You must have come across grapeseed oil on your local grocery shelf, but you may have passed it up in favour of the more familiar and more popular, olive oil. While olive oil has many benefits, but must we tell you, grapeseed oil deserves your equal attention because it's incredibly versatile, cheaply priced, and doesn't overpower the flavour of other ingredients in a meal.
What is grapeseed oil?
Grape-seed oil is a cooking oil manufactured from the seeds of grapes that are produced as a byproduct of the winemaking process. Grapeseed oil, which was first produced by the French, has been used in Europe since the 1930s and became popular among chefs in the United States in the 1990s. It can be expensive since grape seeds produce such a small amount of oil (approximately 8–20 per cent of the seed contains oil), yet it's regarded for its really neutral, clean flavour.
Grape-seed oil, which is mostly made up of polyunsaturated fatty acids, can break down at very high temperatures, such as deep-frying, but it's perfect for moderately high temperatures or medium-heat cooking, such as sautéing.
How grapeseed oil is made?
Grape seeds are either thrown or processed into grapeseed oil after grapes are squeezed into juice to make wine. There are two approaches to this: The more efficient (and widely used) approach makes use of a chemical solvent to extract the most oil from the seed's limited supply. The other method, known as cold-pressing or expeller-pressing, entails mechanically squeezing the oil out of the seeds, resulting in a more expensive and, according to some, higher-quality product.
Benefits of grapeseed oil
Since grapeseed oil has a high smoke point (about 420-445°F) for vegetable oil, it won't oxidise and generate bad flavours when cooked at higher temperatures. Grapeseed oil is one of the most adaptable options in the kitchen because of its high smoke point and neutral flavour. Grapeseed oil is a good source of vitamin E and omega 6 fatty acids in terms of nutrition. Vitamin E has antioxidant qualities that destroy free radicals to boost the immune system.
How to use grapeseed oil in cooking?
Sautéing
Grapeseed oil is the best here. Because of its light colour and substance, it allows the colour and flavour of your ingredients to shine.
Stir-frying
The beauty of this oil is that it has a mild, clean flavour that lets your food's vibrancy and freshness shine through. It has a high smoke point of 420°F, making it ideal for use in a sizzling hot pan.
Salad dressings
Grapeseed oil is quite versatile and goes well with almost any flavour. Salad dressings of vinegar, mustard, or a honey base with grapeseed oil are all good options.
Grilling
You may use it to not only oil your grill but also spray vegetables or anything else that might stick. It's also a fantastic addition to barbecue sauces and marinades.
Deep-frying
It's great for frying fish, poultry, and tempura because it's light in flavour and can take high heat
