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Is rape seed oil OK for frying?

post #1 of 22
8/31/07 at 11:05am
Thread Starter 
Hi,

I am new to frying, and would like to try it now. For normal cooking (when using oil), I use rape seed oil because it has reach content of Omega 3.

I would like to rape seed oil my chicken, is it OK?

And how long should chicken cook in oil (thighs, wings and breasts)?

Thanks (sorry for any bad english) :)
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post #2 of 22
8/31/07 at 11:50am
Rape seed oil covers many different varieties of oil. Some are unsafe. Some are medically important (Lorenzo's Oil) and one has been bred to be good for cooking and was renamed for marketing reasons as canola.

I assume you mean the variety we in the US know as canola. It's a good oil for frying in general. Some people find it to cause fishy off flavors. I don't personally taste that effect.

If your concern in frying is for maximum health, you might also look at Grapeseed oil (which is spelled and sounds much the same but comes from grapes). I use grapeseed oil for most of my frying now and I like it's behavior and neutral taste.

As to how long, there are variables here in how much coating, piece size, bone-in vs bone out... For a piece with the skin and bone still present, probably 15-20 minutes. It's a good idea to have an instant-read thermometer to verify that you have cooked the chicken completely regardless of time and temperature suggestions.

Phil
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post #3 of 22
8/31/07 at 12:07pm
Thread Starter 
Thank you for reply,
yes, i would like to fry as healthy as possible, but not in too much expence of taste. I have not seen any oil of that name "grape seed" or the same in norwegian, but I will check it out.

I have (and use) a owen thermometer. You meen that I should place it in the boned chicken (thigh), and not in the oil? Do I need two thermometers?
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post #4 of 22
8/31/07 at 12:40pm
An instant read thermometer has a probe you insert into the meat to see the temperature of the meat. You don't leave it in while it cooks, just insert it for a few seconds to guage the doneness. You certainly don't have to have one, but it makes cooking much easier and you know for sure the results of doneness.

The other thermometers are useful too. Knowing the temperature of your oil is also important for good fried food.
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post #5 of 22
8/31/07 at 12:51pm
Thread Starter 
I need another thermometer for the oil. But, if I don't find grapeseed oil, is rape seed oil good to use (quality oil here in Norway)?
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post #6 of 22
8/31/07 at 1:52pm
Don't know if it matters to you or not, but virtually the entire commercial rape crop is genetically modified.

Personally, I don't knowingly use genetically modified foods, so avoid canola for that reason.
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post #7 of 22
8/31/07 at 4:57pm
Thread Starter 
Just two more question regarding this:

I have read that it is normal to fry at 185 degrees celcius (365 degrees Fahrenheit). But shouldnt this be different depending on the food (size etc.).

And what happends if i fry at lower temperatures? Then i wouldn't take so much care about the smoking point, and the oil wouldn't risk degrading (I think). Why is 185 degrees celcius set?

Again thanks! :)
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post #8 of 22
8/31/07 at 5:23pm
Thread Starter 
What! Until recently (I believe), it was illegal to sell genetically modified food here in Norway. Those stu**d EU (European Union) rules, who we don't even is a member of, forces us to allow it, just as a lot of dangerous (presumed) E additives.

Yes, I care how food is made. But, I think research has not yet found any direct dangerouse affects on humans using genetically modified food. I am more concerned about getically modified animals, like beef. We don't eat that kind of meat in Norway. It may not be dangerouse for humans, but I think about the living conditions for the animals. Have seen bulls that almost can't stand because of their giant weight.
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post #9 of 22
8/31/07 at 5:54pm
As stated,
Canola is the GMO version of rape seed.

Rape seed is the nonGMO version.

(by the way, Canola was developed in Canada. The name derives from CANada and OiL + (A))
Originally Canola oil was developed for developing countries as cheap way to grow oil from a very fast growing , but inedible, rape seed plant. Patents were filed by the Canadian government but never reinforced and remain open to this day. It was a humanitarian effort.

I draw the line when GMO means cross species genetic modifications which was originally not the case with Canola. The GMO techniques used to create canola was basically an accelerated means to cross breeding. Today some rapeseed oil are developed by crossbreeding rather then genetic modifications mostly for the EU.

Luc H
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post #10 of 22
8/31/07 at 6:33pm
Thread Starter 
Luc H,
Interesting reading. So, since the oil I buy is named Rapeseed (not rape seed), it is NOT genetically modified? The bottle say nothing.

But is the smoke point the same, and the other health gains (Omega 3 rich)?
I can find some info about Canola, but not Rapeseed.

So, you approve of Rapeseed, and not Canola. Or was it the other way around? :rolleyes:

Thanks for answering these questions!
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post #11 of 22
8/31/07 at 7:49pm
Couple of corrections and precisions:

The correct spelling is rapeseed (my mistake)
Interesting link:Rapeseed - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Canola actually means CANada Oilseed Low Acid. The acid in question is erucic acid (a mild toxic) found in varying amounts in wild rapeseed.

