Grape seed oil, also known as grapeseed oil, is polyunsaturated oil extracted from the seeds of grapes. It is a popular oil for cooking due to its high smoke point, neutral flavor and health properties. Other polyunsaturated oils break down at higher heat to release undesirable toxins. Grape seed oil, however, is stable at higher temperatures. Because of its versatility, grape seed oil can be used in cooking applications ranging from salad dressings to frying.
Step 1
Rub food, such as fish, poultry or bruschetta bread, with grape seed oil instead of butter or extra virgin olive oil before baking.
Step 2
Make salad dressings and marinades with room-temperature grape seed oil, especially when you want flavors, such as herbs or citrus, to come through.
Step 3
Sauté vegetables and meat with a small amount of grape seed oil on the stove top. Use 1/3 to 1/2 the amount of grape seed oil that you would use of vegetable or soybean oil in stove-top recipes.
Step 4
Prepare stir-fry recipes with grape seed oil instead of peanut oil or sesame oil to maintain the individual flavors of a mix of several ingredients, as grape seed oil will have very little flavor of its own at high heat.
Step 5
Fry foods, such as breaded shrimp and vegetables, in a heavy pan with a few inches of grape seed oil. You may continue to use the same pan of oil for several rounds of frying without changing the oil because grape seed oil does not absorb the flavors of foods as easily as other oils do.
Step 6
Substitue grape seed oil for vegetable or extra virgin olive oil in high-heat applications, and also as a light, slightly buttery oil alternative in recipes for baked goods, such as banana bread or muffins.
Tips and Warnings
- Choose a grape seed oil that is highly refined at lower temperatures, preferably a product of heat or pressure extraction versus chemical methods using hexane, a gasoline byproduct widely used for oil extraction from seeds. Grape seed oil ideally has a smoke point between 385 and 430 degrees. Many grape seed oil brands have websites describing their extraction methods and the smoke points of their oils.
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