I got hot under the collar, (almost smoking point!) reading yet another article in a (reputable) food magazine with incorrect information on cooking with Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO).
When we did contact them, the greatest sadness was that they were not interested in correcting the article, but asked if i wanted to pay money to place an article with my differing view! I wondered who had paid for the first 'article'....another win for the big budget marketers?
Here is my view: You should cook with EVOO.
Two reasons: your food will taste better, and it is a healthy choice
Smoke point is irrelevant. It is a smoke screen, marketed to suit an agenda. Ask yourself, when do I cook over 200 degrees Celsius?
EVOO will smoke at 200 - 210 degrees Celsius...and here is a list of cooking temperatures:
- 180 to fry beef steak
- <180 degrees to shallow fry crumbed fish or chicken
- 180 degrees to roast potatoes
- 180 degrees to bake a cake
- 180 degrees to deep fry
- 140 degrees (or less) to sweat onions...
LOOK OUT! A key point to note is that low grade (cheap) olive oil (not extra virgin) will smoke at lower temperatures. It will also not contain the health benefits or the good flavours.
Here is some links to reputable sites, who publish research based articles.
NZ research on frying with EVOO
No scientific substantiation for the common myth that you cannot cook with EVOO.
