I talk a lot about avocado oil for obvious reasons, but it’s not the only fat I use in my kitchen. Olive oil is a close second, with butter, tallow, and lard also making appearances.
When you go to a grocery store, you’ll see a lot of different kinds of olive oil. Different colors—from almost clear to yellow to deep green—different descriptors on the label, and vastly different price ranges.
Which one goes with which application? How does the taste compare? Let’s break it down.
Types of Olive Oil
Virgin, extra virgin, light, blended… what does it all mean?
Virgin olive oil is produced only by physical means, without heat or chemical extraction. By definition, a virgin olive oil has not undergone any processing other than washing, decanting, centrifuging, and filtering (none of these are required for virgin oil, but they are permitted).
Extra virgin olive oil (EVOO) must contain at most 0.8% acidity, with a “superior taste,” according to the International Olive Oil Council. Oil with higher acidity may only be labeled as virgin. Extra virgin olive oil will generally be more expensive than virgin olive oil of similar quality.
Refined olive oil is more shelf-stable, but it will also lack the characteristic odor and flavor that most people desire in olive oil. Light olive oil is a type of refined olive oil that, despite the name, doesn’t have fewer calories than other varieties. I don’t use these oils in my kitchen. If I want a neutral-tasting oil, I’ll use avocado oil.
Olive pomace oilis extracted from the olive solids (pomace) leftover from the pressing, usually using chemical solvents. This isn’t culinary olive oil, and it’s definitely not meant to be eaten. Most olive oil-based soaps you see are made with olive pomace oil.
What to Look For When You Buy Olive Oil
These olive oils are certified by the North American Olive Oil Association for quality and authenticity. Many are commonly available in grocery stores.
When choosing an oil, treat it a bit like wine and engage your senses. Don’t rely too much on sight. Smell it and taste it. Take a half teaspoon or so into your mouth and swirl it around. First and foremost, it should taste like olives, but notice the other flavors as well. Different olive oils have different flavor profiles and mouthfeels. Some will be fruity, others grassy, others peppery. Some will feel heavier, others lighter.
These differences are neither inherently good nor bad—unless an oil is metallic tasting or smells of paint thinner; then it’s probably rancid. Keep trying oils until you find ones you like. Experiment. Pair them with different foods and see how they work together (again, like wine).
Of course I have my favorite that I reach for most often, but I also love tasting different olive oils at restaurants and wineries when I travel. The variation from one bottle to the next can be quite remarkable.
Olive Oil Storage
Heat and light are your biggest enemies. Be sure to buy an oil in a dark bottle, then store it in a cool, dark place. Extra virgin should be kept somewhere between 57 and 65 degrees, ideally. You can refrigerate other olive oils if your kitchen is too hot, but refrigerating extra virgin olive oil can disrupt the delicate flavors. If you get extra virgin that’s tasty enough, of course, you won’t have to worry about long-term storage.
Final note: Olive oil, even EVOO, is more robust than some people believe. I do cook with it, although it’s not my first choice for high-heat applications. I’ll talk about this more in a future email.
