Canola oil is a cooking oil that is used worldwide. It is produced by crushing grains of the rapeseed plant to extract oil which has been used for thousands of years. Canola oil also has low saturated and monounsaturated fat, which can lower your risk of heart disease.
What will happen if it’s frozen? Can you use cooking oil that has been frozen?
Here’s a quick answer
Yes, you can freeze canola oil. However, there are several reasons why freezing it is not recommended. First, if you think this will extend the shelf life of canola oil, then you got it wrong.
Freezing might affect its structure. What are the risks? You can learn more about freezer storage’s perils with our in-depth explanation. (Learn How Long Do Peas Last In The Fridge)
This is why you should never freeze canola oil.
When you buy canola oil from the grocery store, it has a shelf-life of around one year. Therefore, you should have ample time to use it before its expiration date arrives. You might think that freezing canola oil extends its shelf-life but doing so won’t change the time you can keep the oil in your kitchen.
Why does canola oil not freeze? Because the freezing process causes it to change its composition and structure, affecting its effectiveness in the kitchen. There’s a chance it will become spoiled and go rancid, rendering it useless and going to waste.
So, be careful when you try to freeze canola oil. Using freezer storage may put this at risk. If you want to maintain the quality of your cooked foods and save the structure of your oil, you should avoid freezing it.
How to properly store canola oil?
How can you properly store canola oil? You sure got questions like, at what temperature does canola oil freeze? Is it okay to put it in the fridge?
Here are two ways to properly store canola oil to ensure that it’s in good condition for use in cooking:
1. First, store it in a cool, dry place.
If you’re storing canola oil, remember to keep it in a cool, dry place away from sunlight. It should be safe and sound in your kitchen cabinets or the pantry. If it’s stored near heat sources, its structure will be affected, so it should be kept in a tight container or thrown away as soon as possible.
2. In the fridge
If you want to preserve your canola oil for slightly longer, put it in the fridge. You’ll need to find its original container or a glass bottle with a pump spray lid. The canola oil will be in the fridge for nine to twelve months.
Does canola oil have a freezing point?
Although canola oil can freeze solid when exposed to high temperatures for long enough, canola oil is hardly ever, if ever, frozen. That’s because usually, the frozen canola oil will still be a bit liquid instead of being completely butter-like solid. That’s because natural products like canola oil might have their properties fluctuating from batch to batch, even in the same brand.
A commonly accepted freezing point is 14 F, which is almost universally agreed on. However, this doesn’t mean your canola oil will start to freeze before that. The properties of the canola oil vary a lot depending on the specific product you’re using, so it’s hard to say precisely when that will happen.
How long does it take to freeze canola oil?
You don’t have to worry now that freezing your canola oil is terrible. Remember, freezing it on purpose won’t be an issue because it’s nearly impossible!
The freezing point of canola oil is relatively low because of its high unsaturated content. Even so, it would help if you didn’t encounter temperatures below the freezing point very often.
If you freeze the oil, it will likely stay there for a short time. It usually takes at least 4 hours for cold-pressed canola oil to freeze.
Canola oil can harden in the fridge if it is stored improperly. Because of its low freezing point, canola oil won’t be as hard when it gets cold. However, the fridge temperature can harden as other oils do when the temperature is high. (Learn How Many Slices Of Turkey Is 2 Oz)
What oil does not freeze?
Some cooking oils, especially those extracted from seeds or nuts, can congeal in the refrigerator. This is because the molecules in the oil pack tightly together, forming a waxy or crystallized form; the colder the air around the oil becomes. This may also indicate that some of the wax left in the seed or nut used to extract the oil is still there.
Aside from Canola oil- coconut oil, sunflower oil, and grapeseed oil are oils that can be placed inside the refrigerator without worrying that they could be frozen anytime.
Take note that these oils are not only used in the kitchen. For example, coconut oil and sunflower have many uses. You can use it directly on your skin and body.
These two oils can be used in medication and cosmetics.
On the other hand, grapeseed oil can be used to make salad dressing, stir-fry and roast vegetables, and much more.
How To Tell If Canola Oil Is Fresh
A good way to tell if canola oil is good for you and your cooking is to ask yourself if it’s been properly stored. Proper storage of oil will make it last a long time, or it’ll gradually go bad.
There are different ways to check that your canola oil is good. First, if it has been stored properly, you should have a “best before” date on the bottle. This is a good indication of whether or not your oil is still good.
If you notice your oil is getting darker, it could be because the food is no longer being properly stored. Here are some common signs to help you distinguish between bad and good oils.
Smell It
One way to test for the freshness of a product is by smelling it. If you detect a strange smell, or if the product smells rancid, it’s not fresh and should be thrown out.
Feel it
Unwanted foods often have a sticky or tacky feel. If it doesn’t rub off your fingers, dispose of that food immediately.
Look at it
If the color of canola oil begins to change or it starts growing mold, it’s time to buy a new bottle.
Taste it
The oil that has degraded to the point of being bad will have a detrimental and sour taste similar to wine.
Finally
Canola oil is one of the most popular cooking oils out there, and it’s super easy to understand why – it has a neutral taste, can be heated to a wide range of temperatures, and is relatively healthy.
Canola oil is a fascinating substance to talk about. Of course, we already talked about what it’s like to ice cook with canola oil and how it behaves at high temperatures. Still, there are other interesting topics here, too, like whether or not canola oil can freeze!
Canola oil can freeze, yes. But you don’t need to worry about it getting frozen in the winter. Instead, you’ll have to wait until the temperature reaches around 14 °F (-10 ºC), which takes a long time to thaw. (Learn How Long Do Canned Artichokes Last In The Fridge)
As mentioned previously, freezing canola oil is meaningless and damages its flavor and structure. So hurry up and avoid doing that!
