October 29, 2013 - 2:04pm
All shortenings and shortening substitutes contain trans fats? This is news to me.
I'm looking for a trans fat-free shortening for frying donuts, and my distributor told me directly that all oils of this nature (crisco, palm oil, shortening blends) contain trace amounts of trans fats, as low as 0g (under 0.5g but higher than 0.1g). This is disappointing, because I really wanted a product that was strictly trans fat-free.
I cannot use any sort of liquid oil, as it makes donuts taste greasy and unpalatable.
Is it really true that there is no real trans fat-free shortening for frying donuts in? Thanks!
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I have been told similar information. Almost all shortenings for frying contain some trans fats. Most are so minuscule in amounts just like you said. I have tried my non trans fat shortening like AP, hi ratio and such, but do not withstand the high heat.
Though I can not get a company rep to publicly state it, I believe that all shortenings that say they have no trans fats contain some because of the process for making the shortenings.
Carlton Brooks CCE, CEPC, ACE
So long as you stick to the non-hydrogenated kind.
Paul
Natural (unhydrogenated) lard is trans fat free, although I'm not sure how accessible it is. You would also have to disclose that your donuts are fried in an animal product.
Are you sure you want to give up on liquid oil? In my experience, the greasiness level has more to do with frying temperature and technique than it does with the type of oil used, since all fats are liquid at frying temperatures.
animal unhydrogenated lard (like my sopes) have to taste way better than any other kind and are probably illegal in NYC :-) But no trans fats.
I switched from Crisco to peanut oil for doughnuts with no greasy problems at all. The only problem I had with liquid oil was getting rid of it, so I'm thinking of going back to Crisco simply because, when it solidifies, it's easier to clean up. Since I only make doughnuts once or twice a year, I don't see the harm in solid fat.
Taste not so good when cold, I think it is that the cold oil coats your tongue and doesn't easily dissipate. In my experience lard is great for pie crust but when used for frying it smokes and it leaves a unpleasant lingering after taste. To me doughnuts are an occasional indulgence and not consumed in large enough quantity to worry about their health effects.
Gerhard
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Coconut oil is the next best thing to lard if you can't find it. It's very stable at high temperatures and is excellent for frying, or sauteing or roasting or for about a thousand other things, if you don't want too much of a coconut flavor there are more clarified kinds that you can purchase that have an almost neutral flavor. and it's solid at room temperature, melts around 76 degrees.