over the colder season.

[Dod101]

Er ... I'm a bit simpleminded in the kitchen, and this is getting too subtle. You lost me.

My olive oil stays in the original bottle until used. The bottle lives on the worktop to the right of the oven&hob, which is also the area where most food preparation takes place. Currently there's plenty of rapeseed oil for frying, but no olive oil.

Failing any better ideas, I might try with a very small bottle of olive oil over winter, and see if size helps with clearing the oil by giving it (the bottle) an hour in warm water. I've always resisted buying the small bottles, because I resent paying per-unit prices that can be several times higher than a decent-size (at least 500ml, preferably more) bottle. Meanwhile, if temperatures remain mild, maybe it'll be quite a while before there's any problem?

I agree with all of what you have said and that is where my olive oil bottle stays as well. Like you, I am practical and straightforward in the kitchen. My kitchen is nt very warm but I cannot say I have ever noticed any cloudiness. I will keep an eye on it this year though.

Dod

[Mike4]

I might try with a very small bottle of olive oil over winter,

Use more?

I'm probably at a litre a month or so (granted there are 4 of us)
I use a light enough olive oil that it works for general frying - but still have it with bread, balsamic and salt when I get home from work
I use a fair bit in making breads also

Heh.

Actually I often keep two olive oils around the place. Extra-virgin (Tuscan if I see it in the supermarket) for salads and the kind of infusion mentioned in my OP, and mild-and-light for cooking. But I didn't think that level of detail would help.

The issue is the extra-virgin. The rapeseed oil can do the job of the mild-and-light over the colder season.

I am under the impression that using olive oil for frying is really bad news on the health front. Something to do with the release of 'free radicals' when heated to cooking temperatures, or something along those lines. (No, not the political type of free radical )

[GeoffF100]

I am under the impression that using olive oil for frying is really bad news on the health front. Something to do with the release of 'free radicals' when heated to cooking temperatures, or something along those lines. (No, not the political type of free radical )

Olive oil is one of the best (or least bad) for frying:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/he ... eep-frying

Frying is not good for any oil, and all oils should be stored away from sunlight.

[Dod101]

I am under the impression that using olive oil for frying is really bad news on the health front. Something to do with the release of 'free radicals' when heated to cooking temperatures, or something along those lines. (No, not the political type of free radical )

Olive oil is one of the best (or least bad) for frying:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/he ... eep-frying

Frying is not good for any oil, and all oils should be stored away from sunlight.

You are according to your article anyway, referring to deep frying. I never do that anyway and really, neither should anyone else from all that I understand anyway.

Dod

[GeoffF100]

I am under the impression that using olive oil for frying is really bad news on the health front. Something to do with the release of 'free radicals' when heated to cooking temperatures, or something along those lines. (No, not the political type of free radical )

Olive oil is one of the best (or least bad) for frying:

https://www.healthline.com/nutrition/he ... eep-frying

Frying is not good for any oil, and all oils should be stored away from sunlight.

You are according to your article anyway, referring to deep frying. I never do that anyway and really, neither should anyone else from all that I understand anyway.

This paper was referenced in my link:

https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/BF02873539

Olive oil is mostly monounsaturated fatty acids, which are relatively stable.

[UncleEbenezer]

OK, since this thread I bought a small bottle. Plain ol' Napolina, nothing more interesting. Used it in a similar sauce for last night's (steamed) meal.

And as the thermometer drops (8.6 degrees in the kitchen an hour or two ago), it's still a lovely clear liquid. Is it just taking time to cloud, or have I found a great solution?

[genou]

OK, since this thread I bought a small bottle. Plain ol' Napolina, nothing more interesting. Used it in a similar sauce for last night's (steamed) meal.

And as the thermometer drops (8.6 degrees in the kitchen an hour or two ago), it's still a lovely clear liquid. Is it just taking time to cloud, or have I found a great solution?

Is it an EVOO, or one of their "Light in Colour" ? The former has solids that can condense, the latter does not AFAIK.

[UncleEbenezer]

OK, since this thread I bought a small bottle. Plain ol' Napolina, nothing more interesting. Used it in a similar sauce for last night's (steamed) meal.

And as the thermometer drops (8.6 degrees in the kitchen an hour or two ago), it's still a lovely clear liquid. Is it just taking time to cloud, or have I found a great solution?

Is it an EVOO, or one of their "Light in Colour" ? The former has solids that can condense, the latter does not AFAIK.

It's an EVOO. Light in colour is (at least in my kitchen) Just Another Cooking Oil, so dispensable when there's an alternative.

[XFool]

...Remember the original Trojan Room coffee pot on the Internet?

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Trojan_Room_coffee_pot

Perhaps you could arrange to put your olive oil on the present day Internet.

"How low can it go? See how cloudy the UncleEbenezer olive oil jar is to find out!"

[genou]

It's an EVOO. Light in colour is (at least in my kitchen) Just Another Cooking Oil, so dispensable when there's an alternative.

You have what you've bought. I've never seen ( not that I spend a lot of time looking ) what identified as an EVOO that wasn't green. But I'm not an expert on what you are allowed to call EVOO. Maybe yours is filtered, and that is allowed.

The cloudy effect is harmless, and goes away when the oil warms.

[UncleEbenezer]

It's an EVOO. Light in colour is (at least in my kitchen) Just Another Cooking Oil, so dispensable when there's an alternative.

You have what you've bought. I've never seen ( not that I spend a lot of time looking ) what identified as an EVOO that wasn't green. But I'm not an expert on what you are allowed to call EVOO. Maybe yours is filtered, and that is allowed.

The pics (e.g. here - same oil, different size bottle) show the colour. Not that I was concerned about that in this context!

The cloudy effect is harmless, and goes away when the oil warms.

I think that's been well-rehearsed above.