What to use instead of neutral oil
It depends entirely on what it's doing in the dish. Here's the job, what else does it, and what to skip.
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Deep-frying medium
It has to sit at 175-190C without smoking, taste of nothing, and survive several batches without breaking down into something bitter.
Peanut oilRan out
1:1
Nothing you will taste, and it takes more abuse before it degrades. Off the table for anyone with a peanut allergy.
Refined sunflower or safflower oilNut-free
1:1
No difference in the finished food. It breaks down a batch or two sooner on repeat frying.
Beef tallow or lardRan out
1:1 by volume
Fries harder and crisper with a savoury edge, and chips reheat better. It congeals on the plate as the food cools.
Refined coconut oilRan out
1:1
Neutral in the refined form, but it sets solid on the fried coating within minutes and the crust turns waxy.
What doesn't work: Extra virgin olive oil in a deep fryer. Its aroma compounds break down and go bitter well before the oil smokes, so the whole batch tastes scorched, and a full pot of it costs more than the food.
Searing and stir-frying in a hot pan
A thin film that carries heat into the surface of the food and stops it sticking, without smoking the kitchen out at wok temperature.
Avocado oilRan out
1:1
Nothing you will taste, and the highest smoke point of the common bottles.
Peanut oilRan out
1:1
Faintly nutty at high heat, which is what a wok dish wants anyway.
GheeRan out
1:1
Browns the food faster and tastes buttery. It burns sooner than its smoke point suggests if the pan sits empty.
Beef tallow or duck fatRan out
1:1
Better crust on meat and potatoes and a savoury flavour. Congeals on the plate.
What doesn't work: Toasted sesame oil as the cooking fat. It smokes at low heat and turns acrid. Use it off the heat by the teaspoon at the end.
Fat in a batter or dough where you want no flavour
It coats flour and shortens the crumb, and being liquid at room temperature it keeps a cake soft even straight out of the fridge.
Melted butterRan out
1 1/4 cups melted butter per 1 cup oil
Browns more and tastes of butter. The cake firms up hard in the fridge where an oil cake stays soft.
Light olive oilRan out
1:1
Barely registers. Extra virgin in the same place tastes grassy and peppery in a plain vanilla cake.
Melted coconut oilRan out
1:1
Cake sets firmer and reads faintly of coconut. It seizes into lumps if the eggs and milk are cold, so bring everything to room temperature.
Unsweetened applesauce, for half the oil onlyRan out
Replace half the oil 1:1 by volume
Springier and slightly gummy, and it stales a day sooner. Taking out all the oil gives you a rubbery cake.
What doesn't work: Cold butter cut into the flour where the recipe says oil. Solid fat builds flakes and layers, liquid fat builds a fine even crumb, so the muffin comes out short and crumbly instead of moist.