From what I gather rapeseed and canola is the same plant. When referred as rapeseed oil it means nonGMO and when referred as Canola oil it is a GMO product.

rapeseed and canola have similar fatty acids profiles including Omega3's. I do not have a problem with Canola oil because it is a relatively cheap way of getting Omega3's in ones diet which I think is very important.

In other words I approve of both rapeseed and canola.

In Norway, I think they would say on the label (by law) if the rapeseed used for the oil in GM.

(my take on this product)

Luc H
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post #12 of 22
8/31/07 at 7:53pm
You can always count on Luc for the chemistry of cooking :D But I still say water will evaporate, not just outgas, at room temp. and with a pressure about 0.1% of atmosphere.
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post #13 of 22
8/31/07 at 8:12pm
I am writing this with a grin (meaning I am not offended).
I think you are referring to this phenomena:
Link: Google Answers: physical properties of water in a vacuum

The water will <boil> only when a little water in placed in a LARGE room because you want to minimize the effect that the water evaporates more quickly under vacuum and will prevent a full vacuum to be created.

The example I think that was given in this thread by OregonYeti was: A cool experiment is to have a vacuum pump de-pressurise the air in a container of water. Bring it to near total vacuum, and the water boils rapidly at room temperature.
here: http://www.cheftalk.com/forums/food-...g-pasta-2.html

I that situation, the water will appear to boil by degassing. (it was a neat experiment we made in college) then it will stop boiling but slowly evaporate not boil again (Unless you have a monster pump!!). (but I may be wrong).

I feel like a nerd now being baited to answer you AndyG... hehehe!

Luc H.
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post #14 of 22
8/31/07 at 8:19pm
:D well, air-conditioning is my trade, and we use high-powered vacuum pumps to evaporate out any residual water, which could shut down an AC or refrigeration system. Sometimes takes an hour or 3, but it does get the dihydrogen monoxide out.
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post #15 of 22
8/31/07 at 8:29pm
you used the word evaporate not boil! (I am teasing you)

It's getting late here.... Time to sign out

Luc H
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post #16 of 22
8/31/07 at 10:02pm
Thread Starter 
Hmm, did you use to watch the TV show Kitchen Chemistry? :)

Thanks all!
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post #17 of 22
9/1/07 at 7:13am
Kitchen Chemistry,

I did not know such a show ever existed. I was thinking of making a TV pitch for a show like that once.

Good luck NOR

Luc H
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post #18 of 22
9/6/07 at 10:53pm
good post sar iiiiiiiiiiiiii
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post #19 of 22
9/10/07 at 6:54am

Canola info

Rape is grown all around me here in Switzerland. I never really thought about it much, not really knowing what it was used for. After reading this post I decided to see what I could find out. This link is to a site that, although long winded, seems to answer a lot of questions on the subject. I know I won't be using any form of it if I can help it!
Canola Oil - How Toxic Is It?
(No...I have nothing to do with Shirley nor her cafe. :))
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post #20 of 22
9/10/07 at 1:54pm
That site is too fear mongering-conspiracy theory-anecdotal- pseudo science like for my taste.

Yes rapeseed (in one word) contain eurucic acid considered toxic but edible rapeseed contains very little.
peach pits and apple seeds contain cyanide.
Peanuts often contain aflatoxin probably the most cancer causing agent found in nature.
Aflatoxin - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Castor oil is extracted from castor seeds which contain ricin one of the deadliest poison known to man.
Castor oil - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Drinking seawater can be deadly.

If I continue, I will be fear mongering....

Suffice to say <the dose makes the poison>
Luc H.
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post #21 of 22
9/10/07 at 7:41pm
Aflatoxins in raisins was a claim that has since been mostly discredited, right?
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post #22 of 22
9/11/07 at 6:44am
the condition for aflatoxin development (as per Wiki-P) is as follow:

The native habitat of Aspergillus is in soil, decaying vegetation, hay, and grains undergoing microbiological deterioration and it invades all types of organic substrates whenever conditions are favorable for its growth. Favorable conditions include high moisture content (at least 7%) and high temperature.

Crops which are frequently affected include cereals (maize, sorghum, pearl millet, rice, wheat), oilseeds (peanut, soybean, sunflower, cotton), spices (chile peppers, black pepper, coriander, turmeric, ginger), and tree nuts (almond, pistachio, walnut, coconut, brazil nut).

The toxin can also be found in the milk of animals which are fed contaminated feed.

Virtually all sources of commercial peanut butter contain minute quantities of aflatoxin,[1] but it is usually far below the US Food and Drug Administration's (FDA) recommended safe level.

Many dried foods, including raisins, are tested for aflatoxin. Pakistan and the UK have looked into aflatoxin levels in raisins (and other dried fruit) extensively in the past and have not found any. The possibility does exist for raisins but it does not appear to be a susceptible food like others mentioned above.

Peanuts, as I stated, almost always have minute amounts of aflatoxin but well below regulations.
BTW, Aflatoxin was found because peanut farmers had an unusually high cancer rate yet peanut consumers did not. It was found that the farmers often ate raw peanuts to judge their crops hence eating live fungi and toxin . Roasted peanut kills the fungus and destroys most of the toxin.

Luc H

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