From BonAppetit.com…
You have a lot of options when choosing a cooking fat for a dish and each choice comes with its own unique perks and benefits. Take this recipe for Cod With Scallion-Sesame Butter, which includes not one, not two, but three fats, each with a specific purpose.
There’s olive oil for searing, butter for richness, and toasted sesame oil for added warmth and flavor. “Regardless of what kind of dish I’m cooking, I’m always looking to maximize flavor from every ingredient,” says Test Kitchen director Chris Morocco, who developed the recipe. “It’s not about having an oily end product, but more about the different aromas and flavors each fat brings to the table.”
By that same token, individual cooking fats also come with their own limitations—from smoking points to flavors and consistencies that may or not be welcome in a particular situation—which make choosing the right one all the more important.
To help you make the right decision at home, we asked members of our Test Kitchen how they go about choosing fats when cooking. And while none of these are hard and fast rules, asking yourself these questions before reaching for a stick of butter or a bottle of oil will help set you on the best path forward.
