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oil or butter for the pan

Oils & FatsYear-round

Oils and butter are calorie-dense sources of fat; oils contain essential fatty acids while butter provides fat-soluble vitamins A, D, and K2. The nutritional profile varies by fat type—saturated, monounsaturated, and polyunsaturated fats differ in their health properties.

About

Cooking fats—whether oil or butter—are lipids used to coat cooking surfaces and facilitate heat transfer in the preparation of food. Oils are liquid at room temperature and derived from plant sources (vegetable, olive, canola) or animal sources (fish oils); butter is a solid or semi-solid emulsion of milk fat, water, and milk solids produced by churning cream. Both serve as mediums for sautéing, frying, and browning, with distinct smoke points and flavor profiles that influence cooking outcomes and final dish character.

Culinary Uses

Oils and butter are fundamental to nearly all cooking methods that require a cooking medium. Neutral oils (vegetable, canola, grapeseed) are used for high-heat cooking, frying, and when ingredient flavors should not be masked. Butter imparts richness and is preferred in European cuisines for sautéing vegetables, browning proteins, and finishing dishes. Olive oil is used at lower temperatures for sautéing and as a finishing fat in Mediterranean cooking. The choice of fat affects browning (Maillard reaction), moisture retention, and final flavor complexity of the dish.

Forms & Preparations

Whole butter — Solid or semi-solid at room temperature, containing ~80% fat and 15-20% water; used for sautéing, browning, and finishing dishes.
Clarified butter or ghee — Butter with milk solids and water removed, yielding pure butterfat with a higher smoke point; used for high-heat cooking and frying.
Vegetable or neutral oil — Refined plant-based liquid oils with neutral flavor and moderate-to-high smoke points; standard for sautéing and general cooking.
Olive oil — Pressed from olives, with lower smoke point and fruity/grassy flavor; used for low-to-medium heat cooking and finishing.
Rendered animal fats — Liquid or semi-solid fats from meat (bacon, beef tallow, duck fat) strained and cooled; adds flavor and browning capability.
Spray or aerosol cooking oil — Oil dispensed in fine mist form from a canister for minimal-fat coating of pans; convenient for low-fat cooking methods.