What is the function of oil in baking/roasting?
Oil is almost always used when cooking vegetables or meat at high temperatures in the oven, but I'm not sure what it actually does - it obviously provides flavour, but there seem to be other purposes.
Surface water prevents the maillard reaction from occurring because the temperature cannot exceed 100C. I presume that oil does not have this same property? How does oil aid in crisping the surface? Does it do anything else? Does it affect the form or speed of heat transfer?
Best Answer
(Liquid) water cannot exceed 100°C because that it's boiling point, and any additional heat applied goes toward the latent heat of evaporation needed to turn it into a gas (steam, which can then be higher than 100°C).
Oils have a boiling point much higher than water, and a point lower than that (but still much higher than water's boiling point) called the smoke point which you do not want to reach (as it causes dangerous break downs of the oil).
Oils aid in crisping by facilitating heat transfer. They are liquid so they have good coverage, and they sort of "stick" to the surface of the pan and the food. Excess drips off, but there's still a layer.
This layer has good coverage so it provides more contact between the food and pan, facilitating heat transfer.
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Quick Answer about "What is the function of oil in baking/roasting?"
When baking with oils, little air is trapped in liquid fat compared to solid creating a softer and chewier consistency. Oil help transfer heat to food, prevent sticking, helps food retain heat, emulsifies or thickens sauces, and create a crisp texture.What does oil do for roasting?
Roasting vegetables with oil also encourages extra browning and creates a richer, more toasty flavor. Lastly, the oil gets a chance to cook out some of its raw flavor and mingle with the flavor of the vegetables.Is oil needed in roasting?
Oil is an essential part of the roasting process, as fat is necessary to achieving that delicious caramelization we expect of our roasted dishes.Is oil necessary for cooking?
Don't You Need Oil to Cook? Using oil can definitely make cooking easier \u2014 it helps prevent food from sticking to the pan and burning, it can help foods cook a bit quicker, and it can help certain foods crisp up nicely. But luckily for those trying to avoid their oil intake, cooking without oil is totally possible.Can cooking oil be used in baking?
Oil is one kitchen staple that can be used for both cooking and baking. For baking, it commonly replaces butter, shortening, or even lard in some cases but not always.Roasting VS Baking VS Convection | Oven Settings
